Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2023

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. These terms quantify how fast money is being spent, and how long the business can survive before another round of investments is required.

Startup 83

Startup Technical Review Invest Patents 83

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2020

The new paradigm, driven by disruptive technologies, cloud-served supercomputing, and the new generation of young adults with global empathy, is partnering and giving something now for a competitive advantage in the future. A partnership was announced with the City of New York, to connect and grow NYC's startup ecosystem.

Startup 124

Startup IBM IBM Examples 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

Entrepreneurs who are looking to attract investors need to develop and pitch a plan -- preferably written -- that answers every potential investor question about your startup before it is asked. Just because your technology is exciting and potentially disruptive doesn’t mean you are ready to build a business.

Invest 108

Invest Startup Slides Equity 108

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

Every investor knows how vulnerable a new startup is to competitors, so investors always ask about your sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Leading with this answer will likely terminate any further investment opportunity with this investor. Neither speaks well for you or your startup.

Competition 133

Competition Patents Resource Invest 133

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

Indio, California-based Helicoid Idustries , a startup developing advanced composite materials for use in the wind turbine, aerospace, sporting goods, auto parts, defense, and industrial market, has raised $2.4M--the first part of what looks like an ongoing $5M investment round. READ MORE>>.

Riverside 124

Riverside SoCalTech Patents Invest 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2020

In my experience, consummate entrepreneurs tend come up with more startup ideas than they can ever implement, and some of the ideas may not even make business sense. Passion, optimism, and determination are necessary but not sufficient to assure a successful startup. Check for intellectual property barriers in your way.

Technical Review 173

Technical Review Ideas Patents Startup 173

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

As a startup advisor and investor, living in an area with several local universities, I’m continually surprised by how little many entrepreneurs know about the resources available from these institutions. Other project and research reports in their library are a rich source of new ideas, if you are still looking for a place to start.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

It wasn’t so many years ago that starting a new e-commerce business on the Internet was a complex custom development project, usually costing a million dollars or more. Almost anyone can start a company today on a shoestring budget, following these cost-cutting recommendations: Establish a solid legal structure for your business.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Outsource Development 162

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

The new paradigm, driven by disruptive technologies, cloud-served supercomputing, and the new generation of young adults with global empathy, is partnering and giving something now for a competitive advantage in the future. A partnership was announced a while back with the City of New York, to connect and grow NYC's startup ecosystem.

IBM 131

IBM IBM Startup Examples 131

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2016

conversation literally every week with startups. It is a truism that with more capital you will hire people more quickly and spend more liberally whether it’s on external contractors, PR firms, attending events, doing legal work (trademarks, patents) or whatever. million and in my second company we raised only $500,000 by choice.

Startup 292

Startup Software Review Pricing Entrepreneur 292

socalTECH

OCTOBER 22, 2020

Earlier this week, Good Growth Capital (www.goodgrowthvc.com) announced it has started looking at investments in Southern California, adding Krisztina Holly as West Coast Venture Partner for the firm. What kinds of areas does the fund make investments in? We do pre-Seed to Series A deals. Can you talk about that a bit?

Southern California 124

Southern California Capital Technical Review Startup 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

This raises a big red flag with potential investors, who conclude that no competitors means no market, or you haven’t looked, and the new startup is likely not investable. First to market, for example, is not normally a sustainable advantage for startups. Startup team with experience and connections is this domain.

Competition 166

Competition Funding Startup Patents 166

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2020

If you want to make a great first impression on a startup investor or an advisor like me, don’t try to convince me or show me how busy you are. I’m sure you all know someone who always seems to be overworked, but often comes up short on the delivery side. Use technology and tools, but don’t let them sink you.

Product 123

Product Startup Tips Entrepreneur 123

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2015

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. These terms quantify how fast money is being spent, and how long the business can survive before another round of investments is required.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Invest Startup Patents 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2014

Young entrepreneurs often are so excited by new technology or their latest invention that they forget to translate it into a value proposition that their customers or potential investors can understand. Every business leader knows how difficult it is to keep up with a changing market. Payback on investment.

Customer 98

Customer Custom Technology Startup 98

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Two founders have spent $200K of personal and family funds over a one year period to start the company, get a prototype site up and running, and have already generated some “buzz” in the Internet community. NewCo might be able to pick up an initial $50K valuation on this item. Assign real value to intellectual property.

Startup 108

Startup Invest Patents Outsource Development 108

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2023

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. Start with a service you know and love. Capture your “secret sauce.”

Startup 111

Startup Training Services Writing 111

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2023

Every startup and every new business needs a unique selling proposition (USP) to get people’s attention these days, and make it stand out in the information overload we all see. I’m looking for the “hook” right up front, or I lose interest quickly, just like every customer and investor these days. Is the opportunity large and growing?

Startup 96

Startup Education Ideas Customer 96

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

What’s your role in the Coachella Valley area startup ecosystem? The iHub is a California state initiative that selected six locations in the state to serve as specific technology development hubs. Wherever water is consumed we can ensure that it is used efficiently through our technology.

Startup 121

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 121

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

What’s your role in the Coachella Valley area startup ecosystem? The iHub is a California state initiative that selected six locations in the state to serve as specific technology development hubs. Wherever water is consumed we can ensure that it is used efficiently through our technology.

Startup 107

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 107

socalTECH

DECEMBER 18, 2015

Los Angeles-based subscription razor startup Dollar Shave Club has been sued by razor giant Gillette , which claims that Dollar Shave Club is infringing upon Gillette's patents. According to Gillette, is is seeking both damages and an injunction to prevent Dollar Shave Club from selling any products infringe upon its technology.

Dollar Shave Club 100

Dollar Shave Club Patents Los Angeles Invest 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 2, 2015

Every investor knows how vulnerable a new startup is to competitors, so investors always ask about your sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Leading with this answer will likely terminate any further investment opportunity with this investor. Neither speaks well for you or your startup.

Startup 118

Startup Competition Patents Resource 118

socalTECH

AUGUST 29, 2013

Can tapping the power of the crowd not only help you find customers and help fund your project, but also help you shape your startup idea and find funding? A new, Los Angeles area startup, JumpStartFund (www.jumpstartfund.com) recently launched, offering up a combination of crowdfunding and crowd-advice for entrepreneurial ideas.

Ideas 178

Ideas Patents Funding Startup 178

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

As a startup advisor and investor, living in an area with several local universities, I’m continually surprised by how little many entrepreneurs know about the resources available from these institutions. Other project and research reports in their library are a rich source of new ideas, if you are still looking for a place to start.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. Start with a service you know and love. Capture your “secret sauce.”

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Berkonomics

APRIL 13, 2017

A core patent or “thicket” of patents protecting your offering? Profit margins are higher for unique products or services early in the life of an industry niche, or for products protected by patents that prevent others from undercutting you simply by releasing a cheaper product. Are margins high enough?

Patents 291

Patents Pricing Ideas Marketing 291

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 6, 2014

An invalidated patent or one deemed to infringe the rights of another party can devastate a startup. Defensible Claims - Some companies take pride in the number of patents they own. However, there is not a direct correlation between a patent portfolio’s value and the number of patents which comprise the portfolio.

IP 210

IP Patents Journal Equity 210

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Continuing my series of posts that I’ve been collecting that live at the intersection of Startups and being a Startup CTO : Startup CTO Top 30 Posts for April 16 Great Startup Posts from March here are the top posts from May 2010. It is to out friend. Enjoyed this post? Disruptive. We get it! I Be specific. Tesla is not.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Today, we have Brian Mac Mahon of startup accelerator ExpertDojo (www.expertdojo.com). Are you a founder, CEO, or investor who would like to participate?     We became the largest accelerator in Southern California with 80 investments in over 30 countries globally. We'll be posting these throughout the next two weeks.

Southern California 113

Southern California Technical Review Santa Monica Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2019

Every investor knows how vulnerable a new startup is to competitors, so investors always ask about your sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. Leading with this answer will likely terminate any further investment opportunity with this investor. Neither speaks well for you or your startup.

Competition 120

Competition Patents Resource Invest 120

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 7, 2016

That's the idea behind the technology being developed by Pasadena-based ObEN (www.oben.me), which is led by co-founde rand CEO Nikhil Jain. Nikhil told us a bit about the startup,which was spawned out of Idealab, and recently raised a round of funding from CrestValue Capital, Cybernaut Westlake Partners, Leaguer Venture Investment Co.,

Idealab 173

Idealab Artificial Inteligence Startup Ideas 173

socalTECH

APRIL 8, 2014

There seems to a perpetual shortage of local venture capital investors in the region, despite the huge growth in startup activity here, particularly along Silicon Beach. Among those funds is TYLT Lab (www.tyltlab.com), which recently announced a new, $20M early stage investment fund specifically focused on companies here.

Seed Funding 220

Seed Funding Santa Monica Funding Startup 220

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

The press around the raise & company was fantastic and the promise of their technology – wireless charging that works as easily as WiFi – would positively affect many of our lives. Even bigger is the desire to stick one’s middle finger up at all of the people who doubted you all along. We checked patents.

Technical Review 417

Technical Review Startup Software Review Course 417

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2020

Because the product plan is aimed internally, it can assume the reader has the relevant technology and jargon background. Technology, architecture, and feature descriptions. List key competitors and alternatives, highlighting your sustainable competitive advantages, such as patents and trademarks. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Startup Summary Product 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2015

The new paradigm, driven by disruptive technologies, cloud-served supercomputing, and the new generation of young adults with global empathy, is partnering and giving something now for a competitive advantage in the future. A partnership was announced last year with the City of New York, to connect and grow NYC's startup ecosystem.

Startup 100

Startup IBM IBM Examples 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 7, 2010

The Next 10 report found that California accounted for 24 percent of total global investment in clean technology, with a total of $11.6 billion invested in cleantech venture capital in the state since 2006. Tags: next10 southern california clean cleantech energy power solar investment jobs employment.

Southern California 165

Southern California Report Orange County Patents 165

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2018

Young entrepreneurs often are so excited by new technology or their latest invention that they forget to translate it into a value proposition that their customers or potential investors can understand and relate to. Every business leader knows how difficult it is to keep up with a changing market. Payback on investment.

Social Network 91

Social Network Training Startup Technology 91