Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2023

Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. On the Internet, I am wary of one more search engine provider, clones of existing social-media sites, and yet another new dating site. You need a big differentiator in these arenas.

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Invest Sites Technical Review Social Media 98

socalTECH

AUGUST 5, 2014

What do you get when you combine a technology investment demo day with a Hollywood-style story pitch session? It might look a little like Demo Day for Warner Media Camp , the startup incubator program being run out of Los Angeles by Turner/Warner Bros. at the intersection of technology and media. READ MORE>>.

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Media Class Hollywood Incubator 124

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2013

Despite a growing technology industry here in Southern California, local investors and entrepreneurs tell us there''s still a shortage of local, venture capital. In particular, funding for companies developing deep technology--software and cloud, as opposed to content and media--seems to be lacking.

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Invest Technology Startup Venture Capital 159

TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 18, 2019

With an inaugural investment into the Los Angeles-based entertainment startup Culture Genesis , Clifford Harris Jr., ”, has launched a new syndicated investment vehicle called Tech Cypha. And that’s by coming together to pool our resources so we can invest more.” who’s better known as “T.I.”,

Invest 187

Invest Los Angeles Resource Venture Capital 187

socalTECH

MAY 14, 2015

Laguna Beach-based virtual reality technology developer NextVR has received a round of funding from Mandalay Entertainment's Peter Gruber, the company said this week. Size of the strategic investment round was not announced. READ MORE>>.

Invest 100

Invest Entertainment Media Funding 100

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

The Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the entertainment and sports agency which also is an active investor and partner of technology and media companies here, said this morning that it has received a an investment from Temasek , the $200 billion Singapore investment company. READ MORE>>.

Funding 124

Funding Southern California Entertainment Activity 124

socalTECH

AUGUST 12, 2014

has figured out one way -- which is to run a startup accelerator, Warner Media Camp (www.mediacamp.com)--which pulls a class of startups into the company for an intense, twelve week program every year, and helps those companies tap into the resources of the studio. For those not familiar with s Warner Media Camp, what is it all about?

Startup 159

Startup Technology Hollywood Media 159

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 25, 2021

The partners at MaC Venture Capital , the Los Angeles-based investment firm that has just closed on $103 million for its inaugural fund, have spent the bulk of their careers breaking barriers. “Our LPs invested in us… for lots of different reasons but at the top of the list was that we are a diverse team in so many ways.

Venture Capital 225

Venture Capital Capital Los Angeles Invest 225

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 14, 2020

The money came from heavy hitters in the Los Angeles entertainment and investment scene including Scooter Braun, Troy Carter, Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew and Jared Leto. Forerunner Ventures led the deal and the investment was made by Kirsten Green, the firm’s famous founder and managing partner.

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Los Angeles Entertainment Seed Funding USC 173

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 9, 2016

If you wanted to find someone who truly understands the convergence of the media and technology, you need to go no further than Peter Csathy , the CEO of newly launched CREATV Media (www.creatv.media). Peter Csathy: CREATV Media is a very different kind of firm. We are an innovation, investment, and advisory firm.

Media 100

Media Blogging Hulu Invest 100

L.A. Business Journal

MAY 2, 2017

Fertitta Capital launched its first fund on Monday, worth $500 million, which it plans to invest in technology, media, and entertainment companies.

Capital 145

Capital Funding Entertainment Media 145

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 28, 2020

“What we are seeing is that there’s a significant appetite from public market investors to interactive entertainment as a category,” said Scopely co-chief executive Walter Driver. “We were excited to crossover and invest in Scopely.” “We were excited to crossover and invest in Scopely.”

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Los Angeles Mobile Platform Entertainment 252

socalTECH

AUGUST 16, 2011

Los Angeles-based private equity firm Shamrock Capital has invested $25M in Thought Equity Motion , a provider of video footage licensing services, Thought Equity Motion said today. Shamrock focuses on investment in the media, entertainment, and communications areas. READ MORE>>.

Invest 140

Invest Capital Paramount Equity 140

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 16, 2020

Over their longtime personal and professional relationship, the two Los Angeles-based serial entrepreneurs have invested in each other’s companies and investment firms, but never worked together until now. “I see two things happen. One people look at the effects of where the market’s going.

Funding 230

Funding Southern California Los Angeles Invest 230

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 31, 2014

The event attracted over 500 distinguished attendees from around the world in the digital media and technology industry including advertising, media, data, eCommerce, software, social and gaming. The event also showcased a variety of promising startups from digital media, mobile, cloud, entertainment, advertising, and eCommerce.

Media 84

Media Technology Truecar Southern California 84

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 21, 2012

Wednesday, June 27, 2012 -- 2012 Venture Capital and New Media Summit. Variety is pleased to announce the return of its Venture Capital and New Media Summit on June 27 at the Sofitel Hotel in Los Angeles. See [link] (more)

Venture Capital 113

Venture Capital Media Capital Entertainment 113

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Los Angeles-based venture capital investment firm DFJ Frontier is bolstering its ranks, and has snagged an entertainment and media veteran as a new Venture Partner at the company. DFJ Frontier invests in media and technology companies, and focuses on the seed and early stage; the fund has approximately $80M under management.

Venture Capital 185

Venture Capital Hollywood Media Entertainment 185

TechCrunch LA

MAY 21, 2019

Propelled by new technologies, new businessmen have been landing in Los Angeles since the invention of the nickelodeon to create a studio that would dominate popular entertainment. Hardware makers have invested billions to improve the technology, and they’d like that money to not go to waste.

Chief Technology Officer 211

Chief Technology Officer Content Hollywood Netflix 211

socalTECH

APRIL 11, 2018

Seed stage investments in Los Angeles area startups was up, year-to-year, according to the Q1 2018 LA Seed Deal Report from investor Amplify LA. The most active area for LA area seed investments was in media, entertainment, and gaming, with software-as-a-service businesses also bringing in significant seed funding.

Seed Funding 147

Seed Funding Funding Entertainment Report 147

socalTECH

JUNE 23, 2009

Los Angeles-based Mail.com Media Corporation , which operates the email service Mail.com, said today that it has acquired an entertainment focused blog, DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com. The company is backed by Quadrangle Capital Partners, which invested $35M in the firm back in October of last year. READ MORE>>.

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Blogging Entertainment Email Content 100

socalTECH

APRIL 15, 2010

Southern California venture capital investments totaled $686.5M According to the report, released today, Southern California investments totaled $686.5M Southern California's investment totals bucked the national trend, which found that there was a 9 percent drop in dollars to $4.7 of the total invested in Q1.

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Southern California Orange County Invest GRP Partners 208

socalTECH

JANUARY 15, 2013

Ross Levinsohn , the former head of Yahoo and Fox Interactive Media, has just been appointed CEO of Guggenheim Digital Media , the parent firm of The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Adweek, and other entertainment focused properties.

Hollywood 173

Hollywood Report Yahoo Entertainment 173

socalTECH

APRIL 19, 2013

Los Angeles-based media and communications investor Saban Capital Group announced Thursday that it has opened up an office in Singapore. Saban''s technology holdings include mobile games firm The Playforge and kid''s online site Zui. saban capital singapore media communications venture private equity hollywood content univision'

Capital 147

Capital Hollywood Equity Media 147

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 27, 2020

Los Angeles was always more than a one-industry town, even when it comes to technology startups, as media and entertainment (and social networking) were always the big draws in Tinseltown. Signal Sciences secures $35 million investment to protect web apps. Morgan Stanley & Co.

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Culver City SaaS Los Angeles Social Network 249

socalTECH

JANUARY 25, 2017

Los Angeles- and Austin-based VRMedia Technology said on yesterday that it has launched, as a joint venture between MC Capital Advisors/Media Content Capital, and virtual reality and computer graphics filmmaker Greg Passmore , and his company, PassmoreVR. Photo: Greg Passmore. READ MORE>>.

Software 100

Software Content Entertainment Los Angeles 100

socalTECH

JULY 18, 2018

How do you apply virtual reality (VR) technology, and turn it from just a nifty technology trick, to something which is truly a lifelike journey you can experience with friends? Comcast led our investment round, and the former CFO of Dreamworks joined us soon after. We're an entertainment company.

Entertainment 180

Entertainment Santa Monica IP Startup 180

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

I invested in LA-based Gogii , one of the fastest growing, most exciting mobile social networking companies you’ve never heard of and maker of a product called textPlus. I only recently invested and I only got here through persistence. The opportunity came up to invest in this one and I pounced. But I never gave up.

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Gogii Invest Blogging Startup 310

socalTECH

APRIL 12, 2011

Derek Norton is head of Los Angeles-based Watertower Group (www.watertowergroup.com), a firm which helps companies raise funding, one of the rare companies which has a track record and good reputation helping companies with fundraising, and also runs its own investment fund. That's a byproduct of the entertainment industry.

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Riot Games Technology Los Angeles Entrepreneur 199

socalTECH

JANUARY 23, 2013

In a sign of the growth of the Silicon Beach technology world, last year, Google moved its headquarters out of a space on Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica, and into a new fancy headquarters space in Venice. They're using the ROC platform to have their events in all one place, and take their investing from 8 to 30 days, down from 90 days.

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Google Tech Coast Angels Screening Santa Monica 253

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 18, 2013

Topics of discussion will be Wearables Technology, Bitcoin, SaaS, Cloud, Mobile, Gaming, Social Markets, what surprises are coming for 2014, creating value with your company, hiring problem solvers, and building a sensible businesses. We will also have some of the top companies present that each of the panelist has invested in.

Startup 111

Startup Entertainment Media Santa Barbara 111

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 17, 2010

And we’re left with a city with idyllic weather, major commerce, the media center of the world, and a great emerging technology scene. But we have a great city for building technology companies. LA generally doesn’t have an appetite for this kind of investment at early stages. You don’t. Get over it.

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Company Companies Technology Startup 290

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2018

Editor's note: All this week, and into the start of next year, we'll be featuring reflections on 2018 from notable investors, entrepreneurs, and others from Southern California's technology community. Are there any technology innovations, gadgets, devices, software, that you found most interesting in 2018?

Startup 124

Startup Press Commerce Southern California 124

Tech.Co

JULY 12, 2017

What you might not realize is that the adorable droid was the brain child of Sphero, a robotics and digital technology company and an alumni to the Disney Accelerator program. “This year, more than ever, we are working with companies with the potential to help define the future of media and entertainment together with Disney.”

Artificial Inteligence 108

Artificial Inteligence Startup Entertainment Press 108

socalTECH

DECEMBER 26, 2017

During the holiday season, our tradition over the last few years has been to post reflections on the past year and some predictions from Southern California's "movers and shakers" in the technology industry. Are there any technology innovations, gadgets, devices, software, that particularly caught your eye in 2017. READ MORE>>.

Dollar Shave Club 140

Dollar Shave Club Userplane Tsavo Southern California 140

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 15, 2013

the technology startup incubator and studio headed by former MySpace CEO Michael Jones, has raised around $30M in funding from Hearst Ventures , the venture capital arm of Hearst Corporation, Hearst said this morning. Science Inc. , Science Inc. Science is also backed by Tomorrow Ventures, Rustic Canyon Partners, and White Star Capital.

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Rustic Canyon Incubator Venture Capital Entertainment 223

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 18, 2012

TechZulu is proud to announce that we are a sponsor of the Variety 2012 Venture Capital & New Media Summit and will be there in full force bringing you all the action. Variety is pleased to announce the return of its Venture Capital and New Media Summit on June 27 at the Sofitel Hotel in Los Angeles. Speaker List.

Venture Capital 68

Venture Capital Media Capital Steamboat Ventures 68

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 12, 2014

The Walt Disney Company & Techstars have officially announced the Disney Accelerator, a three-month mentorship and seed-stage investment program for 10 lucky companies. The LA-based accelerator is powered by Techstars and is looking for “technology-based companies focused on transformative media and entertainment experiences.”

Entertainment 102

Entertainment Santa Monica Ideas Mentor 102