Sat.Jul 15, 2017 - Fri.Jul 21, 2017

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Everything changes from concept to release.

Berkonomics

Close. You can take this headline as a rule, not an exception. You’ll recognize the truism, “No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy” first stated by German Field Marshall von Moltke way back in the 19 th century. Our variant of the “battle plan” truism is important to internalize. A product at the concept stage contains feature-functionality that customers may not want or be willing to pay for, or which just might not work well enough for release to the public.

Customer 256
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Syneron Candela Goes Private In $400M Deal With Apax

socalTECH

Irvine-based aesthetic medical device developer Syneron Medical announced late Monday evening that it has become a private company, in a $400M go-private deal with Apax Partners. According to Syneron Medical, funds advised by Apax Partners paid $11.00 per share in cash for the company. The deal had originally announced on April 3rd. As part of the go-private deal, Syneron said that Geoffrey Crouse has been appointed CEO of the company, and also has joined its board.

Funding 170
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Elon Musk Claims ‘Verbal Approval’ for Hyperloop Route From NY to DC

L.A. Business Journal

Elon Musk said on Thursday that his Boring Co. received “verbal approval” to build an underground hyperloop system from Washington, D.C., to New York.

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Silicon Valley Meets Hollywood

SoCal Tech Calendar

Monday, July 24, 2017 -- Silicon Valley Meets Hollywood. Global Ventures Summit Pre-Event Mixer. Connect with the founders of the Global Ventures Summit with special guests from Silicon Valley's venture capital funds and LA's social media influencers.

Hollywood 100
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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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New Frontier: Space Center Crowdfunds for Mission Control Facelift

Xconomy

Houston —Houston, Mission Control has a problem. The storied control room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston—recognizable to many of us from 1960s news clips of the dawn of the Space Age – –is in need of a face-lift. And so, Space Center Houston, the visitor’s center for the JSC, has turned to the latest in financing tools, crowdfunding, for help.

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Rubicon Project Buys nToggle

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based online advertising exchange operator Rubicon Project has acquired programmatic advertising technology developer nToggle , in a deal worth $38.5M in cash. The deal was completed on July 14th, according to Rubicon Project. Rubcion Project said the technology developed by nToggle will be made available on Rubicon Project's platform in the coming months. nToggle was based in Boston, Mass.

More Trending

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State of Digital Money 2017

SoCal Tech Calendar

Saturday, July 22, 2017 -- State of Digital Money 2017. State of Digital Money is the premier industry event gathering leaders, stakeholders, and innovators in fintech, blockchain, and digital currency. Come discuss trends, opportunities, and emerging technologies disrupting the global financial system and worldwide transactions. Current speakers include Brock Pierce (Blockchain Capital), Scott Bambacigno (Alphapoint), Chase Barnett (Crowdfunder), Paul Puey (Airbitz), Ronny Boesing (OpenLedger),

Capital 100
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Digital Activists: WelkerMedia Is Launching a Free Global Accelerator

Tech.Co

Independent media network WelkerMedia is launching the world’s first no-equity and not-for-profit acceleration program with a focus on digital activism, social impact and creative projects. How It Works. Alumni of the program, which is called WM Labs , will gain access to the media network’s resources, which include co-producers and focused media coverage, as well as the chance to win prizes of up to $15,000 through the Lab.

Mentor 71
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Impact Health Raises $13M For Health Insurance Marketplace

socalTECH

Looking for the best health insurance plan for you? Pasadena-based Impact Health said Monday that it has raised $13M in a Series A funding, to help connect patients with health insurers. The startup said the funding came from Techstars Venture Capital Fund and Foundry Group. The startup, led by Christine Carrillo, says it helps patients enroll in health plans, find doctors, help contesting surprise medical bills, and check for what is covered under their health plan.

Pasadena 140
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Pasadena Avatar-Generating Startup Oben Inc. Raises $5 Million

L.A. Business Journal

Artificial intelligence startup Oben Inc. said it has raised a $5 million round led by Chinese investment firm Tencent Holdings.

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State of Digital Money

SoCal Tech Calendar

Saturday, July 22, 2017 -- State of Digital Money. The State of Digital Money is Los Angeles’ premier professional event and conference focused on the conversation of the evolving trends and emerging technologies disrupting the global financial system and worldwide transactions. In recent years, fintech has seen billions of dollars of growth in investments, capitalizing on disruptive technologies in payment services, wealth management, and funding applications.

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After Mobile App Success, Rock My World Introduces Fitness Chatbot

Xconomy

Adam Riggs-Zeigen has come a long way since 2013, when he co-founded San Diego’s Rock My World and introduced the mobile app RockMyRun to provide upbeat music playlists to motivate smartphone-equipped runners. “We found that it expanded into other avenues, like fitness studios,” Riggs-Zeigen recalled in a recent interview. The following year, the startup created an algorithm that automatically adjusts the rhythm and tempo of songs to match the user’s pace and heart rate.

Mobile 79
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Cinq Music Raises $20M In Series B

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Cinq Music , a data-driven record label, distribution, and rights management company, has received $20M in a Series B funding, according to funding provider GoDigital Media Group. According to the two, Cinq Music will use the funding to purchase music rights, both masters and publishing, and to further expand internationally. Cinq Music primarly has focused on Latin music.

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Silicon Beach Report July 21: Cinq Music Raises $20 Million Series B

L.A. Business Journal

Cinq Music raises $20 million Series B, Snap Inc. selling Spectacles in Harrods of London, and Snap Inc. hires Swiss team behind anti-reverse engineering software.

Report 113
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Ventura BioCenter Lunch and Learn

SoCal Tech Calendar

Friday, July 21, 2017 -- Ventura BioCenter Lunch and Learn. ALine Inc. Enabling the Microfluidic Revolution. See [link].

Ventura 100
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SoftBank-led $114M Round Puts Qualcomm’s Brain Corp. on New Path

Xconomy

San Diego’s Brain Corp., founded in 2009 as a Qualcomm-incubated startup to develop software and computer systems that emulate the human brain, seems to have found a new path forward. SoftBank’s new Vision Fund has led a $114 million investment to advance the company’s artificial intelligence technology. Qualcomm Ventures, which previously invested about $11 million in Brain Corp., was the only other investor in the Series C funding round.

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UBTECH Robotics Rolls Out Interactive Robot Kit

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based educational robot developer UBTECH Robotics said today that it has rolled out a new, interactive robot kit, the Jimu Robot BuilderBots Kit. According to UBTECH, the new robot kit lets kids build two different robots, the GrabberBot and DigBot, or a robot of your own design. The new product is aimed at the STEM education market. UBTECH said the new kit is a "perfect entry point" to learn the basics of building and coding your own personal robot.

Education 138
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Silicon Beach Report July 20: Elon Musk Claims ‘Verbal Approval’ for Hyperloop Route From NY to DC

L.A. Business Journal

Elon Musk claims ‘verbal approval’ for hyperloop route from NY to DC, Falcon Heavy launch has “good chance” of failure says Elon Musk, and Hulu signs 3,000-episode distribution deal with 20th Century Fox.

Hulu 100
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Startups Need Employees Who React Like Entrepreneurs

Startup Professionals Musings

Every startup lucky enough to get some traction gets to the point where they decide to hire some “regular employees” for sales, marketing, and administrative tasks. Then they are surprised to see productivity and creativity take a big dip. What they should be doing is hiring only “entrepreneurs,” meaning people who think and act as if this is their own business.

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Christopher Ahlberg: The Full Xconomy Voices Interview

Xconomy

The second episode of Xconomy’s new podcast, Xconomy Voices , features Recorded Future co-founder and CEO Christopher Ahlberg. His Somerville, MA-based cybersecurity company monitors both the public, visible Web and the Internet’s darker corners for “threat intelligence” that can help its clients prepare for, and fend off, cyber attacks. Ahlberg’s background in data analytics and his perspective on cyber threats make him a compelling figure in the national cybersecurity discussion.

Web 74
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Who's In Southern California's Unicorn Club?

socalTECH

The list of technology startups in Southern California who are "unicorns"--valued at more than $1 billion--surprisingly, might not be who you think, and in the sectors you might expect. A look at the companies who are private, backed by venture capital, and are valued at more than $1 billion across Southern California -- from San Diego to Los Angeles to Santa Barbara -- is an interesting contrast in the wide range of types of technology companies across the region.

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Silicon Beach Report July 17: Faraday Future Makes High-Profile Hire from BMW Despite Financial Problems

L.A. Business Journal

Faraday Future makes high-profile hire from BMW despite financial problems, Impact Health raises $13 million, and Snap Inc. stock lockup to end soon, possibly putting more pressure on shares.

Report 100
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5 Stages of Technology Adoption Compared To Grieving

Startup Professionals Musings

How many times have investors heard startups start their pitch by touting that their technology is “disruptive?” What entrepreneurs forget or don’t realize is that most customers are wary of all technology, educating the market on new technology is expensive, takes a long time, and people buy problem solutions rather than technology. Investors will likely wait for more traction.

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Startup WiseWear Connects With Ingenu on Wearable Security Device

Xconomy

San Antonio —WiseWear, a San Antonio-based wearable technology maker, has created a new product that uses a low-power wireless network to help users stay connected to an emergency alert services around the globe. The company and its partner on the device, San Diego-based Ingenu, plan to sell it as a small, circular piece of Internet-connected technology that can be attached to a keychain, clip, or watch, as a security measure people such as children, the elderly, executives, international

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j2 Global Buys Four More Companies

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based j2 Global , the provider of Internet services and digital media publisher, has acquired four more cloud companies, the company said on Monday. j2 Global said it has acquired MyPhoneFax , which operates Fax87 and Onlinefaxes.com; CloudRecover , an Australian cloud backup provider; WeCloud , a cloud email company in Sweden; and Simitu , a cloud email provider in Denmark.

Company 133
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Silicon Beach Report July 19: Pasadena Avatar-Generating Startup Oben Inc. Raises $5 Million

L.A. Business Journal

Pasadena avatar-generating startup Oben Inc. raises $5 million, NBC adds Snapchat news show, and SpaceX not going to land Dragon capsule on Mars with rocket thrusters.

Pasadena 100
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6 Steps To Saying No At Work To Your Boss And Peers

Startup Professionals Musings

Every dedicated business professional I know can’t find enough hours in a day to do their best work, and yet they often find themselves saying yes to new requests from the people around them. In some cases it may be fear of retribution by the boss, but more often they just hate to disappoint others, and end up instead with high stress and low credibility in the crisis to deliver.

Startup 58
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A.I. Prizes, Coming to Healthcare, Hit $1M Mark in Cancer Contests

Xconomy

This story is part of an Xconomy series on artificial intelligence in healthcare. Some of the other stories cover a genomics hackathon , A.I. and radiology , and the impact on doctors and patients. In the classic 1967 film “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman’s just-out-of-college character gets one word of career advice from a family friend: plastics.

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Brain Corp Collects $114M Funding Round For AI Software

socalTECH

San Diego-based Brain Corp. , a startup developing artificial intelligence software that powers self-driving robots, has raised $114M in a Series C funding round. The funding was led by SoftBank Vision Fund, and also included Qualcomm Ventures. Brain Corp. said it is developing AI and self-driving technology to enable "smart robots", which it says will allow robots to perceive their environment, learn to control their motion, and navigate using visual cues and landmarks while avoiding people and

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Silicon Beach Report July 18: Rubicon Project Buys nToggle for $38.5 Million

L.A. Business Journal

Rubicon Project buys nToggle for $38.5 million, artificial intelligence startup Oben raises $5 million and Snap Inc. begins selling Spectacles on Amazon.

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How to Pick a Partner Who Will Amplify Your Efforts

Startup Professionals Musings

As a long-time business advisor and angel investor, I’m a believer that “two heads are better than one” in building a new business. Very few entrepreneurs have the range of skills and experience to be the solution creator as well as business creator, or operational as well as sales leader. The challenge is to recognize and recruit that ideal partner match early with minimal cost and risk.

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$200M Invested For a Global Network of Indoor Farms? That’s Plenty

Xconomy

Agtech startup Plenty has reeled in $200 million in financing as the company presses forward on its plans to build a global network of indoor vertical farms. Softbank Vision Fund of Japan led the Series B funding round for South San Francisco, CA-based Plenty. The round included investments from affiliates of Louis Bacon, the founder of Moore Capital Management, as well earlier investors Innovation Endeavors, Bezos Expeditions, DCM, Data Collective, and Finistere Ventures.

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GraphIQ Acquired By Amazon.com

socalTECH

Santa Barbara-based GraphIQ , the visualization software developer led by technology veteran Kevin O'Connor, has quietly been acquired by Amazon.com , it emerged today. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced. GraphIQ, which was founded by FindTheBest, will become part of Amazon.com's Alexa efforts. A report from the LA Times estimates the acquisition was worth around $50M.

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I Only Have 7 Trips Left. On Managing Work / Life Balance, Love & Family

Both Sides of the Table

Like many people these days, I spent much of my 20’s and early 30’s thinking about work & fun and not too much about “the future.” Like characters from one of my favorite novels “ The Unbearable Lightness of Being ” life seemed very light. My first son was born the day before my 35th birthday so the decade that followed was very heavy and consequential.

Carson 286
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10 Business Idea Assertions Mask The Real Challenge

Startup Professionals Musings

Most people think innovation is all about ideas, when in fact it is more about delivery, people, and process. Entrepreneurs looking to innovate need to understand the execution challenge if they expect their startup to carve out a profitable niche in the marketplace, and keep innovating to build and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. Everyone thinks they know how to make innovation happen, but I can’t find much real research on the subject.

Ideas 54
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Veni, Vidi, Vinti: What Internet Pioneer Vint Cerf Sees in San Diego

Xconomy

The Internet pioneer Vinton Cerf came to San Diego recently on an unusual quest—to meet with dozens of local technology leaders and assess what the region has to offer in terms of innovation. The visit was unusual in part because of Cerf himself. As a co-designer of the basic protocol for transmitting data packets over the Internet, Cerf has attained a kind of elder statesman status in the tech industry.