Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 30, 2014

The practical uses for uBeam technology is limitless. Did anybody hold patents that would prevent us from using this technology? I seldom hire patent attorneys during due diligence but this was too important. We hired IP specialists to review prior art. Did the physics actually work? Was it safe? It was impressive.

Technical Review 418

Technical Review Software Review CTO Hire IP 418

socalTECH

DECEMBER 20, 2017

In the meantime, we’ll continue publishing thoughts and ideas we’ve learned from great product managers here. It means competition is more fierce because formidable new competitors can arrive overnight. At long last, product managers could collect feature ideas from users at scale. Now everything our company does?—?from

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Metrics Ideas Product 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2010

Last week, the University of Southern California 's Viterbi School of Engineering announced that it had established a new, business plan competition, the Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition ([link] specifically aimed at students in the engineering school. Why a business plan competition, and why in engineering school?

Competition 154

Competition Southern California Mentor USC 154

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

When Fred Wilson funded Twitter I guarantee you it wasn’t obvious that it was a billion dollar idea. Many questioned whether it could survive under the fail whale, inevitable competition from Facebook, founder fighting, fights with 3rd-party developers let alone become a revolutionary business that could make money. Far from it.

Funding 362

Funding Technical Review Ideas Startup 362

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2011

I often hear the qualms of business-smart but non-technical entrepreneurs, wondering if they really have a chance in this high-technology marketplace. I tell them that if their idea or solution is technology intensive, they clearly need technology strength on the team. Outsource your technical requirements.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Entrepreneur Outsource Development Outsource 94

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

If you’re an early-stage entrepreneur, technology has served you well. The barriers to entry when it comes to launching a company require less tension and a lot less capital. In 2006, a passion to help startups grew into Tech Cocktail , a company whose mission was to showcased burgeoning companies in bars around the country.

Startup 141

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2022

According to a classic survey conducted by Dimensional Research for Zendesk , 90 percent of respondents asserted that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, and 86 percent admitted buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews. Bureaucracy can appear quickly in startups as well as large companies.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Organization Social Media Entrepreneur 151

Tech.Co

MARCH 8, 2018

Fortunately, for those headed to SXSW, Startup Night SXSW 2018 , presented by the Kauffman Foundation and TechCo, will be filled with investors from a multitude of industries who are looking to discover and fund startups building the latest solutions and tech innovations. Blackwell, iTech Program Executive & OCT Innovation Liaison, NASA.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Startup Software Review Entrepreneur 70

socalTECH

DECEMBER 23, 2019

Every year, at the end of the year, we share some reflections on the past year from our readers, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, sponsors, and others in the local technology community. What was the biggest news for you/your company this year? The biggest lesson learned this year has been how hot the LA tech ecosystem has become.

Capital 100

Capital Technical Review Truecar Venture Capital 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2012

I often hear the qualms of business-smart but non-technical entrepreneurs, wondering if they really have a chance in this high-technology marketplace. I tell them that if their idea or solution is technology intensive, they clearly need technology strength on the team. Outsource your technical requirements.

Technical Review 92

Technical Review Technology Startup Outsource Development 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Entrepreneurs are people who dream up new ideas, and then commercialize them into new businesses. Most people believe that the hard part is coming up with the idea, and the easy part is turning it into a business. Together they set the standard for collaboration and culture that will make or break the company.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

I still have to tell some entrepreneurs that even with the best idea, they have to move to Silicon Valley to find the investors they need, or they need to move to the U.S. On the other hand, if you are into solar technologies, there is probably an advantage to being in Arizona or a similar location. Exposure is another key ingredient.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Starting an entrepreneurial business, or maintaining the competitiveness of a mature business, requires innovation. Barbee, based on his 45-year career and work as an innovation guru with several Fortune 100 companies and the Darden School of Business. Creativity is more about ideas, while innovation is all about implementation.

Organization 94

Organization Ideas Technical Review Research 94

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 29, 2009

My firm GRP Partners recently funded a young LA based company named Ad.Ly that is an “in-stream advertising&# company currently focused on monetizing Twitter. Traditional media companies published their stories on the web. Advertising has driven the majority of Internet innovation. was the “static&# web.

Ideas 286

Ideas Advertising Google Technical Review 286

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

I’m a believer in the old saying that investors look for great people, more than great ideas. For example, even though Mark Zuckerberg built Facebook as an innovative product, most experts believe it was successful due to his relationship with Peter Thiel and other top VCs that he convinced to invest early.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2021

Starting an entrepreneurial business, or maintaining the competitiveness of a mature business, requires innovation. Barbee, based on his 45-year career and work as an innovation guru with several Fortune 100 companies and the Darden School of Business. Creativity is more about ideas, while innovation is all about implementation.

Organization 172

Organization Ideas Technical Review Research 172

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts , or basic business realities. Intellectual property is required for a competitive edge. Even the best college degree is not a substitute.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

I have often thought that creative endeavors where one has a quick turn-around between idea and realization of one’s work as one of the more fulfilling experiences in life. I started my first company in 1999 and was admittedly swept up in all of this: Magazine covers, fancy conferences, artificial valuations and easy money.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2020

Entrepreneurial thinking in a corporate environment brings many positive career opportunities to the table, and many advantages to your company. Company people, whether employees, managers, or executives, can view customers either with disinterest or as problems. Committed to the success of the company.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Sales Customer Custom 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2023

I see this happening in smaller ways often, where there is minimal focus on competition. Here are some key initiatives that I recommend to every business owner and leader to stave off new competitors before they seriously impact or cause a competitive crisis in your business: Continually compare yourself to known competitors.

Metrics 71

Metrics Training Netflix Resource 71

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 12, 2015

While the global economy has proved to be fertile soil for launching small to mid-sized businesses, there has never been a time in which the competition in the small business arena has been as intense as it is currently. Cost Efficiency. Business Agility.

Ideas 40

Ideas Software Review Competition Satisfaction 40

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 8, 2014

Portfolio company support & analysis. Industry reviews. Associates often shadow partners at board meetings so that they can help follow up with the company on important initiatives between board meetings. Ability to source information easily to help build a thesis around companies / industries / competition.

Help 365

Help Invest Venture Capital Technical Review 365

Tech.Co

AUGUST 22, 2017

Adams developed Levium following his experiences founding several tech companies. How have your experiences with anxiety affected your career in tech? During my time as a tech founder I experienced this profoundly at a personal level and also saw it far too frequently in others whose lives were essentially taken over by anxiety.

Technical Review 51

Technical Review Competition Startup Design 51

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2020

According to a classic survey conducted by Dimensional Research for Zendesk , 90 percent of respondents asserted that positive online reviews influenced buying decisions, and 86 percent admitted buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews. Bureaucracy can appear quickly in startups as well as large companies.

Tips 126

Tips Technical Review Organization Social Media 126

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

Nobody really knows whether or not the idea is yet going to be big, so I believe in not over capitalizing too early. I believe that over capitalizing companies too early often favors the VC. If you’re creating truly innovative products, you often have no idea whether the proverbial dog will eat the dog food.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2019

In the entrepreneur world, it’s still a popular misconception that the “idea” is everything. Even though investors, like myself, have long made it clear that we invest in people, not ideas, new venture owners insist on talking about their latest “ million dollar idea ,” rather than their “ million dollar team.”

IBM 87

IBM IBM Ideas Technical Review 87

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 4, 2014

Yesterday I wrote a post about “ the politics of startups ” in which I asserted that all companies have politics, which in its purest sense is just about understanding human psychology. I think as a tech industry we have bred a culture that places more emphasis on product excellence than managing human behavior.

Startup 340

Startup Technical Review Course Press 340

Tech.Co

MAY 22, 2018

Truth be told, your only path to some serious funding is perseverance and diligence in getting meetings and being prepared. To help you crush your next investor meeting, we asked top VCs and tech leaders to share their best pitch advice. What startup teams don’t realize is that having competition is good. Know Your Stuff.

Tips 70

Tips Help Slides Technical Review 70

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. Understanding how your company will change as you move through these phases is critical if you hope to scale to a large business one day.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. While many tech startups do this intuitively (say, SnapChat thinking it would be much better if our photos out partying disappeared) it still happens. It’s worth a quick read. My argument is pretty simple. Rebelling is simply a form of snobbery.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 22, 2018

Given the company is calling this a lifestyle store, the focus will likely be on showing how Lime’s scooters and bikes can become part of people’s lives and enhance their happiness, rather than on maximizing rental volume. ” That could counter the idea that scooters just get in the way and are an urban eye sore.

Santa Monica 221

Santa Monica Startup Technical Review Education 221

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2019

I still have to tell some entrepreneurs that even with the best idea, they have to move to Silicon Valley to find the investors they need, or they need to move to the U.S. On the other hand, if you are into solar technologies, there is probably an advantage to being in Arizona or a similar location. Exposure is another key ingredient.

Startup 97

Startup Technical Review Oracle Software Review 97

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2010

Burstly, a Santa Monica based company, provides an open and free ad management platform that helps mobile application developers better monetize their inventory. As I naturally get asked all the time why we invested in Company A or Company B, I thought I’d just put forth my thesis in writing. What does it do?

Mobile 282

Mobile Invest Company Companies 282

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

As noted in Entrepreneurs Shouldn't Pitch Their Ideas To Venture Capitalists , most sophisticated investors place their bets on people rather than opportunities. Too Techie - Tone down emphasis on the technology underlying your venture; an interested investor will perform tech diligence at the appropriate time.

Venture Capital 211

Venture Capital Summary Technical Review Template 211

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

In my role as a Professor of Practice within UC Santa Barbara’s entrepreneurial Technology Management Program (TMP), I have worked with approximately 8,000 students over a ten year period. Additionally, independent organizations, such as Pitchbook, compile annual lists of the number of VC-backed companies launched at US Universities.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Technical Review Class Patents 100

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

Some creative ideas come up at random times – say in the shower or while getting a cup of coffee – and other ideas inspired at the office. Tongal gives companies a chance to work with its creative community, all 50,000 of them, to help their next video. A company gets to see all the creative ideas.

Ideas 80

Ideas Technical Review Startup Statistics 80

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 18, 2014

As with any field of technologies that grows at such a pace, its large-scale application will be tested in every possible way. As the IoT advances upon us through waves of technological evolution, many industry leaders are preparing for the challenge of preventing the upcoming trials from including tests upon the limits of your privacy.

Technical Review 96

Technical Review Software Review Technology Examples 96