socalTECH

DECEMBER 26, 2012

For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community. Today, we're featuring Erik Rannala , founder of MuckerLab , the startup accelerator focused on incubation stage Internet, software, services, and media businesses here in LA.

Southern California 259

Southern California High Tech Activity Platform 259

socalTECH

MAY 12, 2016

Ventura-based outdoor apparel company Patagonia has partnered with a startup developing a high performance, synthetic silk fabric, made out of natural proteins. The investment round came from Nan Fung, Innovation Endeavors, Alafi Capital, East West Capital, Foundation Capital and Founders Fund. READ MORE>>.

High Tech 100

High Tech East West Capital Ventura Startup 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 29, 2018

Los Angeles-based Bonfire Ventures said this morning that it has officially launched with its first fund, a new $60M fund aimed at early stage startups. READ MORE>>.

Venture Capital 157

Venture Capital Southern California Funding Capital 157

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2014

San Diego-based Global Village Concerns , which provides an online service which helps school with their branding and marketing--via online e-commerce shops with branded merchandise and gear--has raised ar round of debt funding. Size of the funding was not announced. Details on the terms of the debt were not announced. READ MORE>>.

Commerce 147

Commerce Platform Funding High Tech 147

socalTECH

JANUARY 27, 2010

On Thursday, the City of Ventura is formally launching a new incubator, the Ventura Ventures Technology Center (www.v2tc.com), targeted at high tech businesses. The incubator so far includes startups Lottay , Geodelic , and a number of other Internet and other technology firms. What led the City of Ventura to start an incubator?

Ventura 200

Ventura Incubator Technology Startup 200

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2014

I recently returned from a 5-day visit to Ireland, my first time back in 10 years and the start of what I hope will be a more regular travel schedule there. Suddenly it was a hot ticket and many people started lobbying to get on the next year’s agenda. I thought by now he would have given up on me as a flake.

Conference 392

Conference Startup Web Truecar 392

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

Wellington Financial , a provider of venture debt and growth capital to high tech startups and other companies, said yesterday that it has closed on a $177.5M, fourth fund. The fund, Wellington Financial Fund IV, came from Canadian institutional investors, pension plans and family offices.

Funding 133

Funding Santa Monica High Tech Venture Capital 133

socalTECH

OCTOBER 30, 2013

For our Insights and Opinions section today--where we feature the thoughts and opinions of the local high tech community--we have an article from Jeff Grabow , of Ernst & Young, talking about the changing world of venture capital : The VC environment isn''t what it used to be. Guess what? That''s not a bad thing. Continued.).

Venture Capital 159

Venture Capital Capital High Tech Southern California 159

socalTECH

MARCH 13, 2013

Aliso Viejo-based Arkami, one of the startups in OCTANE's Launchpad Accelerator, has just zoomed past $360,000 in funding commitments on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, according to the firm's myIDkey project page.

CTO Coach 180

CTO Coach OCTANE High Tech Mission Ventures 180

socalTECH

APRIL 24, 2018

A new, $20M venture capital fund, TAU Ventures , based out of Tel Aviv, Israel, and Tel Aviv University (TAU), says it is specifically looking to link with the Los Angeles technology community--thanks to its link with Los Angeles investor Behzad Kianmahd--co-founder of Cross Campus. READ MORE>>.

Funding 113

Funding Seed Funding Startup High Tech 113

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2012

For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community. The biggest impact on the LA tech scene in 2012 is the arrival of the accelerators and coworking spaces, which have helped drive LA's tech scene like never before.

Dollar Shave Club 272

Dollar Shave Club Technical Review Santa Monica Southern California 272

socalTECH

DECEMBER 28, 2012

For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community. Paul Bricault is Managing Partner at Amplify LA (Www.amplify.la), a hands-on startup accelerator and co-working and community space in Venice. READ MORE>>.

Southern California 215

Southern California Technical Review High Tech Venice 215

SoCal Tech Calendar

AUGUST 14, 2012

Monday, August 20, 2012 -- Raise $1 Million for your Startup. His dad, Tim, is a venture capitalist and so is his grandfather, William who is credited for starting the venture capital industry in tech. They've funded some of the biggest names in High Tech over the last 50 years. It's in his blood.

Startup 113

Startup Venture Capital Draper High Tech 113

socalTECH

JANUARY 30, 2013

Rad and Mateen are both high tech veterans, with Rad having previously founded Twitter advertising startup Ad.ly; Mateen was most recently founder of CoverCanvas. went on to raise venture funds from Greycroft Partners, GRP Partners, and Matt Coffin. READ MORE>>.

GRP Partners 224

GRP Partners High Tech Advertising Mobile 224

socalTECH

AUGUST 14, 2013

The coworking trend--which started in part in Southern California and its high tech startup ecosystem--looks to be spreading East, with news this week that NextSpace has raised $500,000 and acquired a Chicago company, to establish its first coworking site outside of California.

Acquisition 159

Acquisition Southern California High Tech Venice 159

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2013

I have long advised startup companies that if you don’t control your messaging somebody else will and your potential customers will form impressions of you shaped by somebody else or by nobody at all. My starting salary was $27,000. But they weren’t good enough for our problems – we were the tech rescuers.

Technical Advisors 385

Technical Advisors Marketing Startup Venture Capital 385

socalTECH

JUNE 6, 2011

Although Los Angeles has become a hub for the high tech startup world, Surprisingly, one of the things which hasn't happened in the Los Angeles area is any huge, successful venture acceleration programs. Dan Dato: The quickest way to describe it is it's a Techstars-like, YCombinator-like startup accelerator.

Startup 221

Startup Mentor Southern California Incubator 221

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

In a long tradition of local companies tying the business of ticketing for various events into the online world, a new startup, LaughStub has quietly been establishing its place providing tickets for comedy clubs locally and nationwide. No details on the angel funding for LaughStub have been announced. READ MORE>>.

West Hollywood 199

West Hollywood Tech Coast Angels Angel Ticketmaster 199

socalTECH

MARCH 4, 2013

Technology veterans Tareq Risheq and Mark Thacker are no strangers to the world of high tech startups and angel and venture capital--Risheq was formerly CEO of Celllynx, Thacker was co-founder at Datallegro--but the way they're funding their newest startup is unusual, and a testament to the growing popularity of crowdfunding.

Orange County 196

Orange County OCTANE High Tech Venture Capital 196

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2010

My original thinking from Oct ’09 was, while I didn’t (and still don’t) have a crystal ball I worried that: consumers were over-stretched with debt (and make up 77% of the economy), unemployment would continue to rise, which in turn would drive the stock market south and cut the rate of M&A activity and VC investment even further.

Entrepreneur 298

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 298

socalTECH

JUNE 8, 2015

Santa Monica-based TaskUs , the startup led by Bryce Maddock which is the secret weapon behind the rising tide of on-demand and Internet startups, has raised $15M in a funding round, the company disclosed today. The funding came from Phillipnes-based private equity investor Navegar.

Funding 100

Funding Outsource Santa Monica High Tech 100

socalTECH

MAY 24, 2011

Southern California--and particularly, Los Angeles--has always been a center of the music business, which makes it unsurprising that there are many, music-focused startups which end up starting here. I then was recruited into a Silicon Valley startup, backed by Kleiner Perkins. It's just grown on its own.

Social Media 241

Social Media Startup Sites Advertising 241

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

Los Angeles area startups and would-be entrepreneurs were gathered Thursday as a part of the annual Twiistup technology conference, being held at the Skirball Center. The startup event--which continues until tonight--included keynotes by David Cohen of TechStars, Suneel Gupta of Groupon, Loic Le Meur of Seesmic, and many others.

Twiistup 171

Twiistup Rustic Canyon Search Engine Optimization Startup 171

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2010

Despite a perpetual belief that the presence of both high tech companies and Hollywood should be spawning out hundreds of entertainment and technology related startups, it actually happens much less than one might think. Did we miss your favorite tech company which wouldn't exist without Hollywood?

Hollywood 187

Hollywood Technology Companies Company 187

socalTECH

JULY 21, 2010

On the heels of the announcement this morning by Facebook that it has officially hit 500 million users, socalTECH has mined its database of high tech companies , and identified a few of the firms here in Southern California hoping to ride Facebook's coat-tails to success and fortune. Headed by Ian Swanson. Let us know!

Westlake Village 178

Westlake Village Steamboat Ventures Southern California SoCalTech 178

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. The sales professional.

Technical Advisors 123

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 123

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Looking to provide a high-tech twist on retail loyalty punchcards, Pasadena-based Punchcard --the latest startup out of Idealab--has debuted a set of mobile apps which allow retailers to virtually "punch" customer loyalty cards on Android and iPhone. Financial details of the seed funding in Punchcard have not been announced.

Mobile 157

Mobile Idealab Seed Funding High Tech 157

socalTECH

OCTOBER 24, 2011

One of the biggest complaints you hear from both entrepreneurs and investors in Los Angeles, is the lack of a credible, visible startup accelerator in the Los Angeles area. We caught up with Erik to hear more about MuckerLab, and its efforts to grow the Los Angeles technology ecosystem. Erik, thanks for the time.

Technical Advisors 176

Technical Advisors Startup Southern California Los Angeles 176

socalTECH

JANUARY 5, 2021

Every year, we feature the year end reflections of founders, CEOs, investors, sposors, and others in Southern California's high tech community. What are you most looking forward to in the technology/startup world in 2021? We've been posting these throughout the next two weeks.

Southern California 202

Southern California SoCal Technical Review Startup 202

socalTECH

MARCH 5, 2013

Los Angeles-based Cheers , the new startup from Bizrate founder Farhad Mohit, disclosed Tuesday afternoon that it has raised $2.5M The funding came from MindFund, Charles River Ventures, Trinity Ventures, Naval Ravikant, as well as others. p>Is the world short in happiness and joy--and how can a mobile app change that?

Southern California 159

Southern California High Tech Social Media Mobile 159

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 6, 2013

A new lawsuit, targeting Venice, California-based Snapchat --the hottest company to emerge out of the area''s high tech startup cluster in recent years--says that the company''s founders stole the idea for the company from him after forcing him out of the company early on in its history. READ MORE>>.

Snapchat 170

Snapchat Social Network High Tech Venice 170

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 1, 2013

From the conversation gathered around the pool from the movers and shakers of the industry, it seems that--despite the buzz, energy, and activity in the region around startups, there's still some wariness by investors that the industry not over-hype and over-promote what's happening in the area.

Ventura 182

Ventura Santa Monica Idealab Los Angeles 182

socalTECH

AUGUST 21, 2012

OCTANe , the Orange County-based organization helping to bolster the high tech industry and entrepreneurs, reported this morning that in the first half of 2012, companies participating in its startup accelerator have raised a total of $26.8M in funding.

OCTANE 150

OCTANE Orange County High Tech Mentor 150

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Philz Coffee , the Silicon Valley coffee chain which has been in a massive expansion in Southern California in the last few months, announced on Tuesday a $45M Series C funding round. As part of the funding, Jim COulter and Sanjay Banker, both of TPG, join the company's board. READ MORE>>.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Funding Glendale Southern California 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2013

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. Need expensive resources up front. General startup expenses are beyond your means. You need specialized equipment.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Equity 100

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2012

For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community. The most significant news for GRP Partners in 2012 was the first close of our 4th venture fund. Without this support we would have struggled. READ MORE>>.

GRP Partners 178

GRP Partners Southern California High Tech Venture Capital 178

SoCal Tech Calendar

MARCH 18, 2010

Where High Tech Meets High Surf! An Evening To Meet Start-Up Entrepreneurs and the Organizations That Back Them. Where are the next generation of high-tech companies getting their start? Wednesday, March 24, 2010 -- ACG 101 Networking Event. See [link] (more).

ACG 100

ACG Networking High Tech Ventura 100