Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2014

My good friend Adam Lilling and I started Launchpad more than 5 years ago . I had witnessed a number of early-stage tech startups in LA raise seed capital from the Bay Area and relocate. By 2011 the market had started to change dramatically. Adam had a full time startup and then was doing consulting (he later raised a VC fund).

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Startup Idealab Funding 290

Tech.Co

JULY 12, 2017

Other Disney startups such as Atom Ticket , a new movie ticketing app, partnered with the next Star Wars movie and will continue to work with Walt Disney Studios on major film releases. This corporate partnership has proven well for these startups in helping them launch their products and services into another galaxy.

Artificial Inteligence 109

Artificial Inteligence Startup Entertainment Press 109

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Today, we have Brian Mac Mahon of startup accelerator ExpertDojo (www.expertdojo.com). I believe that most of our success came from startups resonating with our message to build big, fast. We now invest in more companies, include better trainers and involve 3 times more investors in the demo days. Recessions are a life lesson.

Southern California 113

Southern California Technical Review Santa Monica Invest 113

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I started in 2007 with a thesis that my primary investment decision would be about the team (70%) and only afterward about the market opportunity (30%). I was telling him that it was much easier when I started because there were fewer deals, life was less public and somehow the world seemed to be spinning more slowly. I don’t.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

socalTECH

MAY 23, 2017

Our interview this morning is with Jonathan Zweig , the CEO of Los Angeles-based AppOnboard (www.apponboard.com), which has created software which allows mobile app developers--and in particular, mobile game developers--to create demos of those games which can be played without having to download and install those apps. I was a sponge.

Startup 113

Startup Southern California UCLA Technical Review 113

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 5, 2010

Jason Calacanis started this initiative in response to the pay-to-play network of angel events that he despised. I suppose I should keep it to myself but I guess Jason will be helping to hype up all the companies anyways. Marco Zappacosta served up an cogent, business focused and nicely demo’d pitch of their product.

Angel 254

Angel Technical Review Software Review Platform 254

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 27, 2013

I’ve started a recent series on PR at startups since I get asked for advice on this topic so often. The start of this series was, Should Your Startup Announce Funding ? After that a meme developed amongst many startups (and the advisors that coached them) that, “TechCrunch didn’t matter.

Blogging 309

Blogging Journal Press Startup 309

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2016

The Techstars Health Accelerator recently set up shop in Los Angeles with Cedars- Sinai�the second, Techstars powered startup accelerator in the city--in a move to help healthcare startups get to market quicker. Omkar Kulkarni: The program starts March 28th through June 23rd. The accelerator's deadline is Friday.

Mentor 100

Mentor Startup Coach Ideas 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2016

The Techstars Health Accelerator recently set up shop in Los Angeles with Cedars Sinai�the second, Techstars powered startup accelerator in the city--in a move to help healthcare startups get to market quicker. Omkar Kulkarni: The program starts March 28th through June 23rd. The accelerator's deadline is Friday.

Mentor 100

Mentor Startup Coach Ideas 100

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

Some businesses require very little capital and the founder can self-finance the enterprise and retain 100% of its ownership and control from ignition through liquidity event (startup through sale). And even with the significant cost of credit card debt, many entrepreneurs aggressively use existing cards to finance a startup.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 11, 2013

Silicon Beach Fest is gearing up to showcase the most promising startups and visionaries from across LA’s growing startup entertainment ecosystem. More than 150 speakers include top executives from local accelerators, venture capitalists, entertainment powerhouses, brands, and emerging and established start-ups.

GRP Partners 88

GRP Partners MyLife Dollar Shave Club Santa Monica 88

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2017

Usually this stage only really starts after an investor has expressed serious interest, or already informally agreed to invest. Others schedule long and exhaustive practice and coaching sessions for everyone on the team, including showcase customers, to make sure that everyone tells the most positive and consistent story.

Invest 59

Invest Startup Doc Slides 59

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 11, 2012

Things are starting to heat up and not just weather wise here in the LA Tech scene. Speakers From Startups/Entertainment/Tech Include: Howard Marks, StartEngine Co-Founder, formerly Activision Founder. Speakers From Startups/Entertainment/Tech Include: Howard Marks, StartEngine Co-Founder, formerly Activision Founder.

Rustic Canyon 85

Rustic Canyon CTO Coach Santa Monica Press 85

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2010

We had a training session from somebody who put up the four-quadrant graph you see above. This is really important as extroverts like to have the answers presented to them up front. For extroverted people I recommend that entrepreneurs have an “executive summary&# slide up front that cuts to the chase. Drain in quickly.

Slides 358

Slides Venture Capital Startup Summary 358

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

The creators of the renowned StartupWeekend — a place where random ad hoc teams work frantically for 54 hours to build a demo of a new business and then complete for fame and fortune — have picked up where StartupWeekend left off and have birthed a new course for entrepreneurs who need to level up called StartupWeekend Next.

Class 98

Class Mentor Startup UCLA 98

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 28, 2012

From LA Demo Day to Silicon Beach Fest to Crowdstart LA to hackathons to Startup Weekends, companies and entrepreneurs alike have joined forces to feed the startup ecosystem. Startup Weekend is a 54-hour frenzy in which a group of strangers can come together to form a company and compete for prizes.

Startup 100

Startup Ideas San Diego Mentor 100

LATechDigest

AUGUST 23, 2016

ShotTracker with its innovative “ShotTracker TEAM” solution, affordably captures real-time stats for basketball teams, yielding powerful analytics for coaches, players and fans. “We also see immediate growth opportunities for the program companies through collaboration based on the complementary nature of their businesses.”

Company 40

Company Companies Design Organization 40

Berkonomics

APRIL 24, 2014

Accelerators are organizations that selectively accept entrepreneurs into a program of intense coaching in a physical environment sponsored by the accelerator that also provides seed funds for the startup to begin its business. Are you a candidate for an accelerator?

Coach 250

Coach Seed Funding Summary Incubator 250

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

Trust doesn’t come from one 45-minute Powerpoint pitch or 30-minute demo. Start by trying to narrowing the list of total prospective VCs. As I like to say, in the era of social networks and transparency if you can’t figure out how to get introduced to a VC then hang up your cleats now. Maybe up to 6 hours.

Develop 366

Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366