Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2021

Take advantage of the tech classes, labs, equipment, and graduate students looking for real world problems to research. Every university has entrepreneurial courses or evening classes that can provide assistance on creating your initial plan. Connections to a mentor. Product research and prototype development. Legal guidance.

Incubator 172

Incubator Mentor Class Resource 172

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Most aspiring entrepreneurs look to their alma mater, or any university, as a source of classes that can help them, but neglect to think outside the box or take advantage of all the other resources to be found there. Online or evening entrepreneurship classes for anyone. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 24, 2015

I recently interviewed Matt Mazzeo of Lowercase Capital. By now most of you know that Chris Sacca invested in what is now thought to be one of the best performing VC funds of all time having invested an $8.4 We spoke at length about seeking out mentors and how to get the most out of them.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Funding RSS Technical Review 150

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

My primary role was “chief psychologist&# and as I’ve learned over the past few years the same has been true as a VC. Once you’ve been around for a few years, attracted some great people, landed real, paying customers and raised venture capital you’ve likely got a talented team around you.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Startup Sales Customer 319

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 24, 2014

As a result I didn’t write my first venture capital check until March 2009 – exactly 5 years ago. It turns out it actually takes time to build a high-growth business with differentiated intellectual property and roll out large, enterprise-class marketing solutions. 5 years ago. 5 years ago. None have exited.

Venture Capital 387

Venture Capital Downey Writing Press 387

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 9, 2011

Today marks another great day for the LA startup community as one of the city’s prominent mentoring programs , Launchpad LA, received VC funding – for each startup.

Venture Capital 74

Venture Capital GRP Partners Funding Idealab 74

socalTECH

APRIL 15, 2015

Los Angeles-based venture capital investor Karlin Ventures is hoping to help develop rising, technology executives--particularly those at the VP level--with a new program it is launching today called Karlin Fellows. karlin ventures mentor mentoring mentorship product management' READ MORE>>.

Help 100

Help Mentor Develop Development 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

Most aspiring entrepreneurs look to their alma mater, or any university, as a source of classes that can help them, but neglect to think outside the box or take advantage of all the other resources to be found there. Online or evening entrepreneurship classes for anyone. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 9, 2011

Today marks another great day for the LA startup community as one of the city’s prominent mentoring programs , Launchpad LA, received VC funding – for each startup.

Venture Capital 65

Venture Capital GRP Partners Funding Idealab 65

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 15, 2011

Start Engine, started by Activision co-founder Howard Marks and investor Paul Kessler, said today that it is looking to provide mentorship, funding, and other resources to startups in the area, starting with a first class in January. READ MORE>>.

Startup 219

Startup Southern California Activision Mentor 219

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 12, 2013

Because my role as a VC requires me to take and endless stream of meetings I long ago decided I need to learn as much as I can from the meetings I attend so I often just ask tons of questions and assimilate knowledge. When I think about what defines us as a VC I think: Operationally knowledgeable / strong startup competence.

Venture Capital 360

Venture Capital GRP Partners Startup Invest 360

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 11, 2013

Most partners have enormous pools of advisors, mentors and friends anyone of which can make an introduction on your behalf. While not wanting to dampen the VC’s enthusiasm for investing in the start-up, I did suggest that some of the investment capital should be used to build out the management team and bring in a seasoned leader.

Venture Capital 45

Venture Capital Capital Startup Invest 45

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 11, 2013

Most partners have enormous pools of advisors, mentors and friends anyone of which can make an introduction on your behalf. While not wanting to dampen the VC’s enthusiasm for investing in the start-up, I did suggest that some of the investment capital should be used to build out the management team and bring in a seasoned leader.

Venture Capital 40

Venture Capital Capital Startup Invest 40

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2010

chapter of the Media, Entertainment and Technology Alliance (METal) and the voice of KenRadio's World Technology Roundup on CBS Radio, Rutkowski has recruited a roster of mentors to coach entrepreneurs who enroll in the institute's programs in LA. The structure is weekly classes, but with office hours and additional access to your mentors.

Mentor 185

Mentor Class Entertainment Technical Review 185

socalTECH

JANUARY 4, 2013

Santa Monica-based startup accelerator LaunchpadLA has just opened up its spring 2013 class applications, and bumped the amount it invests in startups. As part of the new class, the group said it is now offering up $100,000 in investments along with free office space for four months, as well as connections to mentors, investors, and advisors.

Invest 189

Invest Santa Monica Class Mentor 189

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 12, 2012

Board skills (Startup coaching, mentoring, strategy, operational/growth). Most of them pick it up fairly quickly… but some of them spend their whole careers never understanding what business they are in and think of it as a financial asset class.”. The Alchemy Of A Great Venture Capitalist. Fundraising skills.

Venture Capital 239

Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur SaaS 239

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

In addition, Entrepreneur Magazine recently included UCSB in its Top 50 Schools For VC Backed Entrepreneurs at number 37. A decent showing, but well below a number of larger schools, as the ranking is based on the number of graduates who secured VC funding. This allowed the curriculum to efficiently find its product / market fit.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

socalTECH

AUGUST 24, 2015

The LA Dodgers has opened the doors on its first, startup accelerator program class this morning, unveiling the 10 companies included in the first LA Dodgers Sports & Entertainment Accelerator. The accelerator begins today, and runs through a Demo Day in November at Dodger Stadium. READ MORE>>.

Class 100

Class Entertainment Mentor Organization 100

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2014

Throughout all of these years I was a full-time VC so Launchpad really came out of evenings and weekends for me. Adam had a full time startup and then was doing consulting (he later raised a VC fund). And Jim & I went on to raise several more venture capital funds in our day jobs. And Jamie hers. And Adam his.

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Startup Idealab Funding 290

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

Different types of investors tend to specialize in capitalizing on businesses at different stages. Venture capital firms look for the most mature companies they can find, Angel investors typically deal a tier lower, while friends and family are most likely to help you get started. Don’t sign up for one, expecting the other.

Funding 125

Funding Startup Ideas Equity 125

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

She hasn’t raised any venture capital. It represents the great majority of entrepreneurship and eschews the fairytale rags-to-VC-riches stories we so often read about in the press. Sam is the managing director of Launchpad LA and we were about to pick our 2012 class of entrepreneurs. That may soon change.

Startup 363

Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

socalTECH

DECEMBER 6, 2011

Start Engine, modeled after the YCombinator and TechStars accelerators, is running its first class of startups in January; the group is investing $20,000 in those companies, and providing other resources, mentors, and a program to help those startups get funded and into the market. READ MORE>>.

Funding 214

Funding Southern California Activision Class 214

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Take advantage of the tech classes, labs, equipment, and graduate students looking for real world problems to research. Every university has entrepreneurial courses or evening classes that can provide assistance on creating your initial plan. Connections to a mentor. Product research and prototype development. Legal guidance.

Startup 95

Startup Incubator Resource Mentor 95

socalTECH

JUNE 6, 2011

Although Los Angeles has become a hub for the high tech startup world, Surprisingly, one of the things which hasn't happened in the Los Angeles area is any huge, successful venture acceleration programs. Our mentors as we've built up this effort in LA are TechStars, Tech Wildcatters in Dallas, and Accelerator Labs in Chicago.

Startup 221

Startup Mentor Southern California Incubator 221

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2012

Take advantage of the tech classes, labs, equipment, and graduate students looking for real world problems to research. Every university has entrepreneurial courses or evening classes that can provide assistance on creating your initial plan. Connections to a mentor. Product research and prototype development. Legal guidance.

Entrepreneur 92

Entrepreneur Incubator Mentor Research 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2016

Most aspiring entrepreneurs look to their alma mater, or any university, as a source of classes that can help them, but neglect to think outside the box or take advantage of all the other resources to be found there. Online or evening entrepreneurship classes for anyone. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Capital Class Startup 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2020

Different types of investors tend to specialize in capitalizing on businesses at different stages. Venture capital firms look for the most mature companies they can find, Angel investors typically deal a tier lower, while friends and family are most likely to help you get started. Don’t sign up for one, expecting the other.

Startup 148

Startup Ideas Equity Invest 148

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

Many startups now go through accelerators and have mentors passing through each day with advice – usually it’s conflicting. There are bootcamps, startup classes, video interviews – the sources are now endless. Everybody has a blog these days and there is much advice to be had. What is a founder to do?

Startup 407

Startup Framework CTO Coach Sales 407

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2009

Only Hire A+ People Who Punch Above Their Weight Class. I believe that you should always hire people are are looking to “punch above their weight class,&# which means to hire people who want to be one league above where they are today. Weight Class : Let’s take sales. I’m not one of those. Your solution?

Startup 327

Startup Sales Class CIO 327

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 21, 2014

Our founder, Yves Sisteron, was my mentor and board member at my first startup. Stuart is well worth following on Twitter & now that’s he’s a VC he is likely to share his wisdom more freely. They have trust, short-hand communications, know each other’s strengths & weaknesses, etc. Writing a book will be fun.

CTO Hire 320

CTO Hire Startup CTO Coach Venture Capital 320

socalTECH

OCTOBER 24, 2011

To that end, last week, Los Angeles-based MuckerLab (www.muckerlab.com) announced its plans--and a big lineup of local CEO mentors--to start up a new, YCombinator- and TechStars-type program in Los Angeles, headed by former Silicon Valley venture capitalist Erik Rannala , and affiliated with the TechStars Network.

Technical Advisors 176

Technical Advisors Startup Southern California Los Angeles 176

socalTECH

JANUARY 27, 2010

We put out an RFQ to all sorts of venture capital firms in California, in order to be the fiscal steward of that money. Of course, as with any VC, they can't just limit themselves to such a small area. The purpose was to deliver high value jobs. We ended up selecting DFJ Frontier. DFJ Frontier is a key partner in this effort.

Ventura 200

Ventura Incubator Technology Startup 200

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2013

Despite a growing technology industry here in Southern California, local investors and entrepreneurs tell us there''s still a shortage of local, venture capital. We have a lot of world class universities here. I''m pretty active in all of them as a mentor, and I''m at least a frequent visitors to all of the local accelerators.

Invest 159

Invest Technology Startup Venture Capital 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2014

Different types of investors tend to specialize in capitalizing on businesses at different stages. Venture capital firms look for the most mature companies they can find, Angel investors typically deal a tier lower, while friends and family are most likely to help you get started. Don’t sign up for one, expecting the other.

Startup 93

Startup Funding Venture Capital Ideas 93

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

This is class four for Launchpad LA. They have hired great people, have brought on great mentors, have raised money from top tier investors, and we are excited for a bunch of big announcements in the months ahead,” said Teller. . We’ve been blown away by the performance of the eight companies in this class.

GRP Partners 96

GRP Partners Startup Tech Coast Angels Bertelsmann 96

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2010

Mike Wolf is a mentor of mine, and a role model for many technology entrepreneurs and investors in the Phoenix, Arizona, area. More recently, he has invested in numerous local startups, while mentoring and advising hundreds of young entrepreneurs. Mike: Absolutely no question, raising outside capital for your venture.

Entrepreneur 84

Entrepreneur Angel Startup Mentor 84

Xconomy

SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

The Pasadena, CA-based urban office real estate investment trust (REIT), founded in 1994, has grown into one of the country’s largest developers of world-class collaborative science and technology campuses. Alexandria already has its own venture arm, Alexandria Venture Investments, and is a co-founder of Accelerator Corp.,

Venture Capital 40

Venture Capital Startup San Diego Class 40