socalTECH

FEBRUARY 2, 2022

Irvine-based Kajabi, which develops online tools that helps entrepreneurs and creators with marketing and selling their products and services, says it has tapped Sean Kim, the former Head of Product at TikTok as its new President and Chief Product Officer.

Product 100

Product Tool Equity Entrepreneur 100

TechEmpower

JULY 24, 2023

At TechEmpower, we frequently talk to startup founders, CEOs, product leaders, and other innovators about their next big tech initiative. Background Questions Let’s start with some background questions about the business and product. How are you funding this? What level of funding do you currently have? Wireframes?

Develop 520

Develop Development Technical Review SEO 520

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 26, 2022

Food Rocket has taken an unconventional route, striking a funding deal with Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. At the time, the company raised $2 million, and Alexandrov said about the perceived competition, “The level of competition in this market in the U.S. Are rivals snacking on Instacart’s core grocery delivery market?

Funding 246

Funding Demand Los Angeles Competition 246

SoCal CTO

APRIL 2, 2012

Hiring seems to be the preferred use of seed funds (by investors and founders), whereas I'd prefer a focus on customer acquisition. The problem is you don't yet have product/market fit, and until you do, you don't really know what to build. These companies are very early-stage and definitely have not shown product/market fit.

CTO Hire 205

CTO Hire Outsource Development CTO Coach Develop 205

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.

Product 112

Product Summary Activity Entrepreneur 112

socalTECH

JUNE 27, 2016

Marina Del Rey-based, online healthy foods grover Thrive Market has raised $111M in a new, venture funding round, the company disclosed this morning. The new funding was led by Invus Group, and also included Greycroft Partners, E-Ventures and Crosscut Ventures. READ MORE>>.

Marina Del Rey 113

Marina Del Rey Marketing Funding Sites 113

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.

Venture Capital 263

Venture Capital Marketing Startup Writing 263

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

For example, if you have a proven product, real revenue, a big potential market, and are ready to scale up the business, every investor will be interested. Thus your startup maturity and growth stage is the primary key to success with potential funding sources. My invention and prototype works, but I need funding to continue.”

Funding 125

Funding Startup Ideas Equity 125

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.

Resource 102

Resource Ideas Funding Research 102

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.

Product 113

Product Southern California Venture Capital Equity 113

socalTECH

MARCH 26, 2021

says it is taking aim at the hydrogen separation market, with the developments of its own advanced polymer membrane technology. The self-funded company is led by President Mike Rocke. A new, Camarillo-based startup, H24US Corp.,

Marketing 113

Marketing Funding Technology Startup 113

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.

Marketing 174

Marketing Startup Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 174

TechCrunch LA

MAY 3, 2022

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. All of this is courtesy of a new $1 million seed extension from initial seed leads The Artemis Fund and Mercury Fund, with Bracken P.

Tool 179

Tool Customer Custom Marketing 179

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

For the rest of us, we need a business plan, as well as a product plan. Some of you may be convinced that your product specification communicates the product message even better than a business plan, so why be redundant? Quantify the market opportunity in business terms. You need both to survive.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

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.

Capital 113

Capital Funding Outsource Development Equity 113

socalTECH

OCTOBER 8, 2021

in a debt funding round, which came from Goldman Sachs and Atalaya Capital Management. The two, who provide "buy now pay later" financial products, said the funding will help it with expansion in the the U.S. payments market. San Diego-based Opy USA and its parent company, Openpay Group Ltd.,

Funding 113

Funding San Diego Education Capital 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2021

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.

Marketing 139

Marketing Startup SEM Blogging 139

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.

Marketing 133

Marketing Customer Custom Outsource Development 133

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>>.

Funding 199

Funding Sales Invest Startup 199

socalTECH

JULY 22, 2021

Carsten Breitfeld--follows a number of other companies in the electric vehicle space in Southern California who have taken the SPAC route to market, even as it has yet to start shipping its first vehile, the FF 91.

Marketing 113

Marketing Southern California Acquisition Resource 113

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. Size of the funding was not announced.

Mobile 133

Mobile Funding Networking Seed Funding 133

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

How might our next phase of the journey seem brighter, even with more uncertain days for startups and capital markets? And then in the late 90’s money crept in, swept in to town by public markets, instant wealth and an absurd sky-rocketing of valuations based on no reasonable metrics. What happened? People were building.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2023

I second his list of top innovation challenges and strategies to capitalize on untapped global startup opportunities: Create new markets rather than disrupt existing ones. In other parts of the world, innovators often need to develop both the ultimate product or service, as well as the enabling infrastructure that underpins it.

Capital 138

Capital Marketing Ideas Venture Capital 138

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2023

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.

Marketing 114

Marketing Invest Social Media SEM 114

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.

Startup 109

Startup Funding Equity Invest 109

socalTECH

JULY 7, 2020

San Diego-based MemComputing , a developer of high performance computing technology, has raised a round of funding, the company said on Tuesday, from two investors. According to MemComputing, the funding came from Revolution's Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, along with IT-Farm. READ MORE>>.

Funding 113

Funding Seed Funding San Diego Sales 113

socalTECH

DECEMBER 9, 2021

Los Angeles-based startup, Nanotech Energy, is pitching customized, non-flammable Lithium-ion battery packs, saying it plans to deliver its products by Q4 of 2022. The company has yet to deliver any products to market, but says it is now taking pre-orders for the yet-to-be-developed products.

Marketing 124

Marketing Los Angeles Product Customer 124

socalTECH

JULY 31, 2015

Los Angeles-based Thrive Market , which operates an online, membership-only health food service, has raised $30M in a funding round, the company said this week. The funding was led by Greycroft Partners, and also included Scripps network, Powerplant Ventures, and angels. READ MORE>>.

Marketing 100

Marketing Product Commerce Los Angeles 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 12, 2021

Los Angeles-based fintech startup Vesica Technologies, a developer of a product which provides information on financial markets, including daily market movements, volatility, and major trades, has raised $2.1M in a seed funding. The funding came from Mercury Digital Assets and Miami International Holdings, Inc.

Seed Funding 113

Seed Funding Tool Funding Los Angeles 113

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.

Venture Capital 296

Venture Capital Product Marketing Resource 296

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.

Tips 91

Tips Funding Startup Invest 91

socalTECH

MAY 6, 2020

Los Angeles-based BURST Oral Care , a manufacturer of electric toothbrushes, has raised a Series C funding round. Size of the funding was not announced. BURST Oral Care said the new funding was led by Goldman Sachs Growth Equity (GS Growth), and comes on top of an earlier $20M in funding from Volition Capital and angels.

Funding 113

Funding Equity Los Angeles Capital 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2021

If you are a passionate technologist , it’s easy to forget that marketing is required to sell even the most compelling solution, to cut through the information overload everyone sees today on the internet. If marketing is not your thing, then you need to find a partner or outside expert to help you.

Technical Advisors 154

Technical Advisors Tips Marketing Case Study 154

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 19, 2021

Thus when an investor declines your funding request, you need to curb your anger and understand the real reason for this outcome. In my experience, here are the most common issues that cause funding requests for potentially viable businesses to be rejected, in priority order: Inadequate business plan. More rules of thumb.

Funding 171

Funding Startup IBM IBM 171

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.

El Segundo 113

El Segundo Funding Equity Education 113

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 17, 2014

San Diego-based Soci , a developer of a social content discovery engine and social media marketing software product, has raised $1.5M in a Series A funding. Soci, led by Afif Khoury, develops a social content discovery and marketing engine. soci social media marketing venture capital content discovery' READ MORE>>.

Social Media 193

Social Media Media Marketing San Diego 193

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

But LA-based performance marketing agency MuteSix didn’t wait that long to build its business around scaling DTC brands. If you have growth marketing agencies or freelancers to recommend, please fill out our survey !). Why do you think that performance marketing is the right fit for DTC?

Commerce 211

Commerce Content Marketing Startup 211