TechEmpower

AUGUST 7, 2023

What does it mean to be a CTO for a startup? Should a startup CTO spend their time programming? Increasing competitive advantage? Here’s a graphic from Socal CTO that illustrates the roles as they change over time: In its earliest days, a startup’s top need is often to produce a product. What does the role demand?

CTO Hire

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 18, 2016

Friday, June 24, 2016 -- Hub101 Hacks Presents: Student Life Startup Competition. Then come on out and show us your great idea for the startup to solve every student's problems! Event Description Life as a student can be pretty rough. Think you have the innovativeness to make it more bearable? See [link] (more)

Competition

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 29, 2013

They had some pretty high quality companies presenting. USC’s Marshall School of Business will host the second annual Silicon Beach Awards (SBAs), a $50,000 venture competition focused on innovation in technology & entertainment. Choose the number of tickets (up to 4) and complete the form.'

USC

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

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

We all like to think of startups as “non hierarchic&# organizations and to some extent that should be true. I see two common mistakes in companies (not just in startups, in fact). By going on sales calls you pick up directly the feedback of what customers want and also what they’re telling you about competition.

Startup

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2010

I started the series talking about what I consider the most important attribute of an entrepreneur : Tenacity. I’ll start with an obvious one – I talk with the entrepreneur about competitors. You can tell if they have a deep-seated competitive spirit. You can tell if they have a deep-seated competitive spirit.

Entrepreneur

socalTECH

OCTOBER 10, 2014

Chick Launcher , the local effort to help bolster women led startups, has named the five finalists for its Fast Pitch Competition, the group said this week. The group said it also has awarded $5,000 for the Best Fast Pitch presentation to I Heart Savvy. chicklauncher women startups competition fast pitch'

Competition

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 26, 2010

Competition. And the reality is that if you have no competition it will likely be perceived as a negative, not positive. And the reality is that if you have no competition it will likely be perceived as a negative, not positive. Leaving your real competitors off of you presentation to a VC is not recommended.

Venture Capital

SoCal Tech Calendar

JULY 25, 2017

Wednesday, July 26, 2017 -- Startup Demo Competition. 805 Startups is partnering with the City of Thousand Oaks to hold a startup demo competition at their beautiful Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

Competition

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2014

I presented the deck below – which was prepared with the great help of Upfront Venture’s Principal Jordan Hudson – at Dave McClure’s must attend event called PreMoney with much more data and narrative than I had in my blog post. Startup Lessons' These are most notable in late-stage, D-round, investments.

Venture Capital

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. Innovate In the early years of a startup there is a lot of kinetic energy of enthusiastic innovators looking to launch a product that changes how an industry works.

Startup

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 14, 2010

of all statistics are made up. Here’s how I learned my lesson: I started my life as a consultant. One of our core tasks was “market analysis,&# which consistent of: market sizing, market forecasts, competitive analysis and then instructing customers on which direction to take. I say it deadpanned. It’s irony.

Statistics

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 26, 2010

In December 2007, I described how I commonly take on an Acting CTO Role in a Start-up. However, I’ve now begun questioning how and what an early-stage / startup CTO should be. What worries me a bit is how often I read that startups should hire a developer / hands-on lead developer. Gap closed, right? Probably not.

Fractional CTO

socalTECH

MAY 19, 2010

This time, Frank gives the Top 10 Ways to Win a Business Plan Competition. I'm a judge in a local university's business plan competition. Over the past few years I've been involved in different ways in the UC Irvine, Paul Merage School of Business, Business Plan Competition. They came in 2nd place. 1 Be kind to the judges.

Competition

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 18, 2009

I started the series talking about what I consider the most important attribute: Tenacity. You’ve got to be able to come out of unsuccessful VC meetings, pull your socks up, and go into the next pitch. You’ve got to hear all of the doubters, and the world is FILLED with doubters, and still not give up.

Entrepreneur

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 29, 2023

2023 hasn't been an easy year to be a startup. In fact, according to Crunchbase more than 212 startups closed their shutters in the third fiscal quarter alone – the highest number recorded in the firm's history. Yet, while many early-stage startups crumbled under the pressure, diamonds also emerged.

Startup

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2010

TechCrunch Europe ran an article in November of last year that European startups need to work as hard as those in Silicon Valley and I echoed the sentiment in my post about the need for entrepreneurs to be maniacal about their businesses if one wants to work in the hyper competitive tech world. I started feeling panic attacks.

Entrepreneur

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 25, 2019

Here are some observations I have from this exposure: If a company moves from strength-to-strength with predictable outcomes, easy financings, low staff turn-over, limited competitive threats then the composition of the board probably doesn’t matter as much. This is part of a series on a Board of Directors at a Startup.

Startup

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 21, 2014

Introducing Bitcoinference | A Decentralized Conference , hosted by illustrious startup accelerator, 500 Startups. Bitcoin has had a rough start to the year (to say the least) – with a never-ending news feed consisting of massive bankruptcy , scandal stories, and car chase media fiascos. Getting Things Started.

Startup

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 14, 2013

Creating awareness for your brand and products is one of the lifebloods of technology startups yet in a world where so many companies are being created it becomes difficult to rise above the noise. ” Here’s what I mean … Let’s start with what it takes for a journalist to want to write a story.

Marketing

SoCal CTO

JULY 13, 2010

Some great content around the intersection of startups and being a Startup CTO in June this year. This continues my series of posts: Top 29 Startup Posts May 2010 Startup CTO Top 30 Posts for April 16 Great Startup Posts from March There was some really great content in June. It shows a lack of interest.

Startup

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 9, 2012

My pal Dave occasionally presents “headline risks” for investors. And so are most startup CEOs for that matter. He talked about how Neeleman worked at Southwest Airlines but couldn’t keep his job because at management meetings he was too impatient to sit through a bunch of corporate b t without speaking up and saying it was wrong.

Startup

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 8, 2011

Amarillo’s advice is consistent with my comments in the Startup Competition ; get to know your competitors on a personal basis, while appearing as innocuous as possible. Be vigilant and keep your eyes on your competition, especially when they are dealt their hands. The same is true with poker. Hold and Fold. “

Startup

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 27, 2010

I grew up believing that human behavior was 20% nature, 80% nurture. of all data is made up. OK, not literally made up. So going into a startup scenario you bring these innate skills or you don’t. You don’t need to be great at all of these attributes to be part of a successful startup team.

Startup

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

I’m not talking here about trying to be a stand-up comic, or weaving theatrical tales. Relate when and where your passion started. In most cases, a new startup idea and plan was driven by a specific personal incident that left you with the conviction that you still have for this opportunity.

Startup

SoCal Tech Calendar

AUGUST 31, 2020

Sunday, September 6, 2020 -- National Business Plan Competition Deadline/Pismo Ventures. Pismo Ventures presents the National Venture Plan Competition (NVPC). Seee [link] (more)

Competition

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2019

How to Deal with Electronic Distractions Of course the biggest competition you have with the attention of your board members is their mobile phones. Announce at the start of the meeting that you’d like the board meeting to be “electronics free” including mobile phones, laptops or tablets. Most likely you’d be wrong.

Slides

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 5, 2011

Note: This is Part I in the Startup Advantages series. Startups have few advantages. The more sensitive the data and potentially damaging to your company, the more likely it will end up in the hands of someone who can use it against you. One of the most significant is the ability to keep your cards close to your vest.

Startup

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 16, 2010

We talked with Noah about how the company grew out of a business plan competition at the University of Southern California, his recent funding from the Maverick Angels, as well as how the firm hopes to stand out among a crowded list of comparison shopping sites. How did the company start? Noah Auerhahn: We got started right out of USC.

USC

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 11, 2014

Balance is also an extremely important factor among a founding startup team. Just like starting a company as a sole founder, it is possible to excel without a partner, it''s just a lot harder. Outside of the startup world, there is a partnership which has served humankind well since the beginning of time  marriage.

Startup

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2020

As an investor, I always listen carefully to what an entrepreneur says, and does not say, about competition. Every business area has competition and every customer has alternatives, so a smart entrepreneur needs to acknowledge these as a positive in defining a big market, and position the features of a new solution in this context.

Competition

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2020

Every startup and every new business needs a unique selling proposition (USP) to get people’s attention these days, and make it stand out in the information overload we all see. I’m looking for the “hook” right up front, or I lose interest quickly, just like every customer and investor these days. Do include some quantification.

Startup

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2023

As an investor, I always listen carefully to what an entrepreneur says, and does not say, about competition. Every business area has competition and every customer has alternatives, so a smart entrepreneur needs to acknowledge these as a positive in defining a big market, and position the features of a new solution in this context.

Competition

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

As an investor, I always listen carefully to what an entrepreneur says, and does not say, about competition. Every business area has competition and every customer has alternatives, so a smart entrepreneur needs to acknowledge these as a positive in defining a big market, and position the features of a new solution in this context.

Competition

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 19, 2015

If all you ever do is create YouTube content then I agree – that’s not a viable startup business. This kind of spend happens all day long inside startup companies and 100% of the spend on attracting customers is a cost. I believe that the high revenue share YouTube takes encourages platform competition.

SEM

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 1, 2017

Wednesday, June 7, 2017 -- ACG101's First Annual Emerging Growth Pitch Competition and Showcase. On June 7th, we're showcasing 10 of Los Angeles's finest startups in an event you won't want to miss. See [link] (more)

Competition

SoCal Tech Calendar

MAY 30, 2019

Wednesday, June 5, 2019 -- ACG101's 3rd Annual Emerging Growth Pitch Competition and Showcase. On June 5th, we're showcasing a select group of Greater-Los Angeles's finest startups in an event you won't want to miss. Three finalists will then be selected to formally do a 2-minute pitch for the grand prize! See [link] (more)

Competition