Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2012

I always advise software startups to file patents to protect their “secret sauce” from competitors, and to increase their valuation. This patent holding company has charged infringement and demanded royalties from every app developer for the iPhone and Android, for a feature most agree has been in apps for many years.

Patents 93

Patents Software Technical Advisors Startup 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2023

It’s still popular these days for startup founders to operate in stealth mode, meaning no details about the idea or progress are shared with anyone until the big reveal and rollout. Pivots and corrections are inevitable for startups in this age of rapid change, and the earlier you make them, the quicker you get to success.

Marketing 105

Marketing Startup Search Engine Optimization Ideas 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2020

Business partnerships have traditionally been agreements to drive more transactions than either company could do alone. An excellent example is the initiative by Elon Musk and Tesla Motors a few years ago to give away their battery patents, to infrastructure and competitive car providers, without transactional agreements.

Startup 124

Startup IBM IBM Examples 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2014

I always advise software startups to file patents to protect their “secret sauce” from competitors, and to increase their valuation. This patent holding company has charged infringement and demanded royalties from every app developer for the iPhone and Android, for a feature most agree has been in apps for many years.

Patents 100

Patents Software Review Software Technical Advisors 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2016

For a software startup, a patent can be the intellectual property providing the key competitive advantage, or it can be an expensive non-defensible bureaucratic nightmare -- or both. Some argue to simply eliminate software patents, while others put their hopes in U.S. There is no such thing as a world-wide patent.

Patents 53

Patents Software Review Software Technical Advisors 53

SoCal Tech Calendar

JANUARY 26, 2010

Monday, February 1, 2010 -- Patent Policy  From the Hill to the Patent Office. Effective intellectual property (IP) protection is essential to the survival of start-up companies. CONNECT is pleased to host a special policy forum focused on the issues surrounding patent reform. See [link] (more).

Patents 100

Patents IP Startup Funding 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2023

I always tell entrepreneurs that two heads are better than one, so the first task in many startups is finding a cofounder or two. So, the first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? The value in a startup is all about tangible results, so I see no equity value in the idea alone.

Equity 99

Equity Patents CTO Hire Startup 99

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2020

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Early stage burn rates over $50K per month, or a runway of less than six months may indicate an inefficient or desperate startup.

Technical Review 174

Technical Review Startup Invest Patents 174

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Thus I often recommend that before you kick off your own business, you join another startup or existing business to see how things really work. It starts with documenting and communicating a real purpose and mission in terms everyone can get excited about. Even the best college degree is not a substitute.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2016

I understand this instinct for more capital and I have two very different personal experiences: In my first company we raised an A-round of $16.5 million and in my second company we raised only $500,000 by choice. conversation literally every week with startups. I have this “How much should I raise?”

Startup 292

Startup Software Review Pricing Entrepreneur 292

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

Are you the 19-year old founder of a startup? Fourteen looks to be the new nineteen, as yet another company founded by a 14-year old launched in LA yesterday at the Techweek conference. The company is based in Florida. cyborg industries techweek angeles startup high school' You''re over the hill. READ MORE>>.

Startup 214

Startup Patents Los Angeles Conference 214

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

It wasn’t so many years ago that starting a new e-commerce business on the Internet was a complex custom development project, usually costing a million dollars or more. Almost anyone can start a company today on a shoestring budget, following these cost-cutting recommendations: Establish a solid legal structure for your business.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Outsource Development 162

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2023

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Early stage burn rates over $50K per month, or a runway of less than six months may indicate an inefficient or desperate startup.

Startup 83

Startup Technical Review Invest Patents 83

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2021

In his most memorable book, “ The Art of The Start 2.0 ,” Guy Kawasaki exhorts entrepreneurs to focus on making meaning, not money. He has said many times that if your vision for your company is to grow it just to flip it to a large company or to take it public and cash out, "you're doomed.” Do it for meaning.

Startup 144

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Ideas 144

Berkonomics

OCTOBER 5, 2023

Fixed overhead for salaries, rent, equipment leases and more make up the majority of the “burn rate” (monthly expenses) for most companies. How about young or pre-revenue companies? We often accept that development schedules for young companies are almost always too optimistic. The financial pain of unplanned delays.

Venture Capital 296

Venture Capital Product Marketing Resource 296

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

Business partnerships have traditionally been agreements to drive more transactions than either company could do alone. An excellent example is the initiative by Elon Musk and Tesla Motors a few years ago to give away their battery patents, to infrastructure and competitive car providers, without transactional agreements.

IBM 131

IBM IBM Startup Examples 131

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2020

The biggest complaint I hear from fellow investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Start with the problem and your solution. Close by asking for questions and promising follow-up.

Startup 118

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 118

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Thus, based on my experience as an entrepreneur as well as a startup investor, there are indeed situations where a non-disclosure is highly recommended, and others where the potential good far outweighs the risk. Disclosures relative to patents. Product details in the public domain can never be patented. Sharing trade secrets.

Technical Review 101

Technical Review Patents Ideas Sample 101

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

One of the readers asked my opinion around sharing your startup concept: My first question has always been - how do you protect your idea while shopping around for feedback, partners, developers, etc.? Especially if the idea could be whipped-up by a few 24-year olds in a few weeks? This is going to be fairly specific to the company.

Startup 211

Startup IP Ideas Patents 211

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

This raises a big red flag with potential investors, who conclude that no competitors means no market, or you haven’t looked, and the new startup is likely not investable. First to market, for example, is not normally a sustainable advantage for startups. Here are some of the key ones: Patent protection in place as a barrier to entry.

Competition 166

Competition Funding Startup Patents 166

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

Quibi, the short-lived, short-form-mobile-video startup run by Jeffrey Katzenberg, is transferring its mobile video technology to another company, Eko, after Eko filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Quibi. Variety says that no money is changing hands between the two companies.

Mobile 113

Mobile Technology Patents Content 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

As a startup advisor and investor, living in an area with several local universities, I’m continually surprised by how little many entrepreneurs know about the resources available from these institutions. Other project and research reports in their library are a rich source of new ideas, if you are still looking for a place to start.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

One of the readers asked my opinion around sharing your startup concept: My first question has always been - how do you protect your idea while shopping around for feedback, partners, developers, etc.? Especially if the idea could be whipped-up by a few 24-year olds in a few weeks? This is going to be fairly specific to the company.

Startup 198

Startup IP Ideas Patents 198

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2016

I’m sure all of you know one or more of the 200 or more young companies that are currently valued at one billion or more by investors and stockholders. When top tier investors compete for a piece of the action, the price can go up exponentially. Don’t be afraid to give up equity to get a small share of a very large pot.

Company 100

Company Companies Startup Statistics 100

socalTECH

AUGUST 22, 2013

A new, Los Angeles area startup launched this morning, hoping to use the power of the crowd to help take ideas to launch. The startup--headed by Dirk Ahlborn--has created a system which lets the crowd provide feedback, ideas, and even crowdfunding to take ideas and research to market. READ MORE>>.

Research 193

Research El Segundo Incubator Startup 193

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

What’s your role in the Coachella Valley area startup ecosystem? Can you tell us more about your company. What makes the Coachella Valley an ideal place to start a company? More recently though, the startup ecosystem here has been working to broaden industrial variety to include “clean tech” companies like ourselves.

Startup 119

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 119

Berkonomics

JULY 16, 2015

Several times a month, I’d have lunch with one of my CEOs, and each time we’d find ourselves digging into the intellectual property developed by the company over the years, just to refresh ourselves about what the intended use was back then, and whether new developments or technologies might make these older ideas and patents relevant again.

Patents 120

Patents Screening Startup Email 120

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

What’s your role in the Coachella Valley area startup ecosystem? Can you tell us more about your company. What makes the Coachella Valley an ideal place to start a company? More recently though, the startup ecosystem here has been working to broaden industrial variety to include “clean tech” companies like ourselves.

Startup 105

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

Every investor knows how vulnerable a new startup is to competitors, so investors always ask about your sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Neither speaks well for you or your startup. The problem is that startups have limited resources to keep them ahead of big companies. Don’t bash the competition.

Competition 133

Competition Patents Resource Invest 133

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2023

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. Start with a service you know and love. Capture your “secret sauce.”

Startup 111

Startup Training Services Writing 111

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 21, 2023

The biggest complaint I hear from fellow investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Start with the problem and your solution. Close by asking for questions and promising follow-up.

Slides 147

Slides Funding Technical Review Startup 147

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2021

It can come from experience, or from training in a prior company, and it can even be self-taught from the Internet by smart entrepreneurs, just like they learned the skill of establishing a company, negotiating a contract, or filing a patent. Most startups begin first, and think about organization later.

Startup 171

Startup Organization Training Entrepreneur 171

socalTECH

JULY 26, 2021

A new, Los Angeles-based startup, SPINN, developing a fully automated, mobile- or voice-controlled coffee maker which grinds beans, heats water, and brews coffee for users, said on Monday that it has raised $20M in a funding round. The funding was led by Spark Capital, and also included Amazon's Alexa Fund, Bar 9 Ventures and others.

Patents 113

Patents Los Angeles Mobile Funding 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 29, 2013

Can tapping the power of the crowd not only help you find customers and help fund your project, but also help you shape your startup idea and find funding? A new, Los Angeles area startup, JumpStartFund (www.jumpstartfund.com) recently launched, offering up a combination of crowdfunding and crowd-advice for entrepreneurial ideas.

Ideas 178

Ideas Patents Funding Startup 178

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 7, 2011

I always advise software startups to file patents to protect their “secret sauce” from competitors, and to increase their valuation. The bad news is that patent trolls can squeeze the lifeblood out of innocent and unsuspecting entrepreneurs, as exemplified by the current mess around Lodsys patent No.

Patents 91

Patents Software Technical Advisors Innocal 91

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2009

The patent lawsuit filed Wednesday,/a> against popular micro-blogging site Twitter by a Texas company, TechRadium , has echoes of a lawsuit spawned by the acquisition of Sherman Oaks-based NTI Group last year. Blackboard acquired NTI in January, and was one of the big exits for Southern California startups last year.

Patents 100

Patents Sherman Oaks Southern California Blogging 100

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 22, 2018

Founded by Steve Poizner last year to accelerate the growth of a startup entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southern California, The Alliance is building a network of investors, entrepreneurs and universities to provide ballast in the south to the dominance of the Northern California tech industry.

Southern California 224

Southern California Dollar Shave Club SoCal Develop 224