Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2013

Bill Gates started producing software solutions, like his Basic Interpreter and MS DOS, but quickly focused on adding thousands of small partners for applications, and major partners like IBM, Intel, and other hardware manufacturers. These relationships need not require cash investments; often they are done with exchanges of equity or assets.

Organization 97

Organization Competition Startup Acquisition 97

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. In particular, funding for companies developing deep technology--software and cloud, as opposed to content and media--seems to be lacking.

Invest 159

Invest Technology Startup Venture Capital 159

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2022

A major chunk of this activity is provided by the newer class of “super angels,” who often look more like micro-VCs, except that they are investing their own money. Individual angel investors and crowdfunding have been adding to the momentum, some say exceeding VCs in total amount invested.

Guide 136

Guide Venture Capital Funding Class 136

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

He is regarded by many as the number-one authority on virtual staffing and personal outsourcing, and is himself a successful entrepreneur based in the Philippines. I was impressed with his summary of the top ten outsourcing mistakes made by entrepreneurs, followed by real guidance on how they can and should be avoided.

Outsource Development 138

Outsource Development Outsource Summary Training 138

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 29, 2023

While the market isn't short of spritely, innovative entrepreneurs, harsh economic headwinds combined with a pullback in investor spending have made it harder than ever for budding businesses to break through. 2023 hasn't been an easy year to be a startup. Brightwheel’s successes aren’t going on unnoticed, either.

Startup 213

Startup Generative AI Newsletter Tool 213

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2022

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute.

Outsource Development 110

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 110

TechCrunch LA

MAY 20, 2021

Eano, she said, offers competitive and transparent pricing so that homeowners aren’t surprised as a remodeling project goes on. We’re also helping these individual contractors increase the brand, and helping them with the administration and customer support side with our software.”. Image Credits: Eano CEO and founder Stella Wu / Eano.

Technical Review 185

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital Software Review 185

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Without taking a dime of outside capital, the company has achieved impressive success in a competitive, SaaS market segment, landing companies such as Nike, Intuit, NASA, AutoDesk and PBS. We build product roadmap software – it’s a SaaS company based here in Santa Barbara, California. I have always worked on early stage products.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 9, 2013

2020 seems like a decade away into space, however Motreal-based reelyActive, the winner os Startup World Competition , is doing just this. The startups software associates the identified people and “things” with their existing online data. According to Cisco the number of connected “things” will balloon to 50 billion by 2020.

Competition 83

Competition Startup Social Media Software 83

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. Due to this, seed rounds have become more competitive, with more expensive valuations and more oversubscribed rounds. Since 2010, $6.3B

Capital 100

Capital Technical Review Truecar Venture Capital 100

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 18, 2014

If the deal is from out of your geography and/or out of your focus area or a deal is being referred by a well-know investor who normally co-invests with similar syndicates – at least ask yourself, “Why am I so lucky to be getting this call.” I seek out great entrepreneurs. I wrote here about why I avoid party rounds.

Venture Capital 337

Venture Capital Invest Ideas Entrepreneur 337

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2014

He is regarded by many as the number-one authority on virtual staffing and personal outsourcing, and is himself a successful entrepreneur based in the Philippines. I was impressed with his summary of the top ten outsourcing mistakes made by entrepreneurs, followed by real guidance on how they can and should be avoided. Marty Zwilling.

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Outsource Entrepreneur Startup 92

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Bigger organizations should invest in the new “big data” tools. These should not be seen as two separate efforts.

Tool 121

Tool Statistics Entrepreneur Metrics 121

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2021

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Lack of clear objectives/goals. Poor choice of funding sources. Not doing due diligence on the funding source.

Software Review 123

Software Review Seed Funding Funding Startup 123

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 124

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2012

Bill Gates started producing software solutions, like his Basic Interpreter and MS DOS, but quickly focused on adding thousands of small partners for applications, and major partners like IBM and other hardware manufacturers. These relationships need not require cash investments; often they are done with exchanges of equity or assets.

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Organization Startup Competition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Thus the top priority of every entrepreneur who wants funding should be to build and highlight their “dream team” of co-founders, executives and advisers, to attract the biggest and best investors. Solo entrepreneurs rarely find an investor. Investors talk to each other and they love warm introductions to up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

Startup 60

Startup Entrepreneur Software Review Technical Review 60

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2012

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Lack of clear objectives/goals. Poor choice of funding sources. Not doing due diligence on the funding source.

Seed Funding 100

Seed Funding Software Review Entrepreneur Funding 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 19, 2020

A major chunk of this activity is provided by the newer class of “super angels,” who often look more like micro-VCs, except that they are investing their own money. Individual angel investors and crowdfunding have been adding to the momentum, some say exceeding VCs in total amount invested.

Funding 125

Funding Venture Capital Startup Class 125

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2010

I’m very pleased today to announce that I invested, on behalf of GRP Partners, in Burstly alongside Rincon Venture Partners , an early stage VC in Southern California whith whom we love to work (and were our co-investors on RingRevenue ). Naturally I’m excited about this investment or I wouldn’t have done it.

Mobile 282

Mobile Invest Company Companies 282

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 31, 2021

“The climate-oriented investment in Biden’s new plan would be roughly ten times what came through ARRA,” wrote Shayle Kann, a partner with the investment firm, Energy Impact Partners. ” Climate resiliency . Given the steady drumbeat of climate disasters that hit the U.S.

Startup 229

Startup Technical Review Invest Research 229

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2020

Indeed, while the rules and technologies for lead generation have changed, Forrester and other experts still see it as the most effective way for businesses with limited budgets to maximize their return on marketing investment (ROMI). One of these experts, David T. Cold calling.

Customer 146

Customer Custom Marketing Startup 146

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Many entrepreneurs stumble at this point, losing the deal or most of their ownership, by having no answer, saying “make me an offer,” or quoting an exorbitant number. The founders now need a $1M Angel investment to do the marketing for a national NewCo rollout, build a team to manage the rollout, and maybe even pay themselves a salary.

Startup 108

Startup Invest Patents Outsource Development 108

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 6, 2018

The best entrepreneurs in our industry focus on it year-round as opposed to just once every 18 months. Let’s say you have built a SaaS company where a large part of the early revenue comes from a few big customers or a large part of the revenue is services based vs. software based. Let me give you an example.

Funding 236

Funding Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 236

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2018

Editor's note: All this week, and into the start of next year, we'll be featuring reflections on 2018 from notable investors, entrepreneurs, and others from Southern California's technology community. Our investment in PlayVS and the subsequent launch of their Season Zero high school e-sports platform was very exciting.

Dollar Shave Club 113

Dollar Shave Club Tsavo Userplane Malibu 113

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2018

Editor's note: All this week, and into the start of next year, we'll be featuring reflections on 2018 from notable investors, entrepreneurs, and others from Southern California's technology community. Are there any technology innovations, gadgets, devices, software, that you found most interesting in 2018?

Startup 124

Startup Press Commerce Southern California 124

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2011

This is the final part of a 3-part series on the major changes in the structure of the software & the venture capital industries. With more competition in early-stage many VCs are investing smaller amounts at earlier stages. The series started here if you want to read from the start. I call this “stage drift.&#.

Venture Capital 289

Venture Capital Capital Cloud Computing Marketing 289

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

A few years ago, before the Internet was pervasive, before everyone carried a smartphone and before do-it-yourself software tools were available for free, it was difficult to reach a critical mass of new customers without spending a million dollars on a website, custom software and television advertising. Both are wrong.

Startup 108

Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media Outsource Development 108

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 14, 2019

The challenge a lot of those businesses have, is likely have built their sites and are using a lot of different software-as-a-service platforms. How supportive is that environment to third party software and partners? Their mindset is that everyone should be an entrepreneur if they want to be, that's their mantra.

Startup 113

Startup Platform Commerce San Diego 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2015

As an angel investor, I hear many entrepreneurs making negative comments about competitors or asserting they don’t have any competitors. They don’t realize that knocking competitors is assessed as a weakness and denying that you have any competition suggests there is no market for your solution.

Capital 63

Capital Competition Case Study Patents 63

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2015

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute.

Ideas 107

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Tool 107

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2019

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Bigger organizations should invest in the new “big data” tools. These should not be seen as two separate efforts.

Metrics 98

Metrics Tool Statistics Entrepreneur 98

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2014

A major chunk of this activity is provided by the new class of Super Angels, who may look more like micro-VCs, except that they are investing their own money. What characterizes them is the number of companies they invest in, as well as the size of their investments (less than $250,000), and the seed or startup stage where they specialize.

Angel 104

Angel Funding Startup Venture Capital 104

socalTECH

OCTOBER 16, 2008

San Diego-based RealGifts, a developer of a Facebook application for giving real gifts to friends, is one of the recipients of the $25,000 Facebook fbFund competition. Facebook's fbFund is a $10M fund focused on identifying talent and funding entrepreneurs developing Facebook software applications.

Funding 100

Funding San Diego Competition Software 100

Tech.Co

MARCH 8, 2018

Also at Startup Night will be 25 diverse and innovative startups showcasing their latest products, competing for prizes including: $1K from LaunchKC , Business Extra Points from American Airlines , and a fast tracked spot to the Startup of the Year semifinals competition at Innovate Celebrate 2018. As the President of Start Co.,

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Startup Software Review Entrepreneur 70

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 9, 2010

When evaluating a potential Institutional Investor, entrepreneurs should consider what they are not , as much as what they are. Entrepreneurs in search of startup capital are well served to seek an UnVentureCapitalist (UnVC), an investor who understands and appreciates the unique benefits of capital efficiency.

Entrepreneur 157

Entrepreneur Invest Funding Capital 157

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

A few months ago I wrote about an entrepreneur, Sam Rosen, whom we brought on as an EIR at Upfront Ventures. Now remember that Sam is an entrepreneur. They built the software. One VC firm who decided to invest – High Peaks – liked the deal so much that one of their team members, Rahul Gandhi left to join MakeSpace!

UCSD 340

UCSD Startup Ideas Course 340