SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

Many of the founders of these companies are surprised to learn that I'm willing to review what they are doing (maybe an hour) and get on the phone for an hour with them and provide free advice. And I try my best to point them to resources that can help them longer term. What's you believe is your biggest technology risk, if any?

CTO Hire 259

CTO Hire Startup Technical Review Development Team Review 259

SoCal CTO

APRIL 27, 2011

Several people have recently come to me to help them source and/or hire full-time CTOs for their startup having found me through my post that looks at: Startup CTO Salary and Equity Data. I'd suggest: Startup CTO or Developer , Startup Founder Developer Gap , Part-Time CTO , Technology Advisor , CTO Founder , Acting CTO. Not enough?

CTO Hire 282

CTO Hire CTO Coach Technical Review Startup 282

SoCal CTO

APRIL 27, 2011

Several people have recently come to me to help them source and/or hire full-time CTOs for their startup having found me through my post that looks at: Startup CTO Salary and Equity Data. I'd suggest: Startup CTO or Developer , Startup Founder Developer Gap , Part-Time CTO , Technology Advisor , CTO Founder , Acting CTO. Not enough?

CTO Hire 225

CTO Hire CTO Coach Technical Review Startup 225

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2019

For the rest of us, the following suggestions will help you survive the valley of death: Accumulate some resources before you start. The hottest new way of funding startups is to use online sites, like Kickstarter , to request donations, pre-order, get a reward, or even give equity. It always reduces risk to plan your business first.

Startup 87

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 87

socalTECH

APRIL 13, 2021

Dave Eastman: For one thing, although we're not completely unique in this, is we don't take equity. There are pretty significant resources there that standalone incubators don't have. We don't have the resources to do typical diligence and assessment, so we just piggyback on other deals.

Marina Del Rey 150

Marina Del Rey Startup USC Incubator 150

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. An entrepreneur needs a depth of business experience on the team, as well as technical expertise.

Ideas 53

Ideas Technical Review Entrepreneur Advertising 53

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2017

Boards are not appointed to be founder-friendly lapdogs for the 1–3 founders who start companies and usually own the largest equity positions in the company. To be clear — most founders I’ve ever worked with have been super ethical, very conscientious, not overly greedy and take their personal responsibilities very seriously.

Startup 217

Startup Technical Review Equity Report 217

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2013

Yet, according to many sources , over 90 percent of all businesses are started and grown with no equity financing, and many others would have been better off without it. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Of course, every company needs these, in due time.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Technical Review Equity 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2015

For the rest of us, the following suggestions will help you survive the valley of death: Accumulate some resources before you start. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. The positives are that you give up no equity, and these apply to the early startup stages, but they do take time and much effort to win.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Equity 105

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 4, 2014

I think as a tech industry we have bred a culture that places more emphasis on product excellence than managing human behavior. Yet talk with people at Twitter these days and many seem to feel like they are part of a movement – and that doesn’t just come due to product success. Equity for the future?

Startup 340

Startup Technical Review Course Press 340

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2014

For the rest of us, the following suggestions will help you survive the valley of death: Accumulate some resources before you start. The hottest new way of funding startups is to use online sites, like Kickstarter , to request donations, pre-order, get a reward, or even give equity (coming soon). Apply for contests and business grants.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Funding Startup Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2017

For the rest of us, the following suggestions will help you survive the valley of death: Accumulate some resources before you start. The hottest new way of funding startups is to use online sites, like Kickstarter , to request donations, pre-order, get a reward, or even give equity. It always reduces risk to plan your business first.

Develop 70

Develop Development Product Startup 70

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. Ways to Make Your MVP More Minimum We spent quite a bit of time talking about a complexity scale and the kinds of resources you can viably use at different levels of complexity. Review the code being built.

Technical Review 338

Technical Review CTO Hire CTO Coach Software Review 338

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

For the rest of us, the following suggestions will help you survive the valley of death: Accumulate some resources before you start. The hottest new way of funding startups is to use online sites, like Kickstarter , to request donations, pre-order, get a reward, or even give equity (coming soon). Apply for contests and business grants.

Startup 123

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 123

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Yet, according to many sources , over 90 percent of all businesses are started and grown with no equity financing, and many others would have been better off without it. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Of course, every company needs these, in due time.

Technical Review 95

Technical Review Startup Equity Entrepreneur 95

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2018

For the rest of us, the following suggestions will help you survive the valley of death: Accumulate some resources before you start. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. The positives are that you give up no equity, and these apply to the early startup stages, but they do take time and much effort to win.

Startup 53

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 53

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

This source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days due to government initiatives on alternative energy and technology. These resources would likely include office space, consulting, and even a cash investment. An investment from a venture capital firm is usually expensive, in equity and control.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Equity Incubator Venture Capital 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Yet, according to many sources , over 90 percent of all businesses are started and grown with no equity financing, and many others would have been better off without it. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Of course, every company needs these, in due time.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Equity 102

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. With such notable pedigrees in the investment world, I had to wonder why Ryan and co-founder James didn’t “simply” raise money and create their own private equity/venture capital fund?

Invest 100

Invest Startup Technical Review Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Even non-profits need money to scale, but their pitch should be to philanthropists, not equity investors. Terms “paradigm shift” or “disruptive technology” used more than once. Every startup needs focus, due to limited resources, so setting irrational goals implies overall poor business acumen. Skip the hype.

Funding 98

Funding Startup Innocal Entrepreneur 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2011

This source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days due to government initiatives on alternative energy and technology. These resources would likely include office space, consulting, and even a cash investment. An investment from a venture capital firm is usually expensive, in equity and control.

Startup 93

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 93

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 28, 2018

There are many things a VC is looking for in reviewing your business plan but beyond things the like the quality of revenue, margins, OPEX and CAPEX there’s a really simple rule I call, “Cash In, Cash Out, Milestones Achieved.” Let me check my plan.” Yes, I see plans this pedestrian.

Venture Capital 247

Venture Capital Capital Funding Demand 247

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2016

They expect to see at least a prototype solution, funded from your own resources, or friends and family or a grant. A business needs technical, marketing, financial and many other skills. Remember that angel investors are buying equity in your business, so they are not impressed with a customer presentation.

Angel 65

Angel Startup Technical Review Social Media 65

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

In this article #StartupsEverywhere , I talked with Joe Wallace, CEO and Chief Innovation Officer of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, and Hank McCarrick, CEO and founder of Seco Sys about sustainability, emerging eco tech, and challenges in the ecosystem. Joe Wallace, CEO and Chief Innovation Officer at CVEP.

Startup 105

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 105

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. Investors all know that the startup road is long and hard, so they look for people who have put and will continue to put “skin in the game” -- time, sweat equity, and money. Able to communicate on every level.

Startup 60

Startup Entrepreneur Software Review Technical Review 60

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

In this article #StartupsEverywhere , I talked with Joe Wallace, CEO and Chief Innovation Officer of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, and Hank McCarrick, CEO and founder of Seco Sys about sustainability, emerging eco tech, and challenges in the ecosystem. Joe Wallace, CEO and Chief Innovation Officer at CVEP.

Startup 119

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 119

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 1, 2010

This source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days due to the Obama administration initiatives on alternative energy and technology. These resources would likely include office space, consulting, and even a cash investment. Bartering services for equity. Small business grants. Angel investors.

Funding 59

Funding Startup Technical Review Equity 59

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

CircleUp is an online social marketplace that supports direct equity investments from individual investors to small private consumer and retail companies. We are in a different age now where technology is so important and I wanted to be connected with people along the way.” image EPA/Andrew Gombert. “We vc , Liam Martin with Staff.

Startup 104

Startup Technical Review Search Engine Optimization Los Angeles 104

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

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2021

By way of a definition, a business or startup incubator is a company, university, or other organization which provides resources to nurture young companies, usually for a share of the equity, hoping to capitalize on their success, or at least strengthen the local economy. The reality is far different. Initial funding. Learn by doing.

Incubator 146

Incubator Technical Review Entrepreneur Mentor 146

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. What kinds of companies are you looking to invest in, when you say digital media--content, technology, or both? We're looking to build out our investment portfolio.

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. What kinds of companies are you looking to invest in, when you say digital media--content, technology, or both? We're looking to build out our investment portfolio.

Capital 100

Capital Southern California Media Venture Capital 100

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

When you had an explosion of content developers that wanted to be in LA with all the resource that the entertainment industry has available here, all the creative people want to be here. I think from the perspective of real credibility, what we need is venture capital in the private equity marketplace. There will be some problems.

Los Angeles 84

Los Angeles Media Invest Startup 84

InfoChachkie

MAY 6, 2013

This is due to a fundamental disconnect between the increased activity of high-volume seed investors (that fill out lots of Seed rounds) and the relatively small number of Series A investors, who only make 1 or 2 investments, per partner, per year.". A from a new outside lead. There is a similar Darwinian aspect to venture capital investing.

Entrepreneur 246

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Capital 246

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2016

For IBM, the Personal Computer was a paradigm shift from their big business legacy, built with new technologies for totally new markets, and battleships turn very slowly. The culture of a large technology company is to rely on internal development or large, stable, and proven external vendors.

IBM 85

IBM IBM Entrepreneur Technical Review 85

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. You need to have passionate tech entrepreneurs who want to build businesses locally. The ingredients are all here.

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2014

By way of a definition, a business or startup incubator is a company, university, or other organization which provides resources to nurture young companies, usually for a share of the equity, hoping to capitalize on their success, or at least strengthen the local economy. The reality is far different. Initial funding. Learn by doing.

Incubator 103

Incubator Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor 103