Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Most aspiring entrepreneurs look to their alma mater, or any university, as a source of classes that can help them, but neglect to think outside the box or take advantage of all the other resources to be found there. Get help with grant funding and incubator resources. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors.

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Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

socalTECH

JUNE 15, 2020

The Tech Coast Angels says it has launched a new, annual fund, and is continuing to invest--despite the pandemic. The angel group, the largest in the nation, said it invested over $19M in 2019, in part due to a similar fund created by its San Diego chapter, the TCA-San Diego, last year. READ MORE>>.

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Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 11, 2020

Yeah, Valence announced > $5 million in funding led by GGV and Upfront. It is a company with a mission to create better access and more funding for Black entrepreneurs and executives. And Black entrepreneurs wanted access to decision makers but didn’t always have the easy connections. “I gotta say it was a good day.”

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2023

If you aren’t willing to take some risk as an entrepreneur, then don’t expect any gain. Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. Things such as driver-less cars and new medicines are far more than a technology challenge.

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socalTECH

MARCH 15, 2012

Los Angeles-based ticketing and concert management firm Live Nation is getting into the early stage investment business, announcing Wednesday that it has established the LN Labs Fund , which will invest in early stage technologies and entrepreneurs. Size of the fund was not announced. READ MORE>>.

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Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

The world around us is being disrupted by the acceleration of technology into more industries and more consumer applications. Technology solutions are now used by authoritarians to monitor and control populations, to stymie an individual company’s economic prospects or to foment chaos through demagoguery. What Has Changed in Financing?

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TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Leonardo DiCaprio is making a significant commitment to the Los Angeles-based investment firm, Struck Capital , as part of the actor’s commitment to building LA into a tech development powerhouse. DiCaprio has already made a number of investments in startup companies that have done very well for the Academy Award-winning actor.

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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. David Waxman.:

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2022

New entrepreneurs are always looking for a shortcut in getting their venture story and plan across to investors, and closing on the funding they need. As a former angel investor, I look for this level of alignment and understanding in every funding presentation I hear. No startup or entrepreneur is an island.

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socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

A new, climate-focused investment fund--the VertueLab Climate Impact Fund --said it launched yesterday afternoon, fueled by a donation from a couple of Los Angeles area philanthropists. VertueLab said its new new fund allows participation by foundations, donor-advised funds, individuals and corporations.

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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. The plan, even at the time, was always to raise a larger fund. “I see two things happen.

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socalTECH

MARCH 16, 2017

Are you an entrepreneur, looking for capital here in Southern California? It's turning out to be a great time for entrepreneurs looking for funding in the region, with not only high profile exits of such companies as Snap Inc., but a bunch of new, early stage investors looking to seed or fund the next big tech success story.

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socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2018

Los Angeles-based Moonshots Capital , the venture capital investment firm led by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings, has raised its first official fund, a $19M seed stage venture fund. Moonshots said the new fund will focus on seed stage deals, holding reserve capital for follow-on pro rata. READ MORE>>.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2023

Indeed, while the rules and technologies for lead generation have changed, Forrester and other experts still see it as the most effective way for businesses with limited budgets to maximize their return on marketing investment (ROI). Technology and consumer feedback have indeed changed the landscape. Cold calling.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Most entrepreneurs have learned that it’s almost always quicker and easier to get cash from someone you know, rather than angel investors or professional investors (VCs). In fact, most investors “require” that you already have some investment from friends and family before they will even step up to the plate.

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socalTECH

JUNE 29, 2017

We've summarized the funds that have announced new funds in the last nine months or so, or that are in the midst of raising funds--a total of more than $1086 million in total funds. List ordered by fund size). Fund size: $230M fund. Fund size: $100M fund. Fund size: $100M fund.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Some aspiring entrepreneurs are so desperate for funding, or naïve, that they ignore the obvious signs of scams and rip-offs on the Internet, praying for a windfall. But people are still begging for more technology or laws, often to protect them from themselves. Loan offer in lieu of investment. Phantom fund investors.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

One of the myths I often hear as an advisor to many entrepreneurs is that their lifestyle would somehow be better if they could more easily find other people’s money to build their startup. Most entrepreneurs never forget for a moment that having investors means owing money, even if they can legally argue that equity is not debt.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

Being called a lifestyle entrepreneur should be a point of pride, not an insult. This usually means not taking money from equity investors, since investors want fast growth, high profits, and an exit event, to allow investments to be recouped. Startup funding comes from personal savings and family. According to William R.

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Entrepreneur Startup Equity Course 148

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 5, 2019

Santa Monica-based venture investor March Capital Partners (www.marchcp.com) announced last week that it has raised a second fund, worth $300M. To learn about the new fund, we sat down with Jamie Montgomery , one of the fund's co-founders, to hear about March Capital's strategy and the new fund. They're all big winners.

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socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2018

This morning, Moonshots Capital (www.moonshotscapital.com), led by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings , announced its first formal fund, a $19M seed stage fund. What we would do, is we would round up ten other angel investors, get $25,000 from each of them, and then roll up our sleeves and help that entrepreneur find venture capital.

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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.”,

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socalTECH

AUGUST 23, 2017

LA's technology startup industry has saw a surge in new companies and efforts from its serial entrepreneurs in the last few months. Here's a quick look at just a few of the new companies who are led by serial entrepreneurs from the LA ecosystem. Funding status: Backing from CAA. Ground Control. AppOnboard. READ MORE>>.

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Entrepreneur Company Companies Technical Review 113

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

San Diego-based Deckard Technologies , a new startup founded by serial entrepreneur Neil Senturia, said on Monday that it has raised $4M in funding and launched a new company focused on using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify property tax scofflaws. The company said its latest funding was worth $500,000.

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socalTECH

JANUARY 29, 2020

This week, Los Angeles-based Crosscut Ventures announced a brand new effort to provide health and wellness to the founders of companies it invests in, helping those founders with well being, mental health, stress management, coaching, and leadership development. Any lessons you have learned now that you're now on your fourth fund?

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socalTECH

OCTOBER 9, 2019

There's a new opportunity in clean technology investments, according to venture capitalist Aaron Fyke , the head of a new, Pasadena-based venture capital investment fund, Thin Line Capital (www.thinlinecapital.com). Talk about the new firm and the new fund? Our target is energy and sustainability companies.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2023

Investors don’t invest in services startups. Here are some pragmatic tips on how to make your startup more scalable and investable: If you need investors, start with a scalable idea. These are more likely scalable and investable. Attract and relish investor funding. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2021

Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites , and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. But many have no insight or connections to the ethereal angel investment community, which In the U.S. Most share expertise as well as money.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2014

Entrepreneurs who require funding for their startup have long counted on self-accredited high net worth individuals (“angels”) to fill their needs, after friends and family, and before they qualify for institutional investments (“VCs”). Thus investing in startups should always be approached as a low odds game.

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Invest Angel Funding Startup 111

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2020

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” If you have the urge to be an entrepreneur, I encourage you to think seriously about each of these, before you zero-in on one or two, and get totally discouraged if those don’t work for you.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

A continuing question I hear from young entrepreneurs is whether a university degree is important to startup success, or just a distraction in achieving their purpose in the world. Both provide entrepreneurial “head start” programs for aspiring entrepreneurs, free legal guidance, and access to experienced staff members.

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Entrepreneur Mentor Class Resource 157

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 12, 2022

providing freshly packaged salads, heat-and-eat prepared meals and vegan overnight oats, raised $7 million in funding as it goes after the $34 billion fresh prepared foods market. Positive Food’s vertical integration technology is mainly done in-house, including production and a cold-chain logistics network. Positive Food Co.,

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socalTECH

JUNE 5, 2013

There''s been a constant drumbeat from both local entrepreneurs and investors on the lack of venture capital sources in Southern California. So, anytime a new, Southern California venture capital investor show ups, technology entrepreneurs usually flock to their doorstep. READ MORE>>.

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Venture Capital Capital Southern California Funding 214

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 22, 2018

In an attempt to boost diversity and inclusion efforts and civic engagement between the growing technology industry in Los Angeles and the community that surrounds it, over 80 venture capitalists and entrepreneurs joined the city’s mayor, Eric Garcetti, and the non-profit Annenberg Foundation to announce PledgeLA.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2022

The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public. In the investment community, these leadership elements are often called “goodwill.” Stable and friendly work environment.

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socalTECH

JANUARY 22, 2019

This morning's interview is with Kevin O'Connor , a longtime investor and serial entrepreneur, who is now running venture capital investment firm ScOp Venture Capital. Just this past September was a year with Amazon, when I left, and we started investing in September under the new name, ScOp Venture Capital.

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SoCal Tech Calendar

SEPTEMBER 21, 2017

Tuesday, September 26, 2017 -- How To Get Your Startup Funded - Tips From Entrepreneur and Renowed Angel Investor Jason Calacanis. But most of Jason's money has been made by angel investing. Jason Calacanis founded Silicon Alley Reporter, Weblogs Inc, Mahalo, and Inside.com.

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