Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

Many first-time entrepreneurs find themselves unable to bootstrap their startups, and also unable to find early funding at the venture capital level or even with angel investors. These are the only people likely to believe in newbies, with only minimal product evidence or business experience. This shows respect and professionalism.

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socalTECH

NOVEMBER 1, 2017

La Jolla-based molecular dermatology startup DermTech announced today that it has raised $10M in its Series C funding round, part of an ongoing $15M financing effort by the company. The company said the new funding will to expand its sales force and bring new skin cancer products to the market. READ MORE>>.

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TechCrunch LA

MAY 3, 2022

She worked on Wall Street as an investment banker for a few years in New York before returning to Houston with a job in energy. The other side of the business is a new monthly subscription service for stylists that helps them market their handcrafted wigs, beauty and other digital products and services. That was via Upgrade.

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Tool Custom Customer Marketing 179

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Los Angeles-based private equity investor Diversis Capital Management said this morning that it has raised a new, $675M fund. The company said its new fund, Diversis Capital Partners II, exceeded its target of $500M. The new fund is led by Managing Partners Ron Nayot and Kevin Ma.

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Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2020

Harry was gracious enough to invite me back so this past week we recorded an episode discussing the current market environment. Nobody will be immune because in a bull market executives are paid to “innovate” so they sign software contracts and run projects. If you’re a clear “market winner” like Stripe, Robinhood or Airbnb.

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Venture Capital Marketing Startup Writing 263

socalTECH

APRIL 8, 2019

Los Angeles-based SHO Products , which is a manufacturer and distributor of products for the growing cannabis (legal marijuana) market, said today that it has raised $3.6M in a Series A funding round. According to the company, it will use the funding for marketing and distribution, among other efforts.

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Berkonomics

OCTOBER 5, 2023

Since this number is budgeted and pre-authorized, managers tend to focus upon other things such as sales, marketing and product development issues. There is an art to efficient management of a process, whether that is the process of bringing a product to market from R&D to production or developing a new product’s launch program.

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Venture Capital Product Marketing Resource 296

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2020

The name “investment bank” somehow always sounded like a place where I could deposit my investments, and maybe even earn a little interest. Then I learned that these banks really negotiate investments and collect fees on the transactions, sort of like commercial banks do with loans to businesses. Very confusing.

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TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 13, 2020

Riot Ventures , the Los Angeles-based, early-stage and deep technology investment firm is going out to market to raise a $75 million second fund to finance the development of startups in LA and beyond, according to fundraising documents viewed by TechCrunch. Marcus has a long background in angel investing and company creation.

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socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

Los Angeles-based Perch Mobility, a startup that is developing portable charging "pods" aimed at helping professional chargers and scooter operators to bulk-charge scooters and e-bikes, says it has scored seed funding for its efforts. The company said the funding came from Lorentzen Investments.

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TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 12, 2022

providing freshly packaged salads, heat-and-eat prepared meals and vegan overnight oats, raised $7 million in funding as it goes after the $34 billion fresh prepared foods market. Positive Food’s vertical integration technology is mainly done in-house, including production and a cold-chain logistics network. Positive Food Co.,

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TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 25, 2022

Now it’s picking up some funding along with an endorsement Europe to further its growth. The startup has received €50 million (just under $57 million at today’s rates) from the European Investment Bank, the funding arm of the European Union. The funding from the EIB ticks a couple of different boxes for the EU.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2023

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

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Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

With the enormous changes to our economies and financial markets?—?how how on Earth could the venture capital market stand still? One of the most common questions I’m asked by people intrigued by but also scared by venture capital and technology markets is some variant of, “Aren’t technology markets way overvalued?

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Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

socalTECH

JUNE 3, 2021

El Segundo-based human capital and policy management software developer NEOGOV, which is led by Shane Evangelist, has scored a round of funding from private equity giants The Carlyle Group and Warburg Pincus. The size of the investment--described as "significant"--was not announced. Warburg Pincus had an existing stake in NEOGOV.

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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. If you need funding for these early stage activities, I have some suggestions on better strategies to follow. Commercial product prototypes. Product verification and clinical trials.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2023

Entrepreneurs looking for investor funding often fail to realize that all money comes with strings. For example, if you have watched the Shark Tank TV series, you probably noticed that the Sharks always ask the entrepreneurs for their intended “use of funds.” Funding for founder salaries at this stage is a red flag.

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Tips Funding Startup Invest 91

TechCrunch LA

JULY 29, 2020

After raising $15 million in financing from one of technology’s most successful global investment firms, the Los Angeles-based consumer goods rental company Joymode is selling itself to an early-stage retail investment firm out of New York, XRC Labs. “From day one, my belief was Joymode was going to be huge or dead. .

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2023

The name “investment bank” somehow always sounded like a place where I could deposit my investments, and maybe even earn a little interest. Then I learned that these banks really negotiate investments and collect fees on the transactions, sort of like commercial banks do with loans to businesses. Very confusing.

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Funding Startup Invest Venture Capital 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 24, 2020

As a frequent advisor to new entrepreneurs and startups, I often hear your frustration with being treated differently from other startups by investors, on expectations for valuation , traction, and market size. On the other hand, if the market is super-hot, many will be willing to jump in to make your case.

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Marketing Startup Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 174

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a long time ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content. Seed viral activity.

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Marketing Invest SEM Startup 107

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Great marketing is required to generate revenue and grow every business, especially new businesses which have no brand recognition nor loyal customer base. I also look for a commensurate portion of the plan describing the specific innovative marketing deliverables, beyond the traditional marketing items.

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Marketing Custom Customer Outsource Development 133

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 14, 2018

Orange, California-based ListReports , a startup developing real estate marketing products for realtors and mortgage loan officers, has raised $555,000 in a debt funding round, from lender Lighter Capital. Terms of the debt funding were not announced.

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socalTECH

MAY 2, 2019

Aliso Viejo-based PhoenixET , a developer of Internet-of-Things (IoT) products for the smart building market, has raised a round of funding in what it says is a growth capital funding. The size of the investment round was not announced by the company.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2020

Contrary to popular opinion, viral marketing has not eliminated the need for old-fashioned lead generation to bring customers to a startup. His professional background includes having held marketing-executive roles at big companies as well as startups. Email marketing. Direct mail marketing. One of these experts, David T.

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Custom Customer Marketing Startup 146

socalTECH

JUNE 8, 2018

Aliso Viejo-based Tagnos , a developer of clinical logistics automation software for the hospital and clinic market, announced on Thursday that it has received a funding from Cisco Investments. Size of the investment was not announced. Tagnos said the funding came through the the Cisco Webex Innovation Fund.

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Funding Invest Software Marketing 124

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 21, 2019

San Diego-based private equity investor JMI Equity is the lead investor in Lytics , a developer of marketing personalization software, in a $35M, Series C investment announced by Lytics on Thursday. The company said the funding will go towards strategic growth initiatives in the product development and "customer success" areas.

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Equity Invest San Diego Custom 113

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

The most important advice I could give you before you set out in fund raising mode is to understand that fund-raising a sales & marketing process and needs to be managed. If you don’t believe in your bones that you’re amazing then it’s no wonder you don’t want to sell them on making the investment.”

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Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I started in 2007 with a thesis that my primary investment decision would be about the team (70%) and only afterward about the market opportunity (30%). But they are also a tax on your time with portfolio companies, looking for new investments, running your shop and honestly they are a tax on your family life. Weekends.

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Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

socalTECH

JUNE 22, 2016

Aliso Viejo-based semiconductor developer Microsemi has made an investment in San Juan Capistrano-based Veracity , a developer of industrial, network security software, as part of a collaboration in the Internet-of-Things (IoT) market. Financial details of the investment were not announced. in a funding. READ MORE>>.

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Invest Networking Funding Software 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Irvine-based NGD Systems , a company developing "computational storage" devices which can run AI, machine learning, and analytics functions within data storage devices, has raised $20M in a Series C funding, the company said this morning. The funding was led by MIG Capital, and also included Western Digital Capital Global, Ltd.

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Artificial Inteligence Funding Capital Sales 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 1, 2019

in its Series A funding round, the company said this morning. According to the company, the financing was led by iSelect Fund, and also included Agilent Technologies, Alexandria Venture Investments, and Keshif Ventures, all existing investors in the company.

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socalTECH

JANUARY 22, 2019

This morning's interview is with Kevin O'Connor , a longtime investor and serial entrepreneur, who is now running venture capital investment firm ScOp Venture Capital. Just this past September was a year with Amazon, when I left, and we started investing in September under the new name, ScOp Venture Capital.

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Venture Capital Startup Invest Capital 145

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2017

I pointed out that the storage market in the US alone is ~$30 billion / year and there is no dominant provider — the largest player has < 10% market share. Amazon took a consumer value proposition (buying books, then all retail products) and made the consumer experience significantly better, faster & cheaper.

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TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Last year at this time, SpotOn was on the brink of announcing a $60 million Series C funding round at a $625 million valuation. Advisors Douglas Merritt, CEO of Splunk, and Mike Scarpelli, CFO of Snowflake, also made individual investments as angels. With the new capital, SpotOn has raised $628 million since its inception.

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Technical Review Software Review Invest Acquisition 296

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2021

Like any enterprise sale, you want to think from the perspective of the buyer and what they need to feel confident about the decision to buy a stake or ownership in your fund. Research everyone who has raised a comparably-sized fund and find out who backed them?—?that’s that’s your target market. Why buy me? Why buy now?

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2022

New entrepreneurs are always looking for a shortcut in getting their venture story and plan across to investors, and closing on the funding they need. As a former angel investor, I look for this level of alignment and understanding in every funding presentation I hear. It forces you to bridge the gap between idea and execution.

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