Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2023

You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology, or money. So, the first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? Just because it was your idea doesn’t mean you “deserve” 90% of the equity. Amount of venture funding provided.

Equity 99

Equity Patents Startup CTO Hire 99

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

I've posted quite a few things on the topics associated with being a Startup CTO. Here are some resources that come from other sources: Want to Know the Difference Between a CTO and a VP Engineering? Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do? Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do?

CTO Hire 175

CTO Hire CTO Coach Resource Startup 175

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

I was asked by a reader how much equity he should give out to early employees and to service providers in a very early stage startup. Founders are likely not paid for a long time and have a sizeable equity percentage for early risk and having the concept. Same Value for Sweat Equity as Investment Dollars?

Equity 391

Equity CTO Hire Startup Examples 391

SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

I talk to roughly 2 or 3 new startups every week who need advice from an experienced CTO. Of course, I provide part-time CTO services. So, I wanted to use this post to make it official - we are offering free startup CTO consulting sessions. Is it a sourcing question around whether you need a Startup CTO or Developer or both?

CTO Hire 264

CTO Hire Startup Technical Review Development Team Review 264

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Los Angeles-based online car rental service HyreCar has just raised $1.465M in debt funding, as part of an ongoing $2.3M funding round, according to a regulatory filing from the firm on Thursday. Details on the funding--which appears to be a convertible note or bridge round, with warrants--have not yet been announced.

CTO Hire 157

CTO Hire Funding Equity Los Angeles 157

SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

I talk to roughly 2 or 3 new startups every week who need advice from an experienced CTO. Of course, I provide part-time CTO services. So, I wanted to use this post to make it official - we are offering free startup CTO consulting sessions. Is it a sourcing question around whether you need a Startup CTO or Developer or both?

CTO Hire 259

CTO Hire Startup Technical Review Development Team Review 259

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

The funding came from private equity investor Primus Capital. Certona said the funding will go towards growing market share, product development, and expanding services and support. The company is led by CEO and co-founder Meyar Sheik; the company's co-founder and CTO is Geoffrey Hueter. Certona was founded in 2004.

Artificial Inteligence 100

Artificial Inteligence Funding San Diego Equity 100

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 9, 2017

Los Angeles-based Exym , which develops cloud-based EHR software used by outpatient behavioral clinics, has received an investment from private equity investor Alpine Investors. Terms of the deal were not announced. According to Exym, the transaction is with Alpine Investors V, VI, and VI-A, LP.

Funding 113

Funding Equity Los Angeles Software 113

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 25, 2010

This is not only sad but incredibly frustrating, because it is so easy to see how a great technology can be developed and commercialized if only - if only the CTO hadn't been impulsive and insecure and brought on a business partner too early in the game. … And it’s not just inexperienced CTOs. Lack of confidence? Camaraderie?

CTO Hire 150

CTO Hire Startup Equity Sales 150

socalTECH

JANUARY 16, 2013

Lynda.com , the online video education provider which has been one of the region's most successful, bootstrapped companies--is no longer bootstrapped, after inking a massive, $103M growth equity round. According to Eric Robison, the firm's CEO, the funding round will go towards increasing the firm's global reach and expanding content.

Funding 178

Funding Santa Barbara ReachLocal Southern California 178

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2018

You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology, or money. So the first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? Just because it was your idea doesn’t mean you “deserve” 90% of the equity. Amount of venture funding provided.

Equity 95

Equity CTO Hire Patents Startup 95

socalTECH

MAY 17, 2013

In some what-did-our-spam filter eat-recently funding news, Santa Monica-based Privlo recently raised $2.1M in a seed funding round, for its online marketplace for private mortgage loans. Privlo, which was founded by Michael Slavin, said the new funding came from QED Ventures.

Chief Technology Officer 215

Chief Technology Officer CitySearch Ticketmaster Santa Monica 215

socalTECH

AUGUST 19, 2019

Los Angeles-based private equity investor OpenGate Capital announced this morning that it has acquired Chicago-based InRule Technology , a developer of decision management and business rules management software. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced.

Capital 113

Capital Technology Equity Acquisition 113

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2020

You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology, or money. So the first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? Just because it was your idea doesn’t mean you “deserve” 90% of the equity. Amount of venture funding provided.

Startup 174

Startup Equity Patents CTO Hire 174

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2019

CEO brought in to replace the founder, 5 - 10% CTO, CFO, VP of Marketing or Sales, 1.5 - 3% Chief Engineer or Architect, 1 - 1.5% CEO brought in to replace the founder, 5 - 10% CTO, CFO, VP of Marketing or Sales, 1.5 - 3% Chief Engineer or Architect, 1 - 1.5% Advisory Board Member, 1% Senior Engineer,3 -.7%

Equity 94

Equity Startup Pricing Marketing 94

SoCal CTO

MARCH 12, 2012

I've talked about that in lots of other posts, so you can visit some of these to help determine what you specifically need: Startup CTO or Developer Startup Software Development – Do Your Homework Before You Develop Anything Key ingredients in the equation are: How complex is the system? Go to user groups. Refine your elevator pitch.

CTO Hire 211

CTO Hire CTO Coach Startup Equity 211

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2016

You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology, or money. So the first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? Just because it was your idea doesn’t mean you “deserve” 90% of the equity. Amount of venture funding provided.

Equity 62

Equity Startup Patents CTO Hire 62

socalTECH

JANUARY 29, 2013

Rubicon Project's Addante was formerly Chief Technology Officer and a founder of L90, and was co-founder of StrongMail systems. Rubicon is venture backed by News Corporation, Clearstone Venture Partners, IDG Ventures Asia, Mayfield Fund, NBC Universal's Peacock Equity Fund and Jarl Mohn.

Southern California 180

Southern California Chief Technology Officer Legalzoom OpenX 180

socalTECH

AUGUST 31, 2011

Valencia-based Capital Exchange , an online community site focused on the financial community, has been acquired by Los Angeles private equity firm Revolution Capital Group , Revolution Capital said today. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. READ MORE>>.

Capital 159

Capital Equity Sites Acquisition 159

socalTECH

MAY 10, 2012

Los Angeles-based online advertising firm Rubicon Project is significantly boosting its executive ranks today, saying that it has named a new CTO, General Counsel, and SVP of Product Management to the firm. READ MORE>>.

Ticketmaster 133

Ticketmaster Clearstone Yahoo Web 133

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 27, 2012

George Kurtz , the former founder of Irvine-based Foundstone , and most recently the CTO of McAfee, said last week that he's raised $26M for a new startup, CrowdStrike. The new funding comes from Warburg Pincus, the private equity firm where Kurtz had been serving as Entrepreneur in Residence. READ MORE>>.

Software 145

Software Equity Entrepreneur Funding 145

socalTECH

OCTOBER 10, 2013

GreenWave Reality , a startup developing a platform to help manage the "Internet of Things"--and which is headed by former Cisco executive Greg Memo--said this morning that it has raised $19M in a Series B funding round. The round was led by The Westly Group, and also included Craton Equity Partners.

Venture Capital 124

Venture Capital Platform Equity Organization 124

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 1, 2019

The financiers funding the company’s plans are a mix of Silicon Valley venture capital firms and members of Hollywood’s elite, which is only fitting for a company whose headquarters are in Los Angeles, but whose business takes it to the far flung research centers and launch facilities which support the U.S. space industry.

Chief Technology Officer 168

Chief Technology Officer SpaceX Los Angeles Venture Capital 168

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 8, 2019

. “We slow down our country, our economy and our ability to innovate when the government becomes excessively aggressive in efforts to break up technology companies, because they see them through a prior-decades lens, when they are operating in a future decade reality. This too shall pass.” — Balaji S. ”

Technical Review 144

Technical Review Startup Chief Technology Officer Social Media 144

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

Social analytics and personalization platform GraphDive has closed $2 million in its first ever equity round from Crosslink Capital, Correlation Ventures, Plug & Play Tech Center, Start Capital and angel investors Pejman Nozad, Ullas Naik and Scott Banister. $2 2 million equity round.

Equity 65

Equity Social Media Google Tool 65

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2022

CEO brought in to replace the founder, 5 - 10% CTO, CFO, VP of Marketing or Sales, 1.5 - 3% Chief Engineer or Architect, 1 - 1.5% CEO brought in to replace the founder, 5 - 10% CTO, CFO, VP of Marketing or Sales, 1.5 - 3% Chief Engineer or Architect, 1 - 1.5% Advisory Board Member, 1% Senior Engineer,3 -.7%

Startup 137

Startup Equity Pricing Marketing 137

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2011

CEO brought in to replace the founder, 5 - 10% CTO, CFO, VP of Marketing or Sales, 1.5 - 3% Chief Engineer or Architect, 1 - 1.5% CEO brought in to replace the founder, 5 - 10% CTO, CFO, VP of Marketing or Sales, 1.5 - 3% Chief Engineer or Architect, 1 - 1.5% Advisory Board Member, 1% Senior Engineer,3 -.7%

Equity 93

Equity Startup Pricing Marketing 93

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Every investor expects to see some business traction, both before and after a funding event. If you have neither, and choose to approach an investor, you will get no attention, and probably never again get a shot at funding with that investor. Now investors will pay attention, since scale-up funding is less risky and has a time frame.

Funding 112

Funding Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire 112

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2014

You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology or money. The first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? Just because it was your idea doesn’t mean you “deserve” 90 percent of the equity. Amount of venture funding provided.

Equity 104

Equity Startup Patents CTO Hire 104

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 17, 2019

The first check I wrote was just over 10 years ago into a company called Invoca who just announced a new $56 million in funding led by Scott Hilleboe at HIG Growth Partners. We not only have our Series A funds that can write $500k?—?$15 15 million first checks but we also have three growth funds.

Venture Capital 223

Venture Capital IP Startup Google 223

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 15, 2010

We started this week’s show with a Q&A session where I answered viewer questions about fund raising and the VC industry. Heck, stick around and watch me discuss the seed funding debate that is going on right now and what is happening in the VC industry overall. Great exit. -

Venture Capital 210

Venture Capital Seed Funding Pricing Southern California 210

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

But you’re not a great candidate to be funded by VCs then. I usually encourage people to think about titles like, “Founder & CTO&# or “Founder & VP Marketing.&#. Dilute your cash, equity or both. Create hassles for post-merger integration of technology or teams. I find them strange.

Startup 292

Startup CTO Hire Sales Email 292

socalTECH

DECEMBER 7, 2016

We talked with Eli Aizenstat , the founder and CEO of Beatshare�and still a student--as well as President and longtime technology vet Barry Lieberman about the startup. Photo: Barry Lieberman, President and COO; Eli Aizenstat, Founder & CEO; and Rob Patrick, CTO). That funding was geared towards development of our product.

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels CTO Coach Startup Pasadena Angels 100

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 21, 2010

Venture backers : Oak Investment Partners, Spectrum Equity, W Capital Partners, Goldman Sachs & Co., Venture backers : Anthem Ventures, the Mailroom Fund, Rincon Venture Partners. Colin Digiaro, also a co-founder of MySpace, and MySpace CTO Aber Whitcomb are also now running MindJolt. www.demandmedia.com). www.cocodot.com).

Startup 178

Startup Tech Coast Angels Demand News 178

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

His goal was to find a programmer who would come in as an early partner and work as an Equity-Only Developer. At that point, you can't really just try to find someone to build it on the side, do equity only, etc. It needs to be funded to be successful. Ask a few CTO type people. What do you do if you don't know the size?

Guide 349

Guide Startup Mobile Framework 349

socalTECH

MARCH 26, 2014

We''ve raised around $72 million now in equity capital. I founded that with the former CTO of my first company, Kevin Smilak, who now works at Google. Dan Rodrigues: Yes, we''ve raised around $70M in venture funding to date. The second firm, is Greenspring Associates, which is a fund of funds.

Startup 160

Startup El Segundo CTO Hire Outsource Development 160

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2015

CEO brought in to replace the founder, 5 - 10% CTO, CFO, VP of Marketing or Sales, 1.5 - 3% Chief Engineer or Architect, 1 - 1.5% CEO brought in to replace the founder, 5 - 10% CTO, CFO, VP of Marketing or Sales, 1.5 - 3% Chief Engineer or Architect, 1 - 1.5% Advisory Board Member, 1% Senior Engineer,3 -.7%

Startup 102

Startup Equity Pricing Marketing 102