Sat.Nov 26, 2016 - Fri.Dec 02, 2016

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Snapchat will make Los Angeles a stronger tech hub

TechCrunch LA

If you were to write a history of Silicon Valley, you could do it by looking at a series of major diaspora. Companies like Google, Yahoo, Oracle and PayPal attract top talent for years; when they reach maturity or a major liquidity event, their talent disperses and germinates into the next generation of companies. It’s quite possible that Snapchat could do the same for L.A.

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Pritzker Group Increases Staff in Los Angeles to Hunt Early Stage Deals

L.A. Business Journal

Pritzker Group Venture Capital has expanded the number of personnel in its L.A. office in order to purse more early-stage investments in local tech companies. Partner Gabe Greenbaum and Vice President Peter Liu have relocated from the firm’s Chicago office to Los Angeles. The company also recently hired Nico Gimenez, who joined as an associate. Pritzker is particularly interested in investing in enterprise, consumer tech, healthcare IT software, as well as emerging technologies such artificial i

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California Lutheran University Names Executive- and Entrepreneur-In-Residence

socalTECH

Thousand Oaks-based California Lutheran University and its School of Management said on Monday that it has named both an Executive-In-Residence and Entrepreneur-In-Residence to the school. The school said Primo Custodio, most recently VP for Human Resources at NBC Universal, will become Executive-in-Residence for the business school, and Jim Cathcart, a motivational speaker and author, becomes Entrepreneur-in-Residence.

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How to network like a ninja

Berkonomics

Dave’s comment: This week we welcome our perennial favorite contributor, Kim Shepherd, CEO of Decision Toolbox, to offer us her sage advice on a subject where she is expert. Outgoing, full of creative ideas, and certainly the best person to teach us how, here is Kim on networking… By Kim Shepherd . Networking with others you want to meet is second nature to some, but it fills others with dread.

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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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Chuz Is the Recommendation App Millennials Deserve

Tech.Co

Millennials are all about convenience. Fortunately, Chuz is on a mission to give them an easy, one-stop shop to find new places to eat, drink and play. Live in Los Angeles and New York City, and available on iOS , Chuz is a smart companion with a curated list of go to spots. It learns your preferences and provides tailored recommendations by time and location.

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Bam Ventures Launching Incubator for Brian Lee's Ideas

L.A. Business Journal

Bam Venture Partners has started raising a second $30 million fund which it will use, in part, to invest in and incubate startup ideas thought of by Brian Lee, co-founder of the fund and chief executive of the Honest Co. of Playa Vista. What capital isn’t used for the incubator will be invested in seed and early stage deals, similar to the sort of investments made by the first Bam Ventures fund, said Lee.

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Crowd Invest Summit

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, December 8, 2016 -- Crowd Invest Summit. The first ever Crowd Invest Summit will debut December 7-8, 2016 at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, California. The summit will feature a robust agenda spanning a variety of equity crowdfunding themes including investment analysis, marketing strategies, trends and insights from industry experts.

Invest 100
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Cybersecurity Firm Proficio Raises $12M in Private Equity Round

Xconomy

Proficio, a Carlsbad, CA-based startup providing cybersecurity protection services for middle market companies, has raised $12 million in an investment round led by Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors. The Los Angeles-based private equity firm provided funding from its Kayne Partners Fund Group, which invests in high-growth technology businesses. Proficio, founded in Irvine, CA, in 2010, specializes in network monitoring, intruder detection, and cyber-attack response services—saving companies

Equity 98
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Silicon Beach Report Dec. 2: Bam Ventures Launches Incubator for Brian Lee’s Ideas

L.A. Business Journal

Bam Ventures launches incubator for Brian Lee’s ideas, Bankrupt Nasty Gal may have a suitor, Annapurna Pictures launches video game division, and more.

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Pritzker Group Boosts Focus On Los Angeles Startups, Moves Partner To LA

socalTECH

Chicago-based venture capital investor Pritzker Group Venture Capital announced this morning that it is expanding its efforts to invest in early stage companies in Los Angeles, and has moved partner Gabe Greenbaum to Los Angeles. Greenbaum had been based at Pritzker's home office in Chicago. ACcording to Pritzker Group, it is targeting investments in early stage companies in enterprise, emerging technology, consumer and health care IT, including companies workin on artificial intelligence, inter

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WITI Holiday Mix and Mingle!

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, December 8, 2016 -- WITI Holiday Mix and Mingle! Please join WITI Los Angeles for a Holiday MandM (Mix and Mingle)! A relaxing evening of networking event to celebrate the wonderful year WITI Los Angeles has shared with all of you! Many families live in poverty and are unable to provide gifts for their Children! Let's Celebrate the 1 year of the WITI Los Angeles Re-Launch with a Charitable Donation to our Community.

WITI 100
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When Innovation Is Not Enough: How GreatCall Has Grown Its Market

Xconomy

In the 10 years since David Inns joined San Diego-based GreatCall as CEO, he has seen a proliferation of innovative healthtech startups that are targeting baby boomers who are in or nearing retirement. A lot of these digital health companies are trying to connect with senior living communities, typically at events like the annual Aging 2.0 conference held in San Francisco earlier this month.

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Silicon Beach Report Dec. 1: SpaceX Aims to Resume Flights on Dec. 16

L.A. Business Journal

SpaceX aims to resume flights on Dec. 16, Breitbart hits back against boycotting advertisers, and 21st Century Fox invests in augmented and virtual reality glasses company.

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How Lensabl Wants To Make You Prescription Lenses, Without The Hassles

socalTECH

Do you need new prescription lenses, either for that fashionable new sunglass frame you just bought, or perhaps to update the glasses you already have? Los Angeles-based Lensabl (www.lensabl.com) recently launched a new service to help people with just the prescription lenses you need. Andy Bilinsky , Co-founder and CEO, tells us why the company is targeting prescription lenses--but not frames--with the startup, and why the company thinks prescription lenses are ripe for innovation.

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Burbank Tech Talks: December

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, December 7, 2016 -- Burbank Tech Talks: December. Save the date for December's edition of Burbank Tech Talks on Dec. 7, presented by The City of Burbank, in partnership with TechFire. The event will feature a look ahead to the future of technology in 2017 and beyond. We're honored to have two distinguished speakers joining us as panelists: Erik Rannala, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Mucker Capital, a VC fund, and co-founder of MuckerLab, ranked among the elite accelerators in the

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Should We Rewrite the Human Genome?

Xconomy

Scientists are engineering a new living thing: a radically modified version of the lowly bacterium E. coli. In an article in Science from August , researchers at Harvard University described an ongoing project to build the genetic code of E. coli from scratch, but with major revisions to create a new strain unlike any in existence. The modified E. coli is meant to be so foreign to viruses that they will not be able to infect it.

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Silicon Beach Report Nov. 28: Activision CEO Becomes One of Top-Paid U.S. Executives.

L.A. Business Journal

Activision CEO becomes one of top-paid U.S. executives, Atom tickets partners with Disney for Star Wars Merchandise, and AT&T’s DirecTV launches streaming TV service.

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Former Maker Studios CEO Kreiz Bids $2 Billion For Time Inc.

socalTECH

Ynon Kreiz , the former CEO of Maker Studios , has made a bid for publisher Time Inc. , in conjunction with Access industries and Edgar Bronfman Jr., according to Bloomberg. The bid was reportedly rejected by the magazine publisher. The report said Access Industries (run by Len Blavatnik), Bronfman, and Kreiz offered to pay $18 to $20 per share in cash for New York-based time, which also publishes Fortune and Sports Illustrated.

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TechCouncil Charity Luncheon: Toys for Tots!

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, December 7, 2016 -- TechCouncil Charity Luncheon: Toys for Tots! At the TechCouncil of Southern California we believe in giving back. Join us on December 7 for a charity luncheon where the titans of technology will gather to celebrate 2016 and support Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots with its rich history of giving and educating dating back to 1948 continues to be one of the only philanthropies where 97% of all donation funds goes to their mission of providing toys, books, and other gifts

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The Tough Questions You Must Discuss Before You Take the Money

Xconomy

If all goes well, the day will come when just one small thing will stand between you and funding for your startup: your signature on a term sheet. Most founders quickly sign on the line and get back to the business of growing their business. Smart ones set aside the paperwork, grab their business partners, and sit down together to talk. What comes next isn’t easy, but it’s essential.

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Silicon Beach Report Nov. 30: Snapchat Shuts Down Story Explorer Feature

L.A. Business Journal

Snapchat shuts down Story Explorer feature, SpaceX to carry private rover to moon, and tronc Inc. Director Michael Ferro stocks up on additional shares.

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DTS Now Part Of Tessera

socalTECH

Calabasas-based surround sound and audio technology developer DTS is now officially part of Tessera , after Tessera completed its acquisition of DTS on Thursday, the companies said on Thursday afternoon. Tessera paid $850M in cash for DTS, in a deal which had originally been announced in May. Tessera said that it will introduce a new corporate name, stock ticker, brand, and logo during the first quarter of 2017 as a result of the acquisition.

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Crowd Invest Summit

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, December 7, 2016 -- Crowd Invest Summit. The first ever Crowd Invest Summit will debut December 7-8, 2016 at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, California. The summit will feature a robust agenda spanning a variety of equity crowdfunding themes including investment analysis, marketing strategies, trends and insights from industry experts.

Invest 100
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Brushing Aside Critics, House Votes in Landslide for Cures Act

Xconomy

By a 392 to 26 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the omnibus healthcare legislation called the 21st Century Cures Act, bringing new funding for top Obama administration health priorities a big step closer to the outgoing president’s signature. While critics of the bill questioned whether that funding would actually materialize in coming years, the administration signaled its support Tuesday, citing last-minute changes that eased some concerns.

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7 Poor Leadership Habits You Must Avoid At All Cost

Startup Professionals Musings

Like many other career-minded business professionals, are you still waiting impatiently for that appointment to a leadership position, so that you can begin demonstrating your real leadership ability? In reality, you are already being evaluated for leadership by the habits and attributes you demonstrate today, so now is the time to sharpen your focus and behavior, not later.

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SpaceX May Deliver Audi Lunar Rover To The Moon

socalTECH

PT Scientists , a German team which is competing as part of the Google Lunar X Prize --one of the competitions run by the Los Angeles-based XPrize Foundation--says that it is likely that SpaceX will deliver a lunar rover, based on the electric powertrain used in Audi's electric vehicles--to the moon, for the company. PT Scientists, based in Germany, said it had not yet confirmed that SpaceX will be the company to launch its lander vehicle on the moon, in a launch effort through space payload bro

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Reinventing the Supermarket Shopping Experience

SoCal Tech Calendar

Monday, December 5, 2016 -- Reinventing the Supermarket Shopping Experience. Softec/Santa Maria Tech Brew. Bob and Marvin will update us on their journey to reinvent the supermarket shopping cart experience. Their innovative cart attached device provides meal ideas for the consumer, point of sale advertising for Food Manufacturers and Vendors, and improved customer service for the store.

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Connect Hands Out 8 Most Innovative New Product Awards

Xconomy

Connect, the San Diego nonprofit supporting local innovation and entrepreneurship, handed out its Most Innovative New Product Awards at a dinner last night in La Jolla—recognizing innovations that range from an inflatable satellite antenna to a mobile app for art museums. Volunteer entrepreneurs, investors, and business executives evaluated 111 nominations in eight categories for the 29th annual awards.

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5 Quotes From Business Founders Destined To Fail

Startup Professionals Musings

People with a victim mentality should never be entrepreneurs. We all know the role of starting and running a business is unpredictable, and has a high risk of failure. For people with a victim mentality, this fear of failure alone will almost certainly make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. I’m sure you all know someone who is the perennial victim. The problem is that most of these people aren’t likely to accept your assessment, so it’s hard to help them.

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Younity Launches New Home Media Server Software

socalTECH

San Diego-based Younity , the developer of file sharing software led by Erik Caso, said today that it has launched a new, desktop-to-desktop home media server product. The company said its updated software lets user access all of their file and media content from any device, via a simple user interface. The company's software previously had only supported accessing media files from mobile devices; the new update now allows users to access media files from desktop to desktop.

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Santa Monica New Tech @ Cross Campus

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, November 30, 2016 -- Santa Monica New Tech @ Cross Campus. We present Santa Monica New Tech -- the cityÂ’s longest-running showcase for hot, young startup-flavored businesses.

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AttackIQ, Which Makes Tools to Assess Cybersecurity, Raises $8.8M

Xconomy

San Diego-based AttackIQ, a cybersecurity startup providing a Web-based platform for assessing network defenses, has finally closed its Series A round of founding, after raising a total of $8.8 million over the past three years, according to co-founder and CEO Stephan Chenette. Institutional investors included San Francisco-based Index Ventures , Qualcomm Ventures , and Telstra Ventures.

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9 Transaction Models Shape Your Customer Experience

Startup Professionals Musings

Focus is everything in a business, whether it be a new startup or a large enterprise. In my role as a business advisor, I often see well-meaning entrepreneurs try to be everything to everyone, which results in many things done poorly, and few totally delighted customers. People are confused by multiple messages, and employees are frustrated trying to personalize customer experiences.

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Cubic Buys Vocality International

socalTECH

San Diego-based Cubic said this morning that it has completed its acquisition of Vocality International , a provider of embedded technology used in the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) industry. Cubic said it is paying $10M for Vocality. Vocality was headquartered in Shackleford, United Kingdom, and serves the European market.

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Executive Networking and Technology Group ExecTec of LA

SoCal Tech Calendar

Tuesday, November 29, 2016 -- Westwood Networking Dinner. ExecTec. As always, there is no better way to meet and connect with other executives then over dinner and conversation. See https://www.meetup.com/ExecTec/events/235430137.

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An Innovation Snapshot of Medellin, Colombia

Xconomy

As we fly over Cuba en route from Fort Lauderdale to Medellin, I am already imbibing the upcoming culture change from the happy chaos at the departure gate in Florida. The plane is surprisingly not full and my fellow passengers, primarily Hispanics, are in a sleepy good mood. We will be arriving at 1am and I have to navigate a taxi or Uber to the hotel.