Startups

Elementary Robotics, a rapidly-growing AI vision startup, today announced a new AI camera system for cloud-based inspection. The new system, which combines easy-to-use software, deep learning AI, and camera systems makes it faster and easier for manufacturers to deliver top-quality products to their customers. The company is also announcing the appointment of Monique Apter to EVP of Sales and Marketing and Milind Karnik to EVP of Engineering. Founded in 2017,...

First Resonance, a Los Angeles-based start-up transforming manufacturing with a new Factory Operating System used by cutting-edge hardware companies, today announced a new round of funding led by Blue Bear Capital, which brings funds raised to date to more than $5 million. The new capital will be used to expand the First Resonance team to support the continued development of its unique approach to manufacturing, informed by the team’s background...

Brainbase, the venture-backed company building modern software for end-to-end IP management, and BBC Studios, producers and distributors of unrivaled television programs globally, today announced a partnership whereby BBC Studios will begin using IP licensing platform, Brainbase Assist to streamline and manage their global licensing business for break-out hit Bluey, which airs in the U.S. on Disney Junior and Disney Channel and is available to stream on Disney+. “We are ecstatic...

Dadventures, a curated discovery platform that matches families with vetted local and home entertainment, announced the closure of its successful $2 million seed funding round. The round was led by multiple angel investors. Inspired by their struggles balancing parenting with busy careers, fellow dads and entrepreneurs Stephen Dypiangco and Devon George co-founded Dadventures to help other dads gain confidence as active parents and more equal partners. Dadventures currently reaches over...

For entrepreneurs, money isn’t the root of all evil. It’s probably more accurate to say that the lack of money is the most likely reason for a startup to fail. One common mistake for entrepreneurs is that they don’t start as early as they can in rounding up the investment money they need. If you’re starting your own business, then your preparations must also include finding out how you can...

According to surveys, only half of the total number of new startups survive up to their fifth year and just a third of that number make it to their tenth year anniversary. It’s the most concrete proof of how tough running a business can be, even if you don’t really intend to grow it to an exponential size. How do you avoid becoming a part of the statistics, though? How...

FIGS, the direct-to-consumer company transforming healthcare apparel, has appointed Jeffrey Lawrence as Chief Financial Officer. Lawrence, who previously served as CFO of Domino’s Pizza, joins the wildly popular healthcare apparel company known for creating innovative, comfortable, and supremely functional scrubs. FIGS is revolutionizing the healthcare apparel industry by selling its premium quality products through its customer-friendly, direct-to-consumer website. Before FIGS, healthcare professionals had to choose from poor quality, boxy, and...

I have been founding, scaling, and selling businesses in Los Angeles for more than 20 years. I have seen ups, downs, and everything in between. The peaks and valleys of an entrepreneurial career are intense, and if I have learned anything throughout my tenure it is that they simply cannot be weathered alone. No man is an island, and success never happens in a vacuum. The good news is that...

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the tech industry just as hard as the other business sectors. While some companies have thrived in this social distancing life, others have been finding it difficult to stay afloat. Almost all companies, tech and non-tech, have had to change their business and operational models. Despite rocky times, the tech industry is still paving the way to the future. Rain or shine, tech startups are...

Growing a small business will always seem like a daunting task for the inexperienced. However, it’s not impossible to do. Many big corporations today started small and some of them did not take decades to be where they are right now. Sure, it’s a mix of lots of hard work, a pinch of good luck, and a very good concept but it doesn’t mean that you can’t attempt to replicate...

Misha’s Kind Foods, a Black-owned, dairy-free cheese manufacturer, has officially arrived at 10 Whole Foods stores across Southern California including the multi-national supermarket chain’s new Sherman Oaks location. The self-distributed and popular cheese brand will premiere their top-selling brands at each store and has also begun rolling out into other health-food stores including Lassens Natural Foods & Vitamins, with more announcements coming soon. "We are passionately committed to providing healthy...

No one can argue against the fact that these are some tough times for everyone. The fatal risk we face every day is not just threatening to our health and wellbeing but is also impacting our source of livelihood. Some are hit worse than others and it significantly adds to the stress and anxiety most of us may already be suffering from. If you’re a small business owner, chances are,...

Yardi continues to enhance its suite of commercial real estate data and marketing services with the acquisition and rebranding of CommercialSearch.com, a popular online marketing platform for brokers and tenants. The redesigned website offers a free-to-list and free-to-search commercial property search engine that features more than 175,000 listings nationwide across multiple verticals, including office, retail, multifamily, and industrial. The intuitive platform is designed to provide an efficient and streamlined experience for...

Popl, a new startup that lets you instantly share anything from your contact information to your social media – such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Spotify, Venmo, and more – announced a major redesign of its iOS app and a premium subscription service called Popl Pro.  The new subscription service lets users create two unique profiles – one social, one business – and adds new features including multiple links, analytics, and...

Landing an elevator pitch is a tricky thing to do. While the most important part is the content of your pitch, the way you’ll present it to clients, investors, or higher-ups will make or break the whole thing. One way to ensure that your pitch will be successful is by following a 20th-century British philosopher’s maxims. Paul Grice made great strides in how we perceive language and semantics through his...

While the desire to monitor one's health and fitness has always been important, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the world even more conscious of their health. Thanks to new wearable technology and instant result monitors, this has paved the path for the establishment of various healthcare startups around the world.  Statistics suggest that 15% of users (age 18-29) and 8% of users (age 30-49) use a health application.  These ranges anywhere...

Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio is known to be a conscious backer of various brands and startups over the years. However, this time, he’s partnering with Santa Monica-based venture capital firm Struck Capital in hopes of funding the LA tech ecosystem. While the amount of DiCaprio’s investment was not disclosed, Struck Capital notes that he made a significant contribution to their fund, not only in terms of money but also...

Used car leasing platform Fair announced a pilot program that enables customers to select a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Honda vehicle from a participating dealer, order and sign for it digitally, and then leverages flexible lease options to drive that vehicle with a lease term of their choice. Fair’s new six-month pilot program with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. marks the first time the platform is making CPO vehicles available to customers,...

A lot of us may have only gotten wind of sneaker reselling in recent years but the game has been taking place for more than a decade already. Collectors of rare and exclusive editions of sneakers and trainers have always been moving stocks around, whether it’s for-profit or not. However, in the past few years, it has proven to be very lucrative by those with entrepreneurial spirits. With more and...

When you say "Los Angeles", many people think of Hollywood and the movie industry. What many people don't know, at least not yet, is that LA has emerged as one of the largest challengers to Silicon Valley's startup scene. It's home to some of the world’s most influential unicorns such as Honey, SnapChat, SpaceX, and ServiceTitan. LA is unique in that it is not only are people attracted to the...