Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2023

Angel investors and venture capitalists are looking for startups with real products and a proven business model, ready to scale. Yet I still get too many business plans that clearly are looking for money to do research and development (R&D) on a new and unproven technology. Specialized VCs start to jump in at this stage.

Resource 102

Resource Ideas Funding Research 102

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

If you are one of the thousands of entrepreneurs who need equity funding to get your startup going (no loans to repay), you are probably overwhelmed at the prospect of finding, contacting and pitching to the huge number of qualified angels and investment groups around the country. Register Internet and social media startup names.

Platform 94

Platform Equity Invest Technical Advisors 94

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2022

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. It always reduces risk to plan your business first. Set expectations accordingly.

Tips 104

Tips Startup Technical Review Equity 104

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2020

It may not be as sexy, but starting a new business which builds on an existing technology or business model is usually less risky than introducing that ultimate new disruptive technology. Many of the major business successes started this way. Many of the major business successes started this way.

Startup 157

Startup Social Media Study Research 157

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2020

Many entrepreneurs are convinced that banks are not worth the effort for startups, especially early-stage ones that still don’t have a revenue stream, or collateral to back up their financing needs. Bankers do not contribute equity. The short answer is that some banks will help, if you do your homework. An impressive team.

Technical Advisors 162

Technical Advisors Tips Startup Equity 162

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2019

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. It always reduces risk to plan your business first. Set expectations accordingly.

Startup 87

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 87

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2022

Most entrepreneurs struggle with many startup founders quandaries in building their business, and these key dilemmas are probably the biggest source of pain and failure for the entrepreneur lifestyle. People may jump into the lifestyle to be their own boss, achieve great wealth, start a new trend, or all the above.

Startup 130

Startup USC Entrepreneur Statistics 130

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

As a startup advisor and investor, living in an area with several local universities, I’m continually surprised by how little many entrepreneurs know about the resources available from these institutions. Access to intellectual property and current research. Visibility to startup job opportunities and career guidance.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

Until the recession a decade ago, market research indicated that as many as 90 percent of the roughly 20 million American small business owners were motivated more by lifestyle than growth and money. More recently, the desire for extra income has become the key driver in new startups, according to the popular press.

Entrepreneur 148

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Course 148

Xconomy

DECEMBER 7, 2018

Henrietta Lacks’ “immortal cells” contributed enormously to the progression of scientific discovery, but Lacks, a poor, black woman who died from cervical cancer in 1951 months after her cells were harvested, never personally benefited from or consented to the medical research the HeLa cell line enabled.

Research 93

Research San Diego Equity Help 93

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2021

Angel investors and venture capitalists are looking for startups with real products and a proven business model, ready to scale. Yet I still get too many business plans that clearly are looking for money to do research and development (R&D) on a new and unproven technology. Specialized VCs start to jump in at this stage.

Help 165

Help Research Startup Funding 165

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2019

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. Join a startup incubator.

Startup 128

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 128

socalTECH

JANUARY 5, 2021

One of our most promising new programs is the Strategic University Research Expo (SURE) in partnership with Biocom where we curate highly focused virtual demo days featuring select university research -- it was only conceived when we were liberated from the in-person model. He previously held C-level roles at Overture Services/Yahoo!,

Southern California 202

Southern California SoCal Technical Review Startup 202

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2023

One of the reasons that now is the time to be an entrepreneur is the explosion of startup assistance organizations, usually called incubators or accelerators. Most of these are non-profits, set up by a university to commercialize new technologies, or a municipality to foster business development for the local economy.

Organization 92

Organization Incubator Startup Resource 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 26, 2019

Until the recession a few years ago, market research indicated that as many as 90 percent of the roughly 20 million American small business owners were motivated more by lifestyle than growth and money. More recently, the desire for extra income has become the key driver in new startups, according to the popular press.

Startup 77

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Course 77

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 22, 2018

Founded by Steve Poizner last year to accelerate the growth of a startup entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southern California, The Alliance is building a network of investors, entrepreneurs and universities to provide ballast in the south to the dominance of the Northern California tech industry.

Southern California 224

Southern California Dollar Shave Club SoCal Develop 224

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

A grant is not an equity investment, so the entrepreneur doesn’t have to give up a stake in the company either. A good place to start looking is the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which is a lifeline for high-tech startups. Research related tax credits and incentives.

Equity 92

Equity Startup High Tech Research 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 19, 2020

Venture capitalists (VCs) have long been seen as the top of the pyramid for startup funding sources, but in fact angel investors now fund over twice as many companies, according the Crunchbase. Institutional venture capital dispensed in 2019 was down a bit from record highs the previous year, but up significantly over the last few years.

Funding 125

Funding Venture Capital Startup Class 125

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

As a startup advisor and investor, living in an area with several local universities, I’m continually surprised by how little many entrepreneurs know about the resources available from these institutions. Access to intellectual property and current research. Visibility to startup job opportunities and career guidance.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. It always reduces risk to plan your business first. Set expectations accordingly.

Startup 123

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 123

socalTECH

DECEMBER 11, 2018

Costa Mesa-based Veritone , a developer of artificial intelligence software, said it has received an unsolicited acquisition bid from private equity firm Apis Capital Management. The company is led by longtime technology startup veterans Chad and Ryan Steelberg, and one of its biggest investors is Acacia Research.

Artificial Inteligence 133

Artificial Inteligence Acquisition Capital Equity 133

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2016

One of the reasons that now is the time to be an entrepreneur is the explosion of startup assistance organizations, usually called incubators or accelerators. Most of these are non-profits, set up by a university to commercialize new technologies, or a municipality to foster business development for the local economy.

Incubator 106

Incubator Startup Help Resource 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2020

One of the biggest myths in the business world is that startups are no place for Baby Boomers, that aging generation born between 1945 and 1964. Today people over 55 are almost twice as likely to create successful startups as Gen-Y, age 20 to 34. Yet credible reports on current trends tell us just the opposite.

Startup 124

Startup Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur 124

socalTECH

JUNE 16, 2009

Santa Monica-based SharesPost , a new startup out of Scott Painter's BrightHouse incubator, said Tuesday morning that the firm has launched on online platform which will match buyers and sellers of private equity. Among features of the site are private company research, escrow serviecs, and electronic signatures. READ MORE>>.

Equity 113

Equity CarsDirect Zag Incubator 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2018

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. Join a startup incubator.

Startup 53

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 53

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 30, 2023

It may not be as sexy, but starting a new business which builds on an existing technology or business model is usually less risky than introducing that ultimate new disruptive technology. Many of the major business successes started this way. Many of the major business successes started this way.

Social Media 92

Social Media Study Research Satisfaction 92

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2019

To refresh your memory, angel investors are typically high net worth individuals, accredited by the SEC and willing to invest their own money in a high-potential startup for a share of the ownership. They don’t get excited by early stage research, development, or marketing hype. Crowdfunding is not the best platform here.

Funding 119

Funding Startup Platform Examples 119

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 12, 2021

Tracking public sentiment over time provides invaluable insight and gives you the chance to stay right on top of changes in the marketplace and your organization’s brand equity. That’s real-time market research, and you need to measure how well you are hearing it and acting on it in your business strategy planning. Project the future.

Social Media 127

Social Media Media Metrics Satisfaction 127

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2019

Most entrepreneurs struggle with many startup founders quandaries in building their business, and these key dilemmas are probably the biggest source of pain and failure for the entrepreneur lifestyle. People may jump into the lifestyle to be their own boss, achieve great wealth, start a new trend, or all the above.

Startup 97

Startup USC Entrepreneur Statistics 97

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

It’s the lifeblood of any organization and yet most startups don’t have any sales DNA on their teams. It’s important enough that I dedicate a tab on my blog to startup sales & marketing. how much research should you do before a sales visit? 24:00 Selling a startup today. junior vs. senior?

Software Review 300

Software Review Sales Tips Help 300

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

What’s your role in the Coachella Valley area startup ecosystem? What makes the Coachella Valley an ideal place to start a company? Hank: The Coachella Valley has been the ideal location to start our business because it has five separate water agencies serving a population of over 300,000.

Startup 119

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 119

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2023

contributes more than $25 billion to fund 70,000 startups every year. In fact, there are a few key sites to help you find angels, including AngelList and Gust , but these don’t tell you very much about how angels work, and how to find the right ones for your startup. Early stage research and development won’t excite angels.

Venture Capital 106

Venture Capital Angel Seed Funding Invest 106

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 4, 2009

For this morning's interview, we sat down with Dr. Alfred Wong , Chief Science Officer, and Albert Liu , Vice President of Business Development, at Pong Research (www.pongresearch.com), a company developing products for redirecting cell phone antennas to reduce the radiation exposure of users. Talk about the technology behind the product?

Research 138

Research UCLA Design Product 138

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2022

Venture capitalists (VCs) have long been seen as the top of the pyramid for startup funding sources, but in fact angel investors now fund over twice as many companies, according to a classic Crunchbase article. The cost of entry for tech startups continues to go down. Super angels have greater scope to match talent with a startup.

Guide 136

Guide Venture Capital Funding Class 136

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

What’s your role in the Coachella Valley area startup ecosystem? What makes the Coachella Valley an ideal place to start a company? Hank: The Coachella Valley has been the ideal location to start our business because it has five separate water agencies serving a population of over 300,000.

Startup 105

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014

One of the reasons that now is the time to be an entrepreneur is the explosion of startup assistance organizations, usually called incubators or accelerators. Most of these are non-profits, set up by a university to commercialize new technologies, or a municipality to foster business development for the local economy.

Incubator 98

Incubator Startup Help Resource 98

Xconomy

MAY 30, 2016

Lita Nelsen has seen it up close—and played a part in its evolution—from her studies there in the 1960s, to her business-school fellowship in the late 1970s, to her 30 years working in MIT’s Technology Licensing Office. And so that’s what Stanford did, so it was set up in that model. I wasn’t the director then in ’86.

Startup 67

Startup Compton Research Technology 67