Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Taking on equity investors to fund your company is much like getting married – it is a long-term relationship that has to work at all levels. It’s no fun for either side.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2021

In fact, the cost may be minimal, if you do your networking and build a relationship with an experienced business executive or two in your domain who are willing to share and give back for a nominal retainer, perhaps one percent of your new startup equity. The cost of a co-founder is usually fifty percent of your equity.

Startup 142

Startup Technical Review Equity Entrepreneur 142

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

For some aspiring to be tech entrepreneurs, I often suggest a two-step process, as I argued in this post that “ The First Startup Founder You Need to Invest in Is You.” He or she has worked at some very successful big technology or media companies and went to a great school. He still has the dream. He has the hunger.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital IP 150

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 30, 2012

James (chairman of the Althea Foundation) and appointed Adam Sroka as Senior Vice President of Technology in a move to make business transactions simple and secure. . Jackson , “This financing round, coupled with hiring Adam Sroka as our head of technology, puts CapLinked in a position to further enhance our enterprise product offerings.”.

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Software Review Bertelsmann Technology 88

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2016

As an angel investor, I’ve learned to believe in this approach, since I have seen great ideas go astray, due to poor execution and I have seen apparently marginal ideas make millions, managed by a savvy entrepreneur. Leader pitches the plan, not the product. Giving the wrong people money doesn’t help at the idea level.

Ideas 53

Ideas Technical Review Entrepreneur Advertising 53

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 13, 2012

A tweet by Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer on August 9th caused a stir in the tech scenes. ” Matt Ocko also revealed to Silicon Beat that they have been getting a lot more press inquiries due to the number of deals they were doing. Strong Network, Operational Experience and Technical Background. Big Data Shift.

Technical Review 74

Technical Review Entrepreneur Oracle Software Review 74

TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 29, 2020

organized by the Los Angeles-based venture firm Upfront Ventures as a showcase for technology and investment talent in Southern California, venture investor Josh Kopelman spoke to the heightened pace of dealmaking at his own firm. Speaking onstage at the Upfront Summit, an event at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

IBM 164

IBM IBM Venture Capital Invest 164

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

PT as they kick off the new weekly tech law show "TechZulu Law" with a discussion with IP attorney Denise Grayson, who portrays the attorney of Eduardo Saverin in the film about the early days of Facebook, "The Social Network.". Tech Law Tip of the Week: explanation of a frequently-asked IP law question for tech companies.

IP 81

IP Social Network Technical Review Networking 81

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2013

Networked and connected. Successful entrepreneurs already have a visible network of trusted suppliers, potential customers, partners, and even investors. Convincingly presents a patent, trademark, or other “secret sauce” that can create equity value, not just current cash flow for the owners. Listens before answering questions.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Entrepreneur Course Patents 109

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2014

Visions pan of endless cold emails and long days attending meetups and pitch nights while your operations/tech team grind away. These aren’t art projects, garage-electronics, and pre-production concepts. And in doing due diligence on hundreds of companies, we know exactly what to look out for.”

Invest 100

Invest Startup Technical Review Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2012

Networked and connected. Successful entrepreneurs already have a visible network of trusted suppliers, potential customers, partners, and even investors. Convincingly presents a patent, trademark, or other “secret sauce” that can create equity value, not just current cash flow for the owners. Listens before answering questions.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Technical Review Course Patents 117

socalTECH

MARCH 12, 2013

What is it about the content delivery network market which has enabled Santa Monica-based EdgeCast to go from startup to over $100M in revenues in only a few, short years? We serve up four to five percent of the global Internet on our network. We caught on with the right product, at the right time.

CTO Hire 248

CTO Hire Content Networking Web 248

socalTECH

DECEMBER 12, 2013

We rebuilt our network with very scalable Juniper networking gear, and we''ve made some very deliberate decisions on hardware and storage. DreamHost was doing around $30 million when I joined, and we''re now approaching $50 million in recurring revenue, due to hosting growth and cloud hosting growth.

Software Review 238

Software Review Cloud Computing Technical Review Platform 238

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

You need to explore more common and more productive approaches for getting your startup moving forward. Use this approach before you have a real valuation, a real product, or any real customers. If you are looking for $25,000 to $1 million, the next step is to tap into a local angel network. Bartering services for equity.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Equity Incubator Venture Capital 103

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

I did a presentation this week at Coloft that looked at how Non-Technical Founders can go about getting their MVP built. Investors my tell you that, but what they can look at your product on paper and tell what it does and they will understand if it can be built. And the back-end is something that a non-technical founder can manage.

Technical Review 338

Technical Review CTO Hire CTO Coach Software Review 338

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Running that effort is Kevin Hell , the founder of DivX, who we caught up with to learn more about EvoNexus and how the group is trying to help grow technology startups in San Dieog. When companies come into our incubator, we take no equity, we take no stake in the company, it's completely free for the participant.

Incubator 212

Incubator San Diego Technical Review Development Team Review 212

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

If I’m interested I get to spend more time with them, if I’m not I don’t have to – A few companies per month come in that have fascinating business ideas that warrant my spending more time trying to understand their people, company, technology and market. I get paid to network – I love meeting people.

Venture Capital 312

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur 312

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 1, 2009

Consumer spending is 70% of the economy and will continue to be stretched – We can look all we want at tech innovation, VC funding cycles and hot M&A deals, but ultimately growth and therefore investment must be underpinned by revenue. We spent our future since the equity was artificial. It is also a result of pent-up demand.

Venture Capital 269

Venture Capital Startup Funding Technical Review 269

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2011

You need to explore more common and more productive approaches for getting your startup moving forward. Use this approach before you have a real valuation, a real product, or any real customers. If you are looking for $25,000 to $1 million, the next step is to tap into a local angel network. Bartering services for equity.

Startup 93

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 93

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Anyone who has worked in a large company further knows that timing a product launch or a new marketing strategy has more to do with internal politics than reading market forces. More importantly, start cultivating networks of friends who have a sense of pulse on the frontiers of the economy. Quality tech news from around the web.

Venture Capital 202

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2010

Networked and connected. Successful entrepreneurs already have a visible network of trusted suppliers, potential customers, partners, and even investors. Convincingly presents a patent, trademark, or other “secret sauce” that can create equity value, not just current cash flow for the owners. Listens before answering questions.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Angel Technical Review Course 96

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

The technology team disagrees on direction and wants resolutions. There’s a guy in Los Angeles that I met at several tech networking events. He was a really nice and personable guy who had deep domain knowledge in an industry that he’d worked in for 10 years that is in need of technological advancement.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

SoCal Delicious

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Ten Tech Entrepreneurs Who Are Putting LA on the Map. ” Residents of Northern California (everyone north of Bakersfield) don’t understand how we do it, constantly touting Palo Alto’s tech scene. His second venture was Tesla Motors, creating the first production electric car of the modern era. Post navigation.

Technical Review 75

Technical Review Entrepreneur Riot Games Southern California 75

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

are eliminated during due diligence. The corporate entity lends itself best to the concept of “sharing” equity required by investors, and unincorporated entities don’t get funding. Reserve the company name on social networks to protect it. Build a prototype product. Network to the maximum with investor connections.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Even if your product is a technological marvel, I look for balanced strength on the team in finance, marketing and operations. Do your networking with investors well before the funding pitch. Business credentials and functional coverage. Fill in gaps with expert advisors to make it whole. Executives exude confidence and energy.

Startup 60

Startup Entrepreneur Software Review Technical Review 60

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

I continue to collect great content that is the intersection of startups, products, online and technology. aka: An Open Letter to the Next Big Social Network) - 500 Hats , November 1, 2010 I've held off writing this post for a long time, because I couldn't quite get my head around all the issues. but: Something is Still Missing.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 1, 2010

In reality, there are multiple more productive approaches you should explore in getting your startup moving forward. Use this approach before you have a real valuation, a real product, or any real customers. If you are looking for $25,000 to $250,000, the next step is to tap into a local angel network. Small business grants.

Funding 59

Funding Startup Technical Review Equity 59

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

are eliminated during due diligence. The corporate entity lends itself best to the concept of “sharing” equity required by investors, and unincorporated entities don’t get funding. Reserve the company name on social networks to protect it. Build a prototype product. Network to the maximum with investor connections.

Angel 89

Angel Funding Technical Review Startup 89

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 26, 2015

While all of this is going on you are trying to get customers to use your product, enterprises to sign contracts that don’t leave you with unlimited liabilities and landlords to take you in with limited deposits or guarantees. I found it irrational, annoying and counter-productive. In a word – you are truly vulnerable.

Startup 150

Startup Google Software Review Snapchat 150

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2010

It’s always fun debating companies with Dana because she’s always so knowledgeable on deals – particularly those in the digital media, ad-tech and eCommerce spaces. But truthfully both Dana and I are more aligned with the lean startup principles and believe you only go FAT when you’ve really proved out your product / market fit.

Venture Capital 240

Venture Capital Startup Platform Technical Review 240

SoCal CTO

MARCH 4, 2010

I’ve worked with 30+ early-stage companies in all sorts of capacities (and spoken to many, many more), so I thought it might be worthwhile trying to classify the various ways that I’ve engaged in different technology roles in startups. It depends on the business, people, technologies, etc. Each situation is just a bit different.

Technical Review 170

Technical Review Technical Advisors CTO Coach Startup 170

socalTECH

DECEMBER 1, 2008

We're the venture capital arm of Saban Capital Group, which is Haim Saban's investment vehicle and private equity firm, which he founded in 2001. He's an entrepreneur and operating executive, and has made investments in companies like Univision--the largest television network in the U.S.--where where he is Chairman.

Southern California 100

Southern California Media Venture Capital Invest 100

socalTECH

DECEMBER 1, 2008

We're the venture capital arm of Saban Capital Group, which is Haim Saban's investment vehicle and private equity firm, which he founded in 2001. He's an entrepreneur and operating executive, and has made investments in companies like Univision--the largest television network in the U.S.--where where he is Chairman.

Capital 100

Capital Southern California Media Venture Capital 100

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Manatt Venture Funds, which we dedicate a specific portion of our funds to targeted digital media investments, is also part of the Manatt Digital Media network. I think from the perspective of real credibility, what we need is venture capital in the private equity marketplace. Does Manatt Digital Media operate nationally or globally?

Los Angeles 84

Los Angeles Media Invest Startup 84

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

Seattle should be the envy of any non Silicon Valley tech community in the country. It really wouldn’t take much to turn a great technology ecosystem into a truly electric one. He listed all of the product releases that were up coming, the customers that were in the pipeline and where he saw his competition moving.

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2010

To say that the tech elite were cynical of Hulu’s launch would be an understatement , but by the time it launched just a few months later it was getting great reviews. Both systems are threatened in the medium run because alternative supplies of their products will become more plentiful.

Hulu 292

Hulu Technical Review Content Advertising 292

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2013

Lack of confidence in your self, your product, and your startup is a surefire recipe for disaster. The hot term these days is “viral marketing”, meaning we won’t do any marketing, but our product is so great that everyone will know about us anyway by word of mouth and through Internet social networks. More features than anyone.”

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network IBM 111