February, 2017

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Understanding What’s Going on in #LATech

Both Sides of the Table

Upfront Ventures was created 20 years ago as one of the original VC funds in Los Angeles. Back then only 15% of our dollars were invested locally whereas today 50% of our dollars are invested in LA. 10 years ago we found ourselves trying to persuade LPs and VCs that it was worth spending more time getting to know the LA market and now the most common refrain that I hear from them is “there really is something going on in LA.

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Will you be happy at your finish line?

Berkonomics

Have you figured out what you want to have, or to be, when you reach the end of your personal run in this business life? It is a fair question. Most of us work in our businesses, either as managers or owners, and rarely step outside to think about how this will end in a perfect world. Investors call this discussion “exit planning” and of course they include themselves in the.

Course 256
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L.A. Startups Received $369 Million in Seed Funding in 2016

L.A. Business Journal

Seed-stage companies in Los Angeles received a total of $369 million in funding in 2016, according to report from Venice tech accelerator Amplify.LA.

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Hello Kitty Comes To Microsoft HoloLens, Thanks To SPACES

socalTECH

If you can't get enough of Hello Kitty , the iconic cartoon character owned by Sanrio, you can now add your own set of Hello Kitty holograms into Microsoft HoloLens--thanks to Playa Vista-based SPACES. SPACES said on Tuesday that it is bringing a new "Hello Kitty Actiongram" theme pack to HoloLens, the Microsoft virtual/augmented reality environment, adding 14 Hello Kitty holograms to the environment.

Content 176
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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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Doppels Is the Birthday Matching App You’re Going to Love

Tech.Co

On your birthday, something special happens on social media: you receive hundreds of likes and well wishes from friends, family, high school classmates and people you haven’t talked to for years on Facebook. And while this has been the standard for years, one startup is hoping to personalize the birthday wishes even more. Doppels is a simple birthday discovery and smart gifting app that connects people through their shared birthdays.

Venice 128
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SCALE - Southern California Linux Expo

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, March 2, 2017 -- SCALE. Now celebrating its 15th year, the Southern California Linux Expo SCALE 15X is the largest Linux and Open Source Software show in North America.

More Trending

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Control your euphoria!

Berkonomics

One thing a senior manager can count on is that someday, something will go right, very right. Well, after all the disappointments, pressure and outright failures, this is NEWS. So we tend to go overboard a bit. As a member of the board, I’ve received calls on weekends, at night and texts at hours I didn’t even think existed – from CEOs who couldn’t control the euphoria.

Guide 243
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Silicon Beach Report Feb. 22: Global Eagle Stock Plunges After CEO and CFO Resign

L.A. Business Journal

Global Eagle stock plunges after CEO and CFO resign, AwesomenessTV CEO Brian Robbins resigns, microfinance startup Tala raises $30 million, and more.

Report 170
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Cosemi Sells Off Business Unit To Avago

socalTECH

Irvine-based Cosemi Technologies has sold off its photodetector chip business to Avago Technologies , and is refocusing its business on "active optical cables", the company said over the last few weeks. Financial terms of the sale were not announced. Avago is a unit of Broadcom Ltd. Cosemi said the deal also includes a supply agreement, where Avago will continue to supply it with photo detectors and other essential semiconductor components, such as lasers, for its products.

Activity 170
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10 Sales Truths Every Entrepreneur Needs To Practice

Startup Professionals Musings

Today’s customers are overloaded and overwhelmed by too much information, so making a decision is a challenge. You may think this is only important to your marketing and sales people, but in reality it doesn’t matter how great your product or technology might be, you won’t succeed if you don’t understand your target customer decision process. Every aspect of your business must be about sales.

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UCI ANTprenreneur Center: Ky Madden w/ Bzzz Bean

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, March 2, 2017 -- Ky Madden w/ Bzzz Bean. UCI ANTprenreneur Center. Ky Madden is a UCI Alumni, and founder of Bzzz Bean. Bzzz Bean provides your BZZZ with chocolate covered coffee beans and carefully selected coffee. Come hear more about his entrepreneurial journey. See https://www.eventbrite.com/o/uci-antrepreneur-center-8184153841.

UCI 100
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Fred Wilson and Andy Weissman Talk with Lindel Eakman about Transitioning Leadership at a VC Fund

Both Sides of the Table

Union Square Ventures (USV) has been one of the most successful venture capital firms of the past 10–15 years and continues to be a leader in our industry. Recently the firms two founding partners (and also Managing Partners) —  Fred Wilson and Brad Burnham  — decided to transition management of the firm to Andy Weissman (who joined in 2012) and Albert Wenger (joined in 2008 and writes one of the most thoughtful blogs in our industry ).

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Avoid the race to zero…

Berkonomics

When do you sell your company? Obviously we all want to sell at the top. And there is the problem. How do you know when you are at or near that right point to sell for maximum value? Those of us in the business of calculating (guessing) this mythical peak in value often make the same mistake as our entrepreneurs. We hang on just a little bit longer, expecting continued or accelerating growth and value as in previous periods of the same.

Pricing 210
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Fika Ventures Launches $40M Seed Fund.

L.A. Business Journal

Fika Ventures has raised a $40 million seed fund to invest in business-to-business companies developing software products for finance, online marketplaces, and healthcare.

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How Float Is Tackling Millennials' Lack Of A Credit Score

socalTECH

If you're just out of school, at your first job--and you didn't get a credit card in school--you might just have a real difficult time of getting that first credit card. That's the experience that Max Klein , the CEO of Float (www.hellofloat.com) had, and is now looking to fix, with a new fintech startup which hopes to make it easier for Millennials to start to establish their credit record.

Startup 165
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10 Top Rules For Marketing In Today’s Digital World

Startup Professionals Musings

Viral marketing and word-of-mouth are not enough these days to make your product and brand visible in the relentless onslaught of new promotional media out there today. Innovation in marketing is perhaps more important than product innovation. Yet in the business plans I see, the marketing content and budget are smaller than ever. More than just spending, you need to create an “experience” in this digital age which sets you apart from the banner ads, email blasts, and old-school websites out the

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LA CEOs

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, March 2, 2017 -- LA CEOs. LA CEOs presents: Belkin CEO, Chet Pipkin - Internet of Things (IoT)Chet Pipkin is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Belkin International based in Playa Vista, in the heart of Los Angeles. In his parents' garage in the early 1980s, he founded what became Belkin International and its three distinct brands, Belkin, Linksys, and WeMo.

Belkin 100
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Why Was Winter in Venture Capital Funding so Short?

Both Sides of the Table

It was only a year ago that many in the Venture Capital industry were predicting that “winter was coming” and to be fair the author of this post was chief amongst them. Yet as we enter February 2017 the VC funding markets are booming, Snap, Inc has filed for its IPO, AppDynamics was just purchased for $3.7 billion by Cisco and the only winter that can be found is at the ski resorts following California’s epic snowy and rainy January.

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Superscreen Rethinks How You Engage with Your Smartphone

Tech.Co

Smartphones are the primary tool used to engage with the digital world. Thanks to increased performance, better battery life, improved wireless networks, and an infinite marketplace to connect developers and consumers, the shift towards mobile-only is not just a trend but a reality. So, why does it feel like more power and better apps have not lead to a greater mobile experience?

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Startups Open Arcades to Play Up Virtual Reality

L.A. Business Journal

Virtual reality startups open arcades to test how game consumers are for the medium.

Startup 230
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Dreamscape Immersive Raises Series A Funding For VR Entertainment Centers

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Dreamscape Immersive , a developer of immersive, virtual reality entertainment experiences, said on yesterday afternoon that it has raised a Series A financing round. Size of the funding round was not announced, however, a regulatory filing indicates around $11.36M was raised in the round. The funding was led by Bold Capital Partners, the investment firm run by Peter Diamandis, and also included Warner Bros., 21st Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), IMAX Corporation, Westfi

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With “Go,” Amazon Identifies Another Job It Can Do Better

Xconomy

Early last year, I “fired” talk radio along with NPR’s morning and evening editions. That same day, I “hired” Amazon Audible as my commute companion. It wasn’t a difficult decision. Audible is far better than its predecessors at doing the job I need done as I travel to and from my office – provide on-demand access to an array of rich, custom content.

Demand 75
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The Art of QandA w/ Liz Goodgold

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 -- The Art of QandA w/ Liz Goodgold. UCI ANTprenreneur Center. LIz is a brand builder, “motivational speecher” and trainer, word girl and business coach. She will be discussing the art of QandA: How to Master Answering Questions Without Offending a Soul. See https://www.eventbrite.com/o/uci-antrepreneur-center-8184153841.

UCI 100
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Why Good Marketing Campaign Costs Continue To Rise

Startup Professionals Musings

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. The founder explains that the product is so “buzz-worthy” that usage will spread rapidly through word-of-mouth only, meaning people loving it and recommending it to their friends. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a long time ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth.

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3 Ways IoT Startups Are Securing Their Devices

Tech Zulu Event

With so many smart technology devices and users— six billion Internet of Things (IoT) connections in 2015—we’ve long surpassed the adoption phase. Now, the focus has shifted to refining and improving features to help products stand out from the competition, especially in the realm of security. For years, tech enthusiasts, users, creators, and hackers have expressed their concern over the safety vulnerabilities of numerous IoT devices, from smart locks to thermostats.

Startup 52
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Canvassing of Art Website Yields $36 Million Deal

L.A. Business Journal

Israeli web development company Wix said last week that it had purchased popular West Hollywood-based online artist platform DeviantArt for $36 million, including $3 million in assumed debt.

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Insights: The Cryptic VC's Guide to Saying No On Investments

socalTECH

For this morning's Insights and Opinions section, where we feature the contributions of our readers, we have an article from Wiliam Hsu , co-founder and managing partner of Mucker Capital (www.muckercapital.com). He explains all the ways VCs say "no" without actually using the word "no". You can read the full article at The Cryptic VC's Guide to Saying "No" On Investments in our Insights and Opinions section.

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Aiming At P53, Cancer’s Hard Target, PMV Pharma Raises $74M

Xconomy

PMV Pharmaceuticals is the latest startup to load up with cash in an attempt to home in on one of the toughest targets in cancer biology: the tumor suppressor protein known as p53. The company, headquartered in Cranbury, NJ, disclosed this morning that it has raised a $74 million Series B round from Topspin Biotech Fund, Euclidian Capital, InterWest Partners, OrbiMed Advisors, and Osage University Partners.

Study 67
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LA Fintech Mix Mingle Network

SoCal Tech Calendar

Tuesday, February 28, 2017 -- LA Fintech Mix Mingle Network. Come mix and mingle with other Financial Technologist's Tues February 28. Learn about the newest and fastest changes going on in financial technology. Finance is undergoing a massive change some call the "financial paradigm". Laws from 1930-1940 (old right?) are getting broken down with technological innovation in finance.

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6 Strategies to Keep Your Business Self-Sustaining

Startup Professionals Musings

Every new business owner looks forward to the day when their business becomes self-sustaining, and settles into a long-term growth curve that will assure financial success, as well as a lasting legacy. Unfortunately, in this age of vacillating customer trends and a wealth of new competitors scratching and clawing for a piece of the action, long-term growth requires constant focus.

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EnumSet and EnumMap

TechEmpower

This article discusses java.util.EnumSet. and java.util.EnumMap. from Java's standard libraries. What are they? When should they be used? Could the implementations be improved? Could the APIs be improved? Conclusion. What are they? EnumSet. and EnumMap are compact, efficient implementations of the Set and Map interfaces. They have the constraint that their elements/keys come from a single enum type.

Java 330
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Los Angeles to Donate Rent-Free Space to Manufacturing Institute.

L.A. Business Journal

The city of Los Angeles is planning to donate rent-free space to the recently launched Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute.

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Once Upon A Farm Harvests $3.1M For Organic Baby Food

socalTECH

San Diego-based Once Upon A Farm , a maker of "cold-pressed, organic, non-GMO" baby food, has raised $3.1M in a Series A funding, the company disclosed this week. The funding came from Cambridge Companies SPG, Seed 2 Growth Fund, and Harbinger Ventures. The company was co-founded by Ari Raz (CEO) and Cassandra Curtis (COO). Once Upon A Farm's baby food is sourced from local, organic farms, and then minimally processed into the those ubiquitous laminated baby food pouches.

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Lumina Foundation Gives Odds For Edtech Innovation Under Trump

Xconomy

Bipartisanship hasn’t exactly been the watchword in Washington over the past month as the new Trump administration grapples with stalled nominations, court battles over its travel ban, and investigations of campaign contacts with Russia. But deeply divided politicians may still find some common ground over education policy—in ways that could be good for educational technology companies and other inventive startups, says the CEO of a richly-endowed non-profit that’s trying to catalyze chang

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StartEngine Equity Crowdfunding Workshop

SoCal Tech Calendar

Monday, February 27, 2017 -- StartEngine Equity Crowdfunding Workshop. StartEngine is organizing the first equity crowdfunding one day free workshop for companies to go live the same day. Normally, a company will spend thousands of dollars on an accountant, lawyer, copywriter and other vendors to get their campaign to go live plus many dozen of hours in preparation time.

Equity 100
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10 Personality Types That Shouldn’t Be Entrepreneurs

Startup Professionals Musings

People who get stressed managing their own lives don’t make good entrepreneurs. Small businesses require multi-tasking, work prioritization, and decision-making, with no assistants or help from specialists. That’s why Fortune 500 executives usually don’t survive as startup CEOs. First you have to learn to accept total responsibility for things that happen to your business, just like you are responsible for everything in your personal life.