Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Thus, I’m more impressed with entrepreneurs who ask me to review their implementation plan, rather than listen again to their idea. Some dreams sound great, but may not yet be viable or proven with today’s technology. Any startup with no patents, trade secrets, or other secret sauce is very high risk today.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 8, 2012

Building a strong tech industry to rival that of Silicon Valley is definitely no easy feat, but the overall feeling within Cal Tech’s Baxter Hall at last week’s event certainly bodes well for the year. Crowd Seats came up first to give their two minute breakdown of the company.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Idealab Startup Mobile 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

“Attached is a copy of my full business plan for your review.” I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Entrepreneur 119

Entrepreneur Technical Review Statistics Startup 119

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2015

“Attached is a copy of my full business plan for your review.” I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup Statistics 109

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2017

Agreeing an annual budget Setting a 409a valuation used to price stock options Agreeing stock option allocations Reviewing financial performance Talking about the organizational structure and where we need to bolster things Discussing sales & marketing strategies, product launches, technical challenges Talking about law suits (patents, trademarks, (..)

Startup 217

Startup Technical Review Equity Report 217

socalTECH

JULY 31, 2013

The firm recently raised a $15M series C funding, and we caught up with Kevin to learn more about why its customers, and investors, are interested in its technology. We have created a wireless technology and solution, end-to-end, that allows you to cost effectively connect devices that can be very, very remote.

Technical Review 213

Technical Review Software Review Networking Technology 213

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2013

Of course, every company needs these, in due time. In today’s Internet world, enterprising entrepreneurs have found that they can find out and do almost anything they need, from incorporating the company to filing patents, without expensive consultants, or the cost to hiring and firing employees. Need expensive resources up front.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Technical Review Equity 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2018

“Attached is a copy of my full business plan for your review.” I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Funding 62

Funding Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup 62

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 6, 2013

.” According to Joaquin we are headed to an era when phones will replace many of the other items we carry in our pockets such as wallets, from multiple credit cards to eventually cash and ID cards and security technology makes a true mobile wallet experience a reality. With first-to-market patent-pending security technology.

Mobile 74

Mobile Software Review Patents Clearstone 74

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Of course, every company needs these, in due time. In today’s Internet world, enterprising entrepreneurs have found that they can find out and do almost anything they need, from incorporating the company to filing patents, without expensive consultants, or the cost to hiring and firing employees. Need expensive resources up front.

Technical Review 95

Technical Review Startup Equity Entrepreneur 95

socalTECH

JUNE 23, 2009

Semiconductor startups seem to be quite rare in today's environment, with few companies being funded or launched, due both to the difficulty of bringing products to market, lack of investment capital, as well as lots of established, large companies in the industry. For starters, let's talk about your technology.

Patents 100

Patents Sample Technical Review Pricing 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Of course, every company needs these, in due time. In today’s Internet world, enterprising entrepreneurs have found that they can find out and do almost anything they need, from incorporating the company to filing patents, without expensive consultants, or the cost to hiring and firing employees. Need expensive resources up front.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Equity 102

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 10, 2009

At the time, the firm was working on--but not talking about-- their next generation product, which the company announced yesterday. We spoke to Steve Pelletier , the firm's Founder and CEO, about the new product: Tell us a little bit about your new product? Because of that, the sales team is left with a data entry problem.

Advertising 127

Advertising Startup Sales Tool 127

InfoChachkie

MAY 9, 2011

BDCs often ask to “private label” or “white label” a smaller company’s technology. This generally involves the BDC selling the startup’s technology under the BDC’s brand. Do not allow your adVenture’s technology to be buried in the bowels of another company’s product, without reasonable attribution.

Outsource Development 170

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Press Technical Review 170

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

After my company was acquired by Salesforce.com I was asked to stop blogging and they took over my blog as an asset in the sale of the company. There was no viral social networking products back then like Twitter where people could easily discover your content. My blog was wiped out. Don’t be frazzled … this is just the way it is.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 11, 2012

As we know, developers always give their product a code name. We are in the process of integrating into various point of sales and providing prefunded vouchers for the unbanked. We restrict money transfer to South Africa while we conclude our due diligence on international money transfer partners. Why the name?

Software Review 92

Software Review Social Network Platform Technical Review 92

InfoChachkie

MAY 9, 2011

BDCs often ask to “private label” or “white label” a smaller company’s technology. This generally involves the BDC selling the startup’s technology under the BDC’s brand. Do not allow your adVenture’s technology to be buried in the bowels of another company’s product, without reasonable attribution.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Press Technical Review 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021

According to an old Harvard Business Review article, many people in history, famous for their inventions, like Thomas Edison, were entrepreneurs who only later were remembered as inventors of the products they commercialized. Of course it helps to have innovative technologies before you start building a business.

Technical Review 156

Technical Review Funding Patents Ideas 156

socalTECH

JUNE 15, 2011

It also allows celebrities to talk to their fans, and offer them the opportunity purchase innovative, digital, personalized products like e-cards and invitiations. If you're an IP holder, if you're Coldplay, you can generate revenue from our innovative digital products, while building your fan base. What's the technology behind this?

Entertainment 159

Entertainment Startup Class Santa Barbara 159

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 27, 2009

We spoke with Dipanshu Sharma, Chairman of the firm, to learn more about the company and its products. What we want to do is solve that problem, and build the first, live project and product collaboration tool. So we built this product, and we believe we're the first ones to have it in the market.

Startup 100

Startup Software Review Technical Review Software 100

SoCal CTO

MARCH 4, 2010

I’ve worked with 30+ early-stage companies in all sorts of capacities (and spoken to many, many more), so I thought it might be worthwhile trying to classify the various ways that I’ve engaged in different technology roles in startups. It depends on the business, people, technologies, etc. Each situation is just a bit different.

Technical Review 170

Technical Review Technical Advisors CTO Coach Startup 170

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2018

According to an old Harvard Business Review article, many people in history, famous for their inventions, like Thomas Edison, were entrepreneurs who only later were remembered as inventors of the products they commercialized. Of course it helps to have innovative technologies before you start building a business.

Technical Review 86

Technical Review Patents Ideas Journal 86

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2014

According to a Harvard Business Review article, many people in history, famous for their inventions, such as Thomas Edison, were entrepreneurs who only later were remembered as inventors of the products they commercialized. Of course, it helps to have innovative technologies before you start building a business.

Ideas 106

Ideas Technical Review Patents Entrepreneur 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2023

Be customer focused, not technology focused. Even adding money won’t do it – you need to create a committed and engaged team and partners for marketing and sales, as well as production and distribution. Elon Musk mitigated this by making his battery patents free to all. You are just as important as your innovative idea.

Tips 80

Tips Startup Satisfaction Ideas 80

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2016

According to an old Harvard Business Review article, many people in history, famous for their inventions, like Thomas Edison, were entrepreneurs who only later were remembered as inventors of the products they commercialized. Of course it helps to have innovative technologies before you start building a business.

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Patents Ideas Journal 60

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

Too many entrepreneurs look for that one magic bullet -- an exciting new technology, perhaps, or their own determination to make the world a better place -- to override any shortcomings in their startup model. Too many competitors or a product with minimal differentiation makes a startup risky. Solution production and support.

Pricing 100

Pricing Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2013

Within the venture community, the first rule to remember is that opportunities abound these days, due to the increasing pace of technology evolution, and the scope and creativity of the global community. Is your concept worthy of a company, a product, or a feature? But patents and other intellectual property only go so far.

Invest 107

Invest Startup Venture Capital Ideas 107

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2012

The easy answer of splitting it equally among all co-founders, since there is minimal value at that point, is usually the worst possible answer, and often results in a later startup failure due to an obvious inequity. Building a product doesn’t get it distributed and sold. Expertise can be marketing, technical, financial, or sales.

Startup 101

Startup Entrepreneur Equity CTO Hire 101

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2010

The easy answer of splitting it equally among all co-founders, since there is minimal value at that point, is usually the worst possible answer, and often results in a later startup failure due to an obvious inequity. Building a product doesn’t get it distributed and sold. Expertise can be marketing, technical, financial, or sales.

Equity 91

Equity Startup CTO Hire CTO Coach 91