September, 2018

article thumbnail

VCs say Silicon Valley isn’t the gold mine it used to be

TechCrunch LA

In the days leading up to TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2018, The Economist published the cover story, ‘Why Startups Are Leaving Silicon Valley.’ The author outlined reasons why the Valley has “peaked.” Venture capital investors are deploying capital outside the Bay Area more than ever before. High-profile entrepreneurs and investors, Peter Thiel, for example , have left.

article thumbnail

Selling your business? Find the emotional buyer

Berkonomics

This is one of my favorite insights, since I lived this one in a positive exit from my computer business. Types of business buyers expanded. Most people will tell you that there are two kinds of eventual buyers for your business: financial and strategic. A financial buyer will analyze your numbers, past and forecast, to the n’th degree, and calculate the price based upon the result, after carefully comparing your numbers with those of others in the same and similar industries.

Pricing 600
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

OK, So Maybe Not ALL MBA Entrepreneurs Are Oxymorons

InfoChachkie

A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. “As much as possible, avoid hiring MBA’s. MBA programs don’t teach people how to create companies … our position is that we hire someone in spite of an MBA, not because of one.” – Elon Musk, Founder Tesla Motors and SpaceX. MBA’s are an easy target for entrepreneurs’ scorn.

article thumbnail

Miso Robotics' Robot Chef Continues Work at Dodger Stadium

L.A. Business Journal

A Pasadena robotics and artificial intelligence outfit that’s been using a robot to fry chicken tenders at Dodger Stadium just gave the bots an upgrade to include the frying skill.

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Port Of San Diego Hit By Ransomware Attack, Systems Offline

socalTECH

The Port of San Diego says it has been hit by a ransomware attack, which has disrupted the port's information technology systems--although it says that ships and boats are able to continue to access the port at the moment. According to the Port of San Diego, an unknown group is holding the port's IT systems hostage, requesting a payment in Bitcoin. The Port said it is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on investigating the "seriou

San Diego 184
article thumbnail

Keep A Real Job Until Your New Venture Shows Traction

Startup Professionals Musings

One of the big decisions every aspiring entrepreneur has to make is when to quit your current job to devote yourself fulltime to your new startup. Some of you are so committed to the new passion that you quit your day job early, and dedicate all your time and resources to the new venture. Others wait until the new business starts to generate revenue and profit before making the move.

Startup 153

More Trending

article thumbnail

Another personal story: Timing is everything in a sale.

Berkonomics

Almost anyone who has sold a company has a story to tell about their good deal, the problems with the buyer, a last-minute change of terms, or more. I have saved this next story until now because it is one of my favorites, and certainly illustrates the point about timing being a combination of luck and skill as well as anything I could devise from fiction.

Sales 120
article thumbnail

Guerilla Marketing: An Empty UPS Envelope Doubled This Company’s Sales

InfoChachkie

A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. What would you do if you opened a UPS envelope and there was nothing inside? A scrappy startup inadvertently answered this question when they accidentally mailed several hundred empty UPS envelopes. Note: the company has asked to remain anonymous, as they don’t want to alert their competitors to the success of their Stealth Campaign.

Marketing 154
article thumbnail

Soon-Shiong’s NantWorks Invests in Daybreak Games

L.A. Business Journal

Wilshire-based NantWorks, a diversified holding company run by Patrick Soon-Shiong, announced Sept. 6 it invested an undisclosed sum into Daybreak Game Co., creating through the investment a joint venture titled NantG Mobile.

Invest 188
article thumbnail

ObEN Shows Off Singing, Talking AI Personality

socalTECH

Pasadena-based artificial intelligence software developer ObEN has rolled out a new, singing and talking "AI personality" based on Chinese singing group SNH48 , the company said today. The company said it has created the "world's first celebrity personal AI" based on one of the members of the Chinese music group, Aijia. ObEN's AI personality sang a duet with her real-life counterpart at a conference in China this week.

article thumbnail

2018 Hollywood Entertainment Technology Festival

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, October 3, 2018 -- 2018 Hollywood Entertainment Technology Festival. The Hollywood Entertainment Technology Festival (HETF) is an exciting international event bridging the US and China, with expert speakers and panel discussions on trends in entertainment technology, cross-border opportunities, and investments. The festival promotes collaboration and innovation on a global scale, and serves as an ideal platform for visionaries, content creators, entrepreneurs, and investors currently

Hollywood 100
article thumbnail

Announcing the agenda for TC Sessions: AR/VR in LA on October 18

TechCrunch LA

TechCrunch is heading to UCLA on October 18 and we’ve assembled some of the AR/VR industry’s most prescient founders, investors and executives to chat about the startups and trends driving virtual and augmented reality in 2018. The world’s top tech companies have heavily invested in AR/VR and are persistent in broadcasting the technologies’ potential to blur the lines of how consumers interact with the digital world.

UCLA 185
article thumbnail

Can you list ten buyers for your business?

Berkonomics

Most entrepreneurs and certainly all investors would like to see “a positive liquidity event” (a good sale of the business) someday. Boards of directors should be aware that one of their duties could be to evaluate offers from potential buyers, or even to initiate efforts to sell the business for the benefit of all stakeholders. So, that’s the reason for this insight.

Resource 120
article thumbnail

Mi Padrino Builds Event-Planning Hub for Latino Communities in U.S.

Xconomy

Kim Gamez, CEO and co-founder of the Ann Arbor, MI-based startup Mi Padrino , is a self-described “all-American Gringa ” who grew up in farm country. She fell in love with Hispanic culture as she got to know her husband Hugo, a native of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. One of her favorite traditions was that of the padrino , or patron. On her website, Gamez describes padrinos (and madrinas ) as “essential members of their Hispanic community who act as patrons or sponsors for family events.

Startup 108
article thumbnail

Local Energy Firm Executive Forms Project Financing Company

L.A. Business Journal

The chief executive of Arensis Corp., a downtown provider of micro waste-to-energy systems, has formed a separate project financing company that will use blockchain and smart-meter technology to better target potential customers, Arensis announced Sept. 25.

Company 173
article thumbnail

Drinks Picks Up $15M Funding Round

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Drinks , which operates a number of subscription, direct-to-consumer wine delivery services, has raised $15M in a Series B funding round, according to the company. The funding was led by Beverly Pacific and also included Shea Ventures and others. The company was founded by Zac Brandenberg, and operates the Wine Insiders wine delivery club and the Martha Stewart Win Co.

Funding 150
article thumbnail

TechDay Los Angeles

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, September 27, 2018 -- TechDay Los Angeles. TechDay, the largest startup event series in the United States, is returning to Los Angeles for the fourth annual TechDay LA. TechDay LA will showcase the latest products and services available from hundreds of the most exciting startups and scale ups in the market.

article thumbnail

Canters restaurant royalty raises $9.5 million for Ordermark, a takeout order management service

TechCrunch LA

Alex Canter knows the restaurant business. The scion of Los Angeles’ famous first family of the deli business — the owners of the eponymous Canters restaurant — Canter has been in the food business longer than many seasoned restauranteurs twice his age. While some people had a Bar Mitzvah party, the thirteen year old Canter had section four of his family’s restaurant.

Services 165
article thumbnail

Everything you do adds or reduces company value

Berkonomics

Each decision you make to commit resources – your money or your use of corporate or personal time – affects the future value of your business. Minor decisions, such as replacing employees who have left the company or replacing equipment needing updating, are usually considered operational in nature, and unless the business is changing direction, not relevant to this test.

Company 120
article thumbnail

7 Attributes Of People With An Entrepreneur Mindset

Startup Professionals Musings

As an angel investor and a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always disappointed to see founders who seem stressed out most of the time, and more annoyed than energized by the abundance of challenges they see in building their startup. The entrepreneurial lifestyle is a tough one under the best of circumstances, and it’s one you have to love in order to succeed.

article thumbnail

Los Angeles Convention Center Installs Permanent 5G Network

L.A. Business Journal

The Los Angeles Convention Center just added 5G capabilities to its growing list of offerings designed to draw business to downtown.

article thumbnail

SpaceX To Deliver Robots To The Moon

socalTECH

Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX has just signed a deal to deliver two robot payloads to the moon for a small Japanese company, ispace , ispace said this morning. According to ispace, it has signed a contract with SpaceX for two flights to land two lunar orbiters on the moon. ispace is leveraging technology developed by one of the teams in the Lunar XPRIZE, run by Marina Del Rey-based XPRIZE Foundation, in what had been an attempt to win cash prize money offered by XPRIZE for landing a mission

article thumbnail

Silicon Beach Networking Happy Hour at Wurstkuche in Venice

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 -- Silicon Beach Networking Happy Hour at Wurstkuche in Venice. Wednesday, September 26th Starting at 6pm! Meet new people, make business connections and most importantly, let's have fun!

Venice 100
article thumbnail

Uppercase raises $3.5M to help e-tailers open brick-and-mortar stores

TechCrunch LA

People like to say that brick-and-mortar retail is dead, but direct-to-consumer businesses continue to dabble with physical stores all the same. Why? Because brick-and-mortar retail provides businesses with benefits an online shopping platform can’t , namely consumer experiences that create and sustain shopper’s relationships with brands. .

Help 135
article thumbnail

In Boston’s Shadow, Rhode Island Fights for Life Science Jobs, Respect

Xconomy

Tiny Rhode Island and its capital city Providence have always punched above their weight, for better or for worse. Better: Little Rhody’s founder Roger Williams, fleeing religious persecution in 17th-century puritanical Massachusetts, was one of America’s first abolitionists and created the concept of the separation of church and state. Worse: After World War II, one Providence neighborhood became the nerve center of New England organized crime and one of its mayors the ne plus ultra

article thumbnail

7 Tips For Building The Right People Relationships

Startup Professionals Musings

In big business, as well as startups, I have found that your effectiveness can be highly correlated to your ability to build and maintain people relationships, often more so than hard work, or how many hours you give. But all relationships are not the same, and your ability to distinguish between positive and negative, or casual versus committed, can make or break your future.

Tips 95
article thumbnail

Audax Group Buys Controlling Interest in Acuant

L.A. Business Journal

Boston-based private equity firm Audax Group Inc. bought a controlling interest in Culver City-based identification verification software developer Acuant Inc. in a deal finalized Sept. 24.

article thumbnail

Bonfire Ventures Aims To Raise New, $20M Fund, Bonfire Ventures Select I

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based venture investor Bonfire Ventures , the venture capital fund led by SoCal VC veterans Jim Andelman and Mark Mullen, has launched a fundraising effort for a new fund, Bonfire Ventures Select I , according to a regulatory filing from the firm this week. Details on the new fund have not been announced by the investment fund. The regulatory filing indicates the first sale in the fund has yet to occur.

article thumbnail

MasterMinds OC Startup Accelerator Workshop #18

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 -- OC ENTREPRENEURS: Join us for another LIVE MasterMinds Workshop. Bring your startup ideas and business questions so our friendly group of local Orange County entrepreneurs and business owners can help you move your business farther, faster. Free tickets available if you have a good startup business question for discussion, or you want to practice your startup pitch!

article thumbnail

Popbase helps YouTube stars build closer relationships with their fans

TechCrunch LA

Entertainment has changed. New platforms led by YouTube have emerged to change the dynamic of broadcast media — once dominated by the rigid programming of TV — while the internet has enabled new media stars to engage with their audiences in new, high-touch ways. Developments like live streaming, social media and more have made the stars of today more relatable and more easily reachable than those of yesteryear.

Help 115
article thumbnail

Big Pharma Seeks More Partnerships, Evidence in Digital Therapeutics

Xconomy

“Digital therapeutics” startups are starting to win more respect—and investment dollars—from pharmaceutical giants. But the two sides are still figuring out how to work together to capitalize on the potential for apps, devices, and other software-enabled technologies to have an impact on patients’ health. That’s what stood out to me the most as I listened to leaders from some of the world’s largest life sciences companies—Novartis (NYSE: NVS ), San

article thumbnail

5 Criteria For Splitting Equity In Your New Venture

Startup Professionals Musings

I always tell entrepreneurs that two heads are better than one, so the first task in many startups is finding a co-founder or two. 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? Giving a co-founder a salary won’t get you the “fire in the belly” you want.

Equity 95
article thumbnail

Momentum IoT Lands $3.1 Million

L.A. Business Journal

Long Beach-based mixed fleet management software developer Momentum IoT announced Sept. 10 it raised $3.1 million.

article thumbnail

Bird Planning Massive International Expansion

socalTECH

Santa Monica-based on-demand scooter rental service Bird is planning a massive, international expansion, and has been hiring in dozens of cities overseas , according to the Financial Times. The paper says that Bird's hiring plans include dozens of cities across both Asia and Latin America, including such cities as Mumbai, Mexico City, Hong Kong, and elsewhere.

article thumbnail

Startup Game Changers

SoCal Tech Calendar

Tuesday, September 25, 2018 -- The Startup Game Changers discussion has helped many tech startups get to the next level of growth. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn actionable tips from insiders within Los Angeles startup ecosystem. This two hour session will provide the tools you need to build a foundation and accelerate the growth of your business.

Startup 100
article thumbnail

FabFitFun expands its video reach with a new experiment in live programming

TechCrunch LA

The Los Angeles-based women’s subscription box and media business FabFitFun is expanding its video catalog with the launch of new live programming set to coincide with the launch of its latest seasonal box. FabFitFun is creating a new slate of live programming which will air every day on its Facebook page from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific and is set to feature interactive product showcases, beauty demonstrations, DIY projects, and a game show.