Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2020

Several years ago I made an appearance in a burgeoning new podcast called “20 Minute VC,” which by now needs no introduction. Do I Believe VCs Are Really Open for Business? Seed deals, for example, are easier to get funded than a late-stage deal for obvious reasons. It may take much longer to close deals than you’d like.

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socalTECH

OCTOBER 30, 2020

Los Angeles-based SUMA Wealth , a startup which operates an online platform designed to help U.S.-born, born, Millennial Latinos with financial literacy, has raised a round of funding, the company announced this week. According to the company, it received a pre-seed funding round from a number of female investors.

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Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

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? How our VC Firms Like Ours Organizing to Meet the Challenges?

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Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

TechCrunch LA

JULY 14, 2021

The startup’s ambitions aren’t cheap, FlyMachine tells TechCrunch it has raised $21 million in investor funding to bankroll its plans. The funding has been led by Greycroft Partners and SignalFire, with additional participation from Primary Venture Partners, Contour Venture Partners, Red Sea Ventures, and Silicon Valley Bank.

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Platform Los Angeles Startup Venture Capital 310

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2017

I am so proud and humbled to be able to formally announce that Upfront Ventures has raised its 6th venture capital fund in the past 21 years. Upfront VI is our latest core fund and is $400 million to invest in early stage entrepreneurs. This brings our combined funds under management to nearly $2 billion.

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Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 15, 2010

I was on This Week in Venture Capital (TWiVC) again this week with Jason Calacanis. Especially when he’s surrounded by Danny Rimer (who funded Skype, MySQL, Last.FM I talked about the platform moves of Twitter and why it should be expected. PLUS RELATED FUNDING …. It’s core platform stuff.

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Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 11, 2020

Yeah, Valence announced > $5 million in funding led by GGV and Upfront. It is a company with a mission to create better access and more funding for Black entrepreneurs and executives. My greatest criticism of our industry is that women and people of color feel the need to leave larger VCs to create their own firms.

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Funding Venture Capital Entrepreneur Networking 314

socalTECH

MAY 26, 2020

La Jolla-based Platform Science , a developer of fleet management software and technology, has raised $42M in a Series B funding, the company disclosed recently. The funding was led by Prologis, and also include Daimler Trucks AG, 8VC, NewRoad Capital Partners, Schematic Ventures, and Cambridge Capital.

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socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2020

Venice, California-based Robin Games , a startup that is developing mobile games aimed at women, has raised $7M in a seed funding round, the company said on Thursday. The startup, led by Jill Wilson, says it is developing "lifestyle gaming" titles, which run on such platforms as Apple's iOS and Google Android.

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Both Sides of the Table

JULY 26, 2022

Photo by Scott Clark for Upfront Ventures (no, Evan is not standing on a box) Last year marked the 25th anniversary for Upfront Ventures and what a year it was. 2021 saw phenomenal returns for our industry and it topped off more than a decade of unprecedented VC growth. What do you do with a $650 million platform?

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Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2011

This is the final part of a 3-part series on the major changes in the structure of the software & the venture capital industries. The result was a massive increase in startups & a whole group of new funding sources: both angels & “micro VCs&#. But … Downsizing Venture Capital.

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socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2020

Venice, California-based Robin Games , a startup that is developing mobile lifestyle games aimed at women and others, has raised $7M in a seed funding round, the company said on Thursday. The startup, led by Jill Wilson, says it is developing "lifestyle gaming" titles, which run on such platforms as Apple's iOS and Google Android.

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Seed Funding Funding Venice Venture Capital 100

socalTECH

AUGUST 26, 2019

CrowdStrike , the cloud-based cybersecurity software developer which has substantial operations in Orange County, said today that it has launched a new, early stage investment fund called the Falcon Fund. The new fund will make seed and Series A investments, according to the company. Crowdstrike is led by George Kurtz.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2022

Even if you ignore all the hype around crowdfunding, there can be no doubt that it is a real alternative for entrepreneurs to achieve visibility and funding today. In Europe, other investors can buy equity, with platforms such as Seedrs. In the U.S., Other popular sites for startups, including StartupNation and Startups.co

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Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 28, 2010

This was the first episode where Jason wasn’t on the show, which gave me the chance to have another VC on the show to discuss deals. Rustic Canyon is an LA-based, but geography-agnostic VC that is currently investing from a $200 million fund. VC Financings: 1. I keep meaning to get him drunk to spill the stories.

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TechCrunch LA

MAY 23, 2019

The Los Angeles ecosystem is $76 million stronger today as Fika Ventures , a seed-stage venture capital firm, announces its sophomore investment fund. Fika invests roughly half of its capital exclusively in startups headquartered in LA, with a particular fondness for B2B, enterprise and fintech companies.

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socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Los Angeles-based peer-to-peer commercial real estate investment site AssetAvenue said Friday that it has raised $3M in a seed funding round. According to the company, the funding was led by Matrix Partners and NetEase, with other investors, including Vectr Ventures, Russ Meyer (Grandpoint Capital); Bam Ventures; and LaunchpadLA.

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socalTECH

MAY 29, 2013

Los Angeles-based social, celebrity advertising startup Adly confirmed the company''s recent $2M funding round today, officially announcing the funding from GRP Partners and Siemer Ventures. The firm disclosed the funding last week. adly venture capital funding social celebrity advertising'

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Funding GRP Partners Social Media Advertising 170

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2010

I just cover the companies that were funded that week. Also, some of the deals I write about I have actually seen as part of their fund raising process. Knewton – “Online adaptive test prep and virtual classroom platform&# - I love the innovation that is coming from the test prep industry. Others I have not.

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socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Santa Monica-based Forge Platform , which is developing software development kits used for Ethereum, has raised $1M in a seed funding, the company disclosed on Wednesday. The funding came from Manta Ray Ventures and Upfront Ventures. The company was founded by Chris Lorenz, Geoffrey Anderson, and James Borow.

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socalTECH

JUNE 7, 2010

Beverly Hills-based Platform G , the stealth mode startup headed by former MySpace CEO Chris DeWolfe, has closed a $22.0M, Series A funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm today. The round came from Austin Ventures. Platform G acquired San Francisco gaming firm MindJolt in March.

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socalTECH

MARCH 9, 2021

Los Angeles-based startup Mentorcam, which develops a video messaging platform, has raised $1.4M in a seed funding round, the company said on Tuesday. The funding was led by General Catalyst, and also included Studio VC, Kosinski Ventures, Realize Tech Fund and angels.

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socalTECH

DECEMBER 11, 2014

Santa Monica-based VideoAmp , which operates a programmatic video advertising platform, said this morning that it has raised $2.2M in a funding round, from Anthem Venture Partners, Simon Equity Partners, Third Wave Capital, Wavemaker Partners and ZenShin Capital. READ MORE>>.

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Advertising Platform Anthem Santa Monica 138

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 20, 2013

The new funding came from Subtraction Capital, FF Angel, 500 Startups, and other investors. Jackson--said the funding is an expansion on its Series A funding it announced in the first quarter of the year. That funding was worth $3M. The startup--which is led by PayPal veteran Erik M. READ MORE>>.

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socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Glendora-based eGood , a startup developing a social giving platform, said today that it has raised $3M in a seed funding round. The funding came from Wolfgang Buehler, and angel investor. According to eGood, it is using the funding to develop its mobile and in-store check-in platform. READ MORE>>.

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socalTECH

MAY 13, 2013

Los Angeles-based Greentoe.com , which operates an online marketplace which lets people name their own price for electronics and other items, has raised a round of angel funding, the firm said today. The funding came from Parker Thompson from 500 Startups/Dave McClure. Size of the funding was not announced. READ MORE>>.

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socalTECH

JUNE 8, 2021

San Diego-based Emerged, a new startup which provides qualified leads to healthcare organizations, says it has raised a seed round of funding. The funding came from Round One Capital. According to Emerged, Jay Love, the co-founder of Round One Capital, will join its board of directors.

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socalTECH

JANUARY 12, 2021

San Diego-based Genalyte, a developer of laboratory diagnostics and analytics products, announced on Monday that it has raised $50M in a funding round. The funding was led by Verily, an Alphabet company, and also included Provenio Capital, Redmile, Khosla Ventures, HBM Partners, Samsara and others.

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Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

And of course I’ve sat on the other side of the table: As a VC. I now observes the fund raising process as a profession. This is not just the perspective of a VC although I can’t say I have zero VC bias. This is not just the perspective of a VC although I can’t say I have zero VC bias.

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Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 1, 2009

In my previous post, The VC Ice Age is Thawing (for now) I wrote about the reasons why the VC market came to a screeching halt in September 2008 and remained largely shut until at least April 2009. There are now signs the VC market has gathered pace meaning it’s a great time to be fund raising.

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socalTECH

JUNE 8, 2018

Los Angeles-based venture capital investment firm Bonfire Ventures is the lead investor in a San Francisco-based enterprise drone startup, Kittyhawk , Kittyhawk announced this week. Bonfire announced its inagural $60M fund in January. READ MORE>>.

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Funding Startup Venture Capital Los Angeles 140

socalTECH

JULY 31, 2014

San Diego-based Portfolium , a startup developing an online platform to share a students'' academic portfolio, has raised $900,000 in a seed funding, according to startup incubator EvoNexus. The funding came from the Tech Coast Angels, Taner Halicioglu of Keshif Ventures, and others. READ MORE>>.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 28, 2021

Entrepreneurs who require funding for their startup have long counted on self-accredited high net worth individuals (“angels”) to fill their needs, after friends and family, and before they qualify for institutional investments (“VCs”). Here again, the entrepreneur will be the one hurt most, by having fewer funding sources to access.

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Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2010

It was especially fun for me because we got the chance to talk about the VC industry and how entrepreneurs should think about the VC industry in addition to discussing deals. Clearstone currently invests out of a $200 million fund based in LA with offices in Menlo Park and in India. Segment Three: “VC Deals Funded this Week”.

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Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

I had previously raised VC in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2005. In case VC’s haven’t figured this out yet, shit rolls downhill. My blog linked to Brad Feld’s blog because I was so grateful for his series on term sheets and he was one of the biggest reasons that as a VC I felt compelled to blog. Tempus Fugit.

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Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 29, 2012

Nate Redmond is the managing partner of Rustic Canyon Partners – he’s probably one of the youngest managing partners of a major fund you’ll meet. And no wonder, lately he and his partners are on a tear, investing out of their $200+ million VC fund. Nate, tell us a bit about Rustic Canyon Venture Partners.

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socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 18, 2020

North Hollywood-based ConsejoSano , a developer of patient experience and engagement software, aimed at payers, providers, and health care systems, has scored a round of "impact" funding, the company said this week. Tyson Impact Fund, which is administered by the American Heart Association. Size of that investment was not announced.

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