Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2021

Of the first four investments I made as a VC in 2009, two have exited and two (Invoca & GumGum) still are independent and likely to produce $billion++ outcomes . The abundance of late-stage capital is good for us all. My first ever investment as a VC was Invoca. Entrada Ventures? —?that Maker Studios?—?sold

Venture Capital 363

Venture Capital Capital Funding Startup 363

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2010

Lots of discussion these days about the changes in the VC industry. The VC industry grew dramatically as a result of the Internet bubble - Before the Internet bubble the people who invested in VC funds (called LPs or Limited Partners) put about $50 billion into the industry and by 2001 this had grown precipitously to around $250 billion.

Venture Capital 311

Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding Rustic Canyon 311

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2010

This episode of This Week in Venture Capital featured Michael Montgomery, president of Montgomery & Co. If you don’t know Montgomery & Co it is one of the premier technology & media focused investment banks in the country (and as Michael corrected me they also have a strong Healthcare / Med tech practice).

Venture Capital 242

Venture Capital Mission Ventures Capital Help 242

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

She worked for 5 years as a VC at Battery Ventures and co-headed M&A at IAC working with Barry Diller. Venture capital is about backing the leaders of tomorrow who imagine the world as it should be and aren’t constrained by what it is today. He launched our scout program as an example.

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

Viewing the article through the lens of a venture capitalist there’s much to agree with under the mantra of “growth!” For example. He also nails the reason why venture capital is still necessary to grow large businesses quickly in a world where the costs of running startups have fallen dramatically.

Startup 390

Startup Venture Capital Entrepreneur Technical Review 390

TechCrunch LA

JULY 2, 2020

When it comes to venture capital, Los Angeles is a city on the rise. In the past year, it’s seen one of the most profitable venture-backed exits of any tech ecosystem (with the $4 billion sale of Honey to PayPal) and investors are minting billion-dollar companies in the region at a torrid pace.

Los Angeles 277

Los Angeles Venture Capital Capital Invest 277

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 12, 2009

This is part of my series with Advice on Raising Venture Capital. I recently wrote a post on how to Deal with your Elephants in the Room during your VC meetings. Elephants being big issues that the VC will be thinking whether you bring it to his/her attention or not. Skeletons in the Closet are these types of issues.

Venture Capital 311

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Examples 311

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 24, 2020

1 priority was to ensure long-term financial stability and secure the core team, technology development and customer programs no matter what the scenario, Czinger said, adding that there is still enormous uncertainty surrounding the real impact and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company’s No. Image Credits: Czinger Vehicles.

Startup 251

Startup Technical Review Outsource Development Platform 251

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). I'm also interested in technology companies, in data analytics, and low CAPEX hardware.

Invest 113

Invest Capital Venture Capital Idealab 113

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 7, 2007

I've been reading or hearing quite a bit about how startups these days don't take nearly as much capital to create as they used to. If that's actually true, then it creates New Rules Of Technology VC. What used to cost $1M now takes $100K. These alternate sources of funding may address this very common need.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Startup Incubator Examples 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2021

Look for special programs for entrepreneurs, like the Arizona State University Furnace Technology Transfer Accelerator program that I am familiar with, available to non-students. Collaborative efforts with local companies, like Siemens Venture Capital, are available for certain technology and focus areas. Legal guidance.

Incubator 172

Incubator Mentor Class Resource 172

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

But VC is like congress. “I don’t know the exact math, but I hear it again and again: the top 2% of firms generate 98% of the returns in venture capital.” As you can see from the chart their data suggests there are about $25 billion of VC distributions per year in the US. Their data looks at tech VCs.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

socalTECH

APRIL 25, 2013

In the arms race of search technology, only the big guys -- Google, Microsoft -- seem to be able to keep up with all of the innovations in the space. Those devices worked great, but unfortunately, they''re juts not up to speed on the newer innovations in big data and the technology world. Who are the customers for your technology?

Technology 216

Technology Google Commerce Southern California 216

socalTECH

JUNE 27, 2013

Despite the increase in startup activity in Southern California, local venture capital funds are still few and far between, and a large chunk of the funding here is still from Sand Hill Road. It''s good news for us, but it''s also good news for Los Angeles technology. Tell us about the new fund? Mark Suster: It''s a $200M fund.

Funding 196

Funding Venture Capital Los Angeles Social Media 196

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 18, 2022

The alternative protein space is hot, hot, hot as evidenced by both the number of companies developing products and the venture capital going into the space. Investment into alternative proteins, for example, plant-based meats and dairy substitutes was $5 billion in 2021, according to both the Good Food Institute and Crunchbase data.

Software Review 187

Software Review Metrics Startup Technical Review 187

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2011

I took the opportunity this past week to publish summary notes of some of the VCs and entrepreneurs I had interviewed on This Week in VC. One of my goals in doing the show was not only to educate entrepreneurs but also to put a human face on many of the VCs in our industry as VCs can be hard to get to know. Thank you. (if

Capital 265

Capital Venture Capital Veoh Startup 265

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2016

All this holiday season, we have been sharing the reflections on 2016 from the movers and shakers in Southern California's technology ecosystem. Despite the Q1 correction in valuation, and subsequent drop in VC funding, we saw numerous LA companies not only survive, but thrive - despite the macroeconomic trends. Rob Freelen: Focus.

Santa Monica 124

Santa Monica Southern California Venture Capital SoCalTech 124

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 9, 2014

I only say that because after years as a VC I can always tell when my peer group invested in something because “it seemed like it would make money” versus when they invested out of passion. On reflection of the role that I want to play as a VC it is clearly in the camp of passion. I’m a VC.

Venture Capital 373

Venture Capital Startup Course Entrepreneur 373

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. These data points provide yet more evidence that SoCal has become one of the most profound technology ecosystems in the United States.

Southern California 133

Southern California SoCal Culver City Venture Capital 133

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Since its 2017 inception, SpotOn has been focused on providing software and payments technology to SMBs with an emphasis on restaurants and retail businesses. SpotOn will now have over 500 employees on its product and technology team, according to co-founder and co-CEO Zach Hyman.

Technical Review 296

Technical Review Software Review Invest Acquisition 296

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 12, 2013

It’s why I talk about building VC relationships early – Lines, Not Dots. Fill your VC good will, build relationships, be helpful to them not just asking for things. Some practical examples. Early in his days when he was raising capital for DocStoc he came to see me a lot. Be helpful. I wrote about there here.

Venture Capital 407

Venture Capital Press GRP Partners Blogging 407

socalTECH

JUNE 26, 2013

A new, startup incubator-created by the Art Center College of Design and the California Insitute of Technology --said this morning that it has launched a brand new, design-focused incubator, housed at Idealab. Breitenberg is special assistant to the president of Art Center College of Design. READ MORE>>.

Incubator 178

Incubator Idealab Design CalTech 178

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Draw Your Ideas - A VC : Venture Capital and Technology , May 16, 2010 I saw Jack Dorsey give this talk at The 99% Conference last month. When I’m on a VC panel, I’m always amused by the answers from my co-panelists as they are usually the same set of “VC cliches” which makes it even more fun when I blurt out my answer.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

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. Funding is different – In Silicon Valley you have mega venture capital funds and many of them. You don’t.

Company 290

Company Companies Technology Startup 290

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 8, 2019

Responding to Elizabeth Warren’s call to regulate and break up some of the nation’s largest technology companies, the venture capitalists that invest in technology companies are advising the presidential hopeful to move slowly and not break anything. This too shall pass.” ” . ”

Technical Review 144

Technical Review Startup Chief Technology Officer Social Media 144

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

According to a recent Forbes article , UC Santa Barbara''s Technology Management Program offers students a superior startup education over the University of Pennsylvania (home of Wharton), as well Harvard, Northwestern and even its acclaimed southern neighbor, the University of Southern California. The TMP is an example of lean academia.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

socalTECH

APRIL 3, 2019

For all the hype around the blockchain  the computer algorithms behind the popular Bitcoin cryptocurrency  there are some real, solid promise behind the technology. I believe that gaming is one of the first touchpoints for consumers who are using new technology. For example, there was no concept of that before blockchain.

Examples 157

Examples Startup Platform Venture Capital 157

Xconomy

JULY 21, 2016

Zingle, a Carlsbad, CA-based tech startup targeting the service industry and consumer-facing businesses with its messaging app technology, has raised $3 million in venture capital, according to a regulatory filing earlier this month. or forward the query to an appropriate hotel staffer to respond. .

Technology 40

Technology Santa Barbara Venture Capital Venice 40

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2015

Even if you work every day in the world of new-venture funding, as I do, the options are confusing, and their meanings seem to change on a regular basis. I challenge any entrepreneur, for example, to define the difference between "seed-stage" and "early-stage" financing. A micro venture capital firm.

Funding 104

Funding Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2022

There are no “overrides” – for example, businesses don’t thrive just because they offer the latest technology, or because everyone wants to be “green,” or because their goal is to reduce world hunger. The most common failures are solutions looking for a problem, lack of a defined market, or an inadequate revenue model.

Sales 102

Sales Custom Customer Outsource 102

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Sometimes that’s venture capital generally (like last year’s conversation with Reid Hoffman ) and sometimes it’s in a space where I’ve invested (like mobility and city innovation with Bird’s Travis VanderZanden , one of our portfolio founders.)

Content 244

Content Netflix Platform Mobile 244

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2023

For example, professional investors put great priority on your previous experience in building a business, and they expect to own a portion of the business equity and control for the funds they do provide. An example would be negotiating free office space by agreeing to support the computer systems for all the other office tenants.

Startup 106

Startup Capital Equity Funding 106

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

For example, Bill Gates founded and grew Microsoft, and Michael Dell built a great technology company, both with no outside funding until they went successful enough to go public years later and sell shares to common stockholders. Investors will become the toughest boss you ever had.

Funding 107

Funding Startup Satisfaction Venture Capital 107

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 1, 2010

There has been much discussion about VCs doing seed funding in the past year. I’ve written about it myself (Is VC Seed Funding Dead?) and (Is There Really a Signaling Problem with VC Seed Funding?). There is a structural reason that VCs are investing at early stages, 2. Short summary of my posts: 1.

Seed Funding 298

Seed Funding Funding Venture Capital GRP Partners 298

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2011

This thinking is largely driven by the venture capital industry (and subsequently Wall Street) who are in search of high margin, highly scalable businesses. It’s nearly impossible to get a services company financed by VCs. Why Shouldn’t Most Services Businesses Raise VC? This team is talented.

Services 332

Services Venture Capital IP Startup 332

Tech.Co

JUNE 28, 2021

Facebook, for example, decided in 2008 that its mission was to “help you connect and share with the people in your life.” “A direct result of the fact technology is constantly evolving, the onus is on startups to be more specific in their aims and ambitions.” ” Sharper Startup Focuses Warrant Investment.

Startup 104

Startup Ideas Venture Capital Course 104

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2010

We asked the same five questions of a variety of top technology entrepreneurs, investors, and others, to hear what they're thinking about, and are sharing it here over the next two weeks. Earlier today, we talked with Greg Martin at Archer Venture Capital. I'll list three, not necessarily in order. (1) 1) Mobile web.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Southern California Cloud Computing Venture Capital 160