September, 2019

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Data collection is about to get much more dangerous

Berkonomics

On January First, 2020, California will enact the toughest data protection laws ever, far outpacing Europe’s General Data Protection Act (GDPR.) Called the California Consumer Privacy Ace (CCPA), few of us are even aware of this and need to know. California often leads the nation in protective acts, and it is likely that other states will soon follow.

Sites 149
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Upstart banking company Dave is now worth $1 billion, as Norwest puts in $50 million

TechCrunch LA

Two years after the Los Angeles-based fintech startup Dave launched with a suite of money management tools to save consumers from overdraft fees , the company is now worth $1 billion thanks to a nascent banking practice that had investors lining up. The company used its overdraft protection service and money management display to shift customers’ focus away from the total balance that their account would show by giving them a sense of how much was actually left in their accounts once debit

Company 262
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Rivian Gets Massive Order of EV Trucks From Amazon

socalTECH

Rivian , the electric truck maker which has offices in Irvine, has received an order for 100,000 electric delivery trucks from Amazon , according to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Thursday. Rivian--which is based in Michigan, but has development offices in Irvine--develops electric powered pickups and other trucks. Rivian had raised $700M from Amazon earlier in the year.

Press 127
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Canoo takes the covers off of its debut electric vehicle

TechCrunch LA

The Los Angeles-based startup Canoo has finally unveiled its first model, the eponymously named canoo. The Canoo designers have departed pretty radically from the traditional designs that other electric vehicle manufacturers have favored going with something that looks more like a VW Microbus than the sport utility vehicle that Byton is aiming for, or Tesla and Fisker’s sportscars and sedans or Rivian’s electric trucks.

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Can You Ask for Office Rent Relief? How to Manage Your Lease During COVID-19

Office leases are one of companies’ largest expenses, and if your whole team is working from home with no clear end in sight, you may be wondering what to do about your lease.

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How TuesdayNights is Helping Women Entrepreneurs Connect With Capital

socalTECH

Raising capital for a female-led startup can be very diffiult--which is what Justine Lassoff and Melinda Moore found out when they started their own company, LovingEco, in Los Angeles. So, to help other female entrepreneurs, they founded TuesdayNights (www.tuesdaynights.org), a group in LA which helps female entrepreneurs connect with capital and each other to improve their access to capital.

Help 224
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Impossible Foods will debut in SoCal grocery stores on Friday as first step in phased national rollout

TechCrunch LA

Congratulations Southern California Gelsons store shoppers, you’re getting Impossible Foods on your grocery shelves. The meatless ground meat substitute will be appearing in stores across the Southern California as the first step in a phased nationwide rollout on Friday. With the step into groceries, Impossible Foods moves into direct competition with its bigger, publicly traded rival Beyond Meat, which is already selling its patties and sausages in major stores nationwide.

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174 Power Global Gets Funding For Solar Power Efforts

socalTECH

Irvine-based 174 Power Global , a utility-scale, solar energy company which is owned by Hanwha Group, said this morning that it has closed on construction financing for a $210M, 150MW solar power plant near Odessa, Texas. The company said construction and term debt is being provided by Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and the Korea Development Bank, and an eight-year "solar hedge" is being provided by J.P.

Funding 113
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Startups Weekly: Upfront Ventures bets on a bus service

TechCrunch LA

Hello and welcome back to Startups Weekly, a weekend newsletter that dives into the week’s noteworthy news pertaining to startups and venture capital. Before I jump into today’s topic, let’s catch up a bit. Last week, I profiled an e-commerce startup Part & Parcel. Before that, I wrote about Stripe’s grand plans. Remember, you can send me tips, suggestions and feedback to kate.clark@techcrunch.com or on Twitter @KateClarkTweets.

Services 207
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Base Your New Venture On These New Technology Trends

Startup Professionals Musings

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. I wish it was that easy. The challenge is that every new business needs to be innovative and different, in order to rise above the crowd, bring real change to the world, and give you the satisfaction you seek.

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Tocagen Stock Tanks After Gene Therapy Drug for Brain Cancer Fails

Xconomy

Tocagen’s experimental gene therapy for brain cancer therapy has failed a late-stage test, sinking the biotech’s stock price below $1. San Diego’s Tocagen (NASDAQ: TOCA ), has been testing its drug in recurrent high-grade glioma, the most common and deadly type of brain cancer in adults. The company said Thursday that the drug combination, Toca 511 and Toca FC, didn’t prolong patient survival in the Phase 3 trial compared to chemotherapy, the standard treatment.

Pricing 56
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How Startups Can Figure Out Sales: Amos Schwartzfarb, TechStars

socalTECH

Our interview today is with Amos Schwartzfarb , the author of Sell More Faster: The Ultimate Sales Playbook for Start-Ups , which comes out tomorrow, Wednesday. Schwartzfarb is currently Managing Director of Techstars Austin, but spent a significant time in the Los Angeles technology community working with Jake Winebaum at Business.com. We caught up with Amos to learn about his new book, and to gain some tips for startup entrepreneurs on how to figure out when you're actually ready to scale your

Sales 113
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6 Founder Actions That Can Kill A Promising Business

Startup Professionals Musings

In my experience as an advisor to entrepreneurs, business startup founders most often point to a shortage of funds as the primary cause of their startup failure. Yet I often see evidence that points right back at the founder or business owner, attempting to maintain excessive power and influence over of the effort, leading to a wide range of problems and a dysfunctional team.

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Caltech Gets $750M For Climate Research

socalTECH

In the second largest donation ever made to a U.S. university, the California Institute of Technology has received a massive, $750M pledge from entrepreneurs Stewart and Lynda Resnick, to go to environmental sustainability research. The entrepreneurs--who own The Wonderful Company--will go towards research into what Caltech says are the "most pressing challenges" in environmental sustainability.

CalTech 113
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Effort To Punish China Might Hit LA Instead

socalTECH

A new effort to punish China appears to likely to instead hit Los Angeles jobs instead , due to an obscure provision in a national defense bill, which seeks to bar Chinese manufacturers from supplying things like train cars and buses to the United States. According to a report from Wired, a provision in that national defense bill would block BYD , which manufactures electric buses in Lancaster, from the U.S. market.

Lancaster 113
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Kensh?, ‘the antithesis of Goop,’ launches a research-based guide to natural medicine

TechCrunch LA

Goop is cashing in on pseudoscience and, in the process, giving natural health practices a bad name. Krista Berlincourt, the co-founder and chief executive officer of a new startup, Kensh? Health , hopes she can take back the narrative. “We’re the antithesis of Goop,” Berlincourt, a fintech veteran who previously led marketing and product at Simple Finance, tells TechCrunch.

Guide 241
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SRAX Raises $5.5 Million to Fuel European Expansion

L.A. Business Journal

Advertising technology software firm SRAX Inc. announced Tuesday it will bring its product offerings to Europe, an expansion made possible by the closing of an Aug. 12 equity worth $5.5 million.

Equity 231
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Most of your big problems start as small problems.

Berkonomics

Let’s talk about surprises. And whether to warn your superiors or your boards about these unraveling events early. You have a dashboard or KPI’s, don’t you? Every good executive has a set of critical data points that best alert him or her to the changes in the flow of business most important to note and in many cases to curb a negative trend early in the game.

News 120
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TuesdayNights Impact Conference

SoCal Tech Calendar

Friday, September 27, 2019 -- TuesdayNights Impact Conference. Over 100 Female Entrepreneurs and Thought Leaders Unite for TuesdayNights inaugural Impact Conference at the Annenberg Community Beach House on Friday, September 27th. The event, hosted by TuesdayNights founders Justine Lassoff and Melinda Moore, will feature keynote speakers including Laura Doss-Hertz, winner of XPRIZE for water abundance and Ronalee Zarate-Bayani, CMO of the Los Angeles Rams; as well as panelists who are female fou

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Great Entrepreneurs Rush To Embrace The Right Risks

Startup Professionals Musings

Outside of dreams, there is no real business opportunity without risk. Serious entrepreneurs know that, but too many “wannabes” still fall for that elusive get-rich-quick scheme with no risk. As an active angel investor, I still hear entrepreneurs asserting large opportunities with minimal risk and no competition. My conclusion either way is that they have no market, or haven’t looked.

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Nexa3D Expands Into Russia

socalTECH

Ventura-based 3D printer maker Nexa3D is continuing to expand out its reseller network, saying this morning that it has added a new partner to help it expand into Russia. According to the company, it has linked with SIU System, a Russian supplier of 3D printers and additive manufacturing solutions that serves Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

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With its third fund, Revolution Ventures stays true to its mission

TechCrunch LA

Most of the venture capital firms covered in TechCrunch and other tech publications compete for a spot on the cap table of the hottest Bay Area, New York or Los Angeles companies of the moment. Few seek out companies in Indianapolis, Milwaukee or Tampa. AOL co-founder and former chief executive officer Steve Case’s venture capital fund, Revolution , deploys capital to companies “outside of the hotbeds.

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PlayVS Raises $50 Million

L.A. Business Journal

Esports league organizer PlayVS announced Sept. 19 it raised a $50 million Series C to hire more staff and further its reach into amateur esports competitions.

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Can you just tell little business lies?

Berkonomics

Are any of these little lies worth worrying over? “He’s not in right now.” “I am going to the doctor at that time.” “I paid only two dollars a unit to your competitor.” Whether not true and used to avoid hurting someone’s feelings, or whether used to gain an advantage in a negotiation, these little business lies are acceptable because they achieve their intended result without actually hurting the other party.

Email 120
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AMAOC Marketing Tech Summit

SoCal Tech Calendar

Saturday, September 21, 2019 -- AMAOC Marketing Tech Summit. The AMAOC is hosting their 2nd annual Marketing Tech Summit at UCI. Keynote: MarTech in the Era of Customer Journey by Annette Franz Four tracks focused on marketing technology, customer journey and career advancement.

Marketing 100
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An Entrepreneur’s Quest to Make Seattle a Genome Sciences Hub

Xconomy

Ivan Liachko turned postdoctoral research at the University of Washington into a company whose genomics tools are now found in laboratories researching human, animal, and plant health. His firm, Phase Genomics was one of the first startups to come out of UW’s genome sciences department. As a first-time entrepreneur working from UW’s incubator more than five years ago, Liachko says he didn’t think much about the rarity of genomics startups spun out of university research.

Incubator 111
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Appetize Links With Quick Service Platforms

socalTECH

Playa Vista-based Appetize , which develops tablet-based point-of-sale (POS) products, said this morning that it has added integration with Quick Server Restaurant (QSR) software and services providers Olo, Punchh, and SynergySuite. According to Appetize, the partners are using the "Appetize API engine", which lets partners integrate their services within its product suite.

Services 157
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Workout app Fitplan adds Alex Rodriguez as a trainer… and an investor

TechCrunch LA

Former New York Yankees all star Alex Rodriguez is racking up quite an impressive batting average in his new career as an investor and has added Fitplan to his roster of portfolio companies. The Los Angeles-based workout app launched by Landon Hamilton and Cam Speck has closed on $4.5 million led by A-Rod and Corazon Capital, and has added new celebrity athlete trainers — including Rodriguez — to cover the needs of would-be sports stars and interested amateurs alike. “One of th

Training 199
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Fair Obtains $500 Million Credit Facility

L.A. Business Journal

Car leasing startup Fair secured a $500 million loan from Mizuho Bank in the company's third line of credit since July.

Startup 214
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Are your chairman and CEO the same person?

Berkonomics

Here’s one that targets most any company that has taken investments at any stage, as well as more mature companies. Why would you split the positions? More and more today, shareholder organizations recommend that the positions of chairman and president (or CEO) be split, so there are checks and balances at the board level in the leadership. This recommendation is true for all companies with outside investors who are active and have or seek board representation.

Activity 120
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The Goddess Project Documentary Screening

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, September 18, 2019 -- The Goddess Project Documentary Screening. Join us for a screening of "The Goddess Project" documentary here at Toolbox LA. Synopsis: Determined to empower the feminine voice, two filmmakers packed their lives into a school bus and hit the road for what became the most transformative adventure of their lives. Through powerful conversations with over 100 women from different walks of life, The Goddess Project gives an intimate look into the collective experience t

Screening 100
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8 Keys To Business Success For Entrepreneur Introverts

Startup Professionals Musings

It really is possible for an introvert to succeed as an entrepreneur, even though you can’t expect to start and build a business alone. You need to build business relationships with partners, team members, investors, and of course customers. In fact, all you need to do is follow the model of some famous self-proclaimed introverts , including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates.

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Startup Boost Los Angeles Opens Apps For Fall Class

socalTECH

Startup Boost Los Angeles has opened up applications for its Fall 2019 class, according to the group. The programs--which does not charge fees or take equity from companies in its program--says it is seeking nine early stage startups to take part in its eight-week program, designed to help early stage startups. Startup Boost Los Angeles says its program includes six weekly workshop sessions and one demo night hosted by Google, in Venice.

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At Venture Summit, 3 Takeaways For Entrepreneurs From True Ventures’ Phil Black

Xconomy

No one would argue that San Diego is overflowing with venture capitalists in the way, say, the San Francisco Bay Area is. In fact, the region’s relative dearth of investors is often bemoaned by local entrepreneurs. But, at least once yearly, that changes, and the community gets to hear insights from prominent outside VCs firsthand. Venture Summit —an annual gathering of local founders seeking financing and venture investors, primarily from outside San Diego, on the hunt for companies to ba

San Diego 107
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Visa Acquires Payment Protection Company Verifi

L.A. Business Journal

Mid-Wilshire-based Verifi, which develops software to secure electronic payments for businesses, was acquired by Visa Inc. Sept. 12.

Company 200
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3 Reasons Why Switched Ethernet is Ideal for Large Schools

Southern California Edison Blog

Managing a school comes with its own unique set of network challenges. Specifically, running a large school or university requires network solutions that are tailored to accommodate its size and functionalities. . Educational institutions also have to deal with strict budgetary constraints and have an increased need for secure networks. Finding the right solution that suits the unique needs of a medium-large sized school can be difficult and selecting the wrong network solution can be costly. .

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The Role of Rebranding for Mand A and Growth

SoCal Tech Calendar

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 -- The Role of Rebranding for Mand A and Growth. Learn how this oft-overlooked ingredient can drive valuation both pre-deal and post-deal and support revenue growth. Key topics include: How to recognize an obsolete or weak brand story (interactive workshop) Typical messaging mistakes innovative companies make 7 best practices to strategically refresh brand messaging Crossing the chasm between strategy and creative execution Before and after: rebranding results for mid

Marketing 100