October, 2017

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Hackers Steal Client Data From Line 204 Studios

L.A. Business Journal

Line 204, a Hollywood film and television production and rental company, said today hackers had stolen its client database. The extent of the breach is still being determined.

Hollywood 277
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7 Steps To Finding Investors Aligned With Your Values

Startup Professionals Musings

One of the most common complaints I hear from new business owners and startups is about the pain and difficulty raising capital. The “venture capital” model is the only option they know, where they feel they get no mercy, giving up equity and control. Based on my experience with startups, I’m a strong believer that there are far better alternatives available, if you think outside the box.

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Trending Sources

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ServiceNow Buys San Diego Specialist in Customer Experience, Design

Xconomy

ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW ), the Santa Clara, CA-based giant that provides cloud-based IT services, is boosting its emphasis on human-centered design with its acquisition of Telepathy , a San Diego specialist in customer experience and design. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “ServiceNow chose us because of the design culture and process we have created over the last 17 years,” Telepathy co-founder and CEO Chuck Longanecker wrote Monday in a blog post announcing the deal.

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TeleSign Acquisition By BICS Closes, Deal Value Rises To $335M

socalTECH

Marina del Rey-based phone verification and user authentication service TeleSign is now officially part of BICS , after the official close of the acquisition, BICS said today. The deal was originally announced in April. BICS said it paid $230M, however, March Capital Partners, one of the investors in TeleSign, said that as a result of additional cash and earn out the deal now has a total valuation of $335M.

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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 to make a small problem into a big one.

Berkonomics

Allowing small problems to escalate into big ones is simple. Just ignore the signs for long enough and the job is done. It takes far more energy to review regularly the key performance indicators you’ve established for each individual and yourself. But a small excursion caught early and corrected saves massive corrective resources later. Take for example the manufacturing company with a small quality problem in one component, resulting in a test failure rate above the norm.

Resource 243
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Which Of These 7 Fears Are Keeping You From Being An Entrepreneur?

InfoChachkie

A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Marketing automation company HubSpot recently surveyed its users, asking them a variety of startup questions. Some […]. The post Which Of These 7 Fears Are Keeping You From Being An Entrepreneur? appeared first on John Greathouse.

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Startup Weekend Conejo Valley - Sports Focused

SoCal Tech Calendar

Sunday, November 5, 2017 -- Startup Weekend Conejo Valley - Sports Focused. Calling all startup junkies, makers, inventors, coders, and sports enthusiast! We are looking for the next big thing in Sports, Fitness, and Performance. Startup Weekend is a 54 hour event, where attendees pitch ideas, form teams and launch companies/products. The event is very community focused and provides a place for budding entrepreneurs to find co-founders, mentors and momentum for their ideas.

Startup 100
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Vinod Khosla on A.I., Health, and the Future of Working (or Not)

Xconomy

Entrepreneur-turned-venture capitalist Vinod Khosla made big headlines almost six years ago when he wrote a blog post called “Do We Need Doctors or Algorithms?” In it, he said medicine needed to be reinvented and he predicted a new era in which artificial intelligence might replace most of the functions that doctors do now—and do it much better, leaving physicians free to concentrate on the human element of care.

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USC Viterbi: 44 Percent of Entering Engineering Class Is Female

socalTECH

The University of Southern California 's Viterbi School of Engineering says that its new, entering class of students to the school is 44 percent female--significantly higher than the national average--thanks to its efforts to reach out to women and other underrepresented minorities in engineering. According to USC Viterbi, that number is a historic high for the school.

USC 188
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Even a taste of ownership motivates employees.

Berkonomics

Close. How about employees all the way down the line and through the corporation? How do we align them to the goals and strategies of the enterprise? Obviously for the appropriate individuals, a bonus program aligned to the department’s goals is appropriate. But how about awarding stock options for all employees? I discovered the power of ownership early in my management career, establishing an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), once popular as incentive compensation as well as a tax write-o

Slides 243
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3 Ways to Leverage Micro-Influencers and Grow Your Business

Tech.Co

One of the major shifts we have seen in consumer behavior is how reliant they are on reviews and third party recommendations. In fact, 71 percent of people say they make buying decisions based on recommendations they find on social media. These social recommendations often come from third party reviews, like bloggers and other influencers, leaving company ads less desirable.

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Social Reality’s Stock Price Jumps 70 Percent After Initial Coin Offering Announcement

L.A. Business Journal

Social Reality’s stock price spiked more than 70 percent to close at $4.90 a share Tuesday after the marketing software developer announced an initial coin offering.

Pricing 189
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Startup Weekend Conejo Valley - Sports Focused

SoCal Tech Calendar

Saturday, November 4, 2017 -- Startup Weekend Conejo Valley - Sports Focused. Calling all startup junkies, makers, inventors, coders, and sports enthusiast! We are looking for the next big thing in Sports, Fitness, and Performance. Startup Weekend is a 54 hour event, where attendees pitch ideas, form teams and launch companies/products. The event is very community focused and provides a place for budding entrepreneurs to find co-founders, mentors and momentum for their ideas.

Startup 100
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Blockchain, Banks & the New Web: Q&A With Ethereum Co-founder Lubin

Xconomy

Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin is calm and soft-spoken when he shares his vision of how blockchain technology and digital currencies could transform the Internet, the global economy, and many aspects of our daily lives. But what he’s talking about could become a raging tempest, and it’s worth paying attention to—especially given the vast sums of money pouring into the sector.

Web 86
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Tapatalk Acquires Panjo

socalTECH

Santa Monica-based Tapatalk , which develops mobile community software apps used heavily by online forums, has acquired Panjo , a marketplace for gear for auto, sport, and hobby enthusiasts. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced. Tapatalk said the deal was for cash and stock. Tapatalk's software provides mobile-friendly access to web-based forums and online communities.

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Why cash is only one measure of employee happiness

Berkonomics

Close. In 1981, Herb Cohen wrote and published “ You Can Negotiate Anything ”, an excellent guide to great negotiating. I’ve read and reread the book a number of times and find myself using the techniques often in many areas of my life. One of his lessons remains clearly on my mind and is a variant of the old “You name the price and I’ll name the terms” challenge that works so well in negotiation.

Guide 243
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Everything You Need to Know About Hyperloop

Tech.Co

Since 2013, when Elon Musk released his white paper for an emerging mode of transportation using low air pressure within a tube, companies around the world have answered the call to build the next generation of futuristic transportation. Since that time the speed at which companies have developed both technologically and from a business perspective has been nearly as staggering as the 760 mph system itself.

SpaceX 90
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Larta Lands Energy Department Contract to Aid Small Businesses

L.A. Business Journal

Larta Institute, an accelerator for small businesses in the health care, agriculture and energy sectors, announced this week that its Larta Inc. subsidiary had been granted an exclusive Department of Energy contract to aid small businesses across the country.

LARTA 180
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Startup Weekend Conejo Valley - Sports Focused

SoCal Tech Calendar

Friday, November 3, 2017 -- Startup Weekend Conejo Valley - Sports Focused. Calling all startup junkies, makers, inventors, coders, and sports enthusiast! We are looking for the next big thing in Sports, Fitness, and Performance. Startup Weekend is a 54 hour event, where attendees pitch ideas, form teams and launch companies/products. The event is very community focused and provides a place for budding entrepreneurs to find co-founders, mentors and momentum for their ideas.

Startup 100
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Android Founder on VR, Voice & the Future of Human-Machine Collaboration

Xconomy

Within 20 years, computer keyboards will be relegated to the technology dustbin, says Android co-founder Rich Miner. Miner helped shape the smartphone era with Android, a mobile operating system startup that Google acquired in 2005. Android software now powers over 2 billion devices. On Tuesday, Miner spoke at a mobile software developer conference in Boston organized by Facebook, part of the city’s HUBweek festival.

Google 85
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Interview with Steve Poizner, Alliance for Southern California Innovation

socalTECH

Steve Poizner is a serial tech entrepreneur and was formerly California Insurance Commissioner, and recently founded the Alliance for Southern California Innovation (www.alliancesocal.org), a nonprofit which has gathered together an impressive list of research universities, technology leaders, and others to help boost the profile of Southern California in the technology industry.

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Would you pay a high achiever more than yourself?

Berkonomics

Close. Recently I was asked to review an offer letter for a senior director of business development. The CEO was concerned that he was offering far too much in the form of incentive compensation, with bonuses that could greatly exceed the base salary if all the bonus items were achieved. I asked the CEO to imagine what the company would look like if all those bonus-expensive items were completely achieved in one year.

Email 243
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Andelman and Mullin, VC Vets, Announce New Venture

L.A. Business Journal

Two veteran L.A. venture capitalists have formed Bonfire Ventures, a Brentwood VC firm focused on software for businesses.

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Saudis to Invest $1B in Virgin Galactic, Virgin Orbit

L.A. Business Journal

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia said Thursday it had reached a non-binding memorandum of understanding to invest $1 billion in space tourism company Virgin Galactic.

Invest 167
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HyreCar Expands In Wisconsin

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based online car rental service HyreCar is expanding its reach in the Madison, Wisconsin area, through a link with personal chauffeur app developer RideAlfred. According to the two, HyreCar's inventory will be available to drivers for RideAlfred in Madison. HyreCar lets drivers who aren't using their vehicles rent them out to others. The companies said they are looking to make it easier for people who wish to earn money as drivers for RideAlfred drive for the service, and other ride-

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ServiceNow Buys SkyGiraffe

socalTECH

Santa Clara- and San Diego-based ServiceNow said on Wednesday that it has acquired San Mateo-based SkyGiraffe , a developer of a mobile software development platform. Financial details of the buy were not disclosed. ServiceNow said the buy will help its customers easily deliver "consumer-like" mobile experiences for applications build on its Now Platform.

San Diego 164
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Why Hopscotch Is Behind Your Favorite Mobile Sports App, with Laurence Sotsky

socalTECH

If you're an NCAA fan, and you've loaded the app for your favorite team, there's a high likelyhood that the app is actually the product of El Segundo-based Hopscotch (www.gohopscotch.com). Hopscotch, led by Laurence Sotsky , has built software which enables sports teams, venues, and others to rapidly create mobile apps for their fans. We caught up with Lauren to hear about Hopscotch, and why teams and schools are turning to the company to power their mobile apps.

Mobile 162
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Insitu Deploys UAVs For Wildfire Mapping In Oregon

socalTECH

Unmanned aerial systems maker Insitu , which has its Commercial Division based in Costa Mesa, said today that it successfully deployed its Insitu ScanEagle as part of the response to Oregon's Eagle Creek wildfire. Insitu said its systems were used to aid firefighters suppressing the Eagle Creek fire, by helping to provide incident perimeter maps, identifying spot fires, locating fire lines and hotspots, and providing near real-time video feed and still images of critical infrastructure, historic

Activity 160
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GM’s Self-Driving Unit Acquires Pasadena Tech Company

L.A. Business Journal

General Motors Co. announced on Monday that GM Cruise, its self-driving car subsidiary, had acquired Strobe, a Pasadena startup developing a technology that uses lasers to measure distances to other objects.

Pasadena 154
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SpaceX Launches Koreasat-5A Into Space

socalTECH

Hawthorne-based SpaceX successfully put the Koreasat-5A into space on Monday, successfully launching another satellite into space, and again successfully landing the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship in the Atlantic. SpaceX launched the Koreasat-5A from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 3:34 p.m. EDT, landing the first stage of the Falcon 9 on its droneship at approximately 3:44 pm.

SpaceX 147
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Report: Venture Capital Dollars In 2017 On Way To Record

socalTECH

Total venture capital investment dollars in 2017 are on their way to a decade high, according to a new report issued today, with $21.5 billion invested in the third quarter in more than 1,699 companies. The 3Q 2017 PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor report said the latest quarter worths of investment brings 2017's total to $61.4 billion across 5,948 deals to date.

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PatientPop Links With Electronic Health Records Software From Greenway

socalTECH

Santa Monica-based PatientPop , the developer of healthcare scheduling and practice management software for healthcare providers, has linked up with electronic health records software developer Greenway Health. According to the two companies, they have added patient scheduling integration between Greenway Prime Suite and PatientPop's practice management software.

Software 140
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ViewSonic Ties With Logitech

socalTECH

Brea-based ViewSonic , the developer of flat panel displays and other display products, says it has linked up with Logitech , via the Logitech Collaboration Program (LCP). ViewSonic said the link will offer up a higher level of product integration with Logitech's products in the video conferencing and collaboration area. READ MORE>>.

Product 138
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Ground Control Powers New Site, Biden's Briefing

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Ground Control , the new digital content startup led by serial entrepreneur Mike Macadaan, is powering a new online site, Biden's Briefing , which features podcasts and other content from former Vice President Joe Biden. Ground Control--which is venture backed by CAA --says that the new site is a collaboration between the company and the Creative Artists Agency.

Sites 138
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Cloud9 Finds $25M For Esports Efforts

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Cloud9 , an e-sports organization which participates in the League of Legends, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Hearthstone, and many other e-sports leagues, said Monday that it has raised $25M in a series A funding. The funding included WWE, The Beverly Hills Sports Council, Raul Fernandez (Monumental Sports & Entertainment), Michael Ovitz (CAA), Founders Fund, plus David Sacks and Bill Lee.

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Tech Scenes: John Tomich, Onestop Internet

socalTECH

Welcome to Tech Scenes where we explore what makes tech founders and the cities they live in thrive. In this solo episode we meet up with John Tomich and talk about Onestop Internet , the growing changes in ecommerce, explosive growth, and the long history of tech startups in Los Angeles. Watch Tech Scenes Episode One where we explore Los Angeles from Santa Monica, West Hollywood, to Compton and meet up with Royce Disini of Mobcrush, Greg Bettinelli of Upfront Ventures, Leura Fine of Laurel and