socalTECH.com - SoCal TechNews - Friday, September 17, 1999
Copyright (c) 1999 by Benjamin F. Kuo
ISSN: 1524-6736
http://www.socaltech.com
-- LA Fast 50 Companies Awarded
-- Special: Interview with Joseph F. Troy, AEA Capital Sources Conference
co-chair
-- MyHome.com Launches E-Commerce Site
-- EIS Introduces ISP Server
-- SSI Beings PlayStation Development
-- Latitude90 Renames to L90
Upcoming Events http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/calendar.pl
------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT--------------------------------
High-tech start-up looking for a law firm?
Does the name Cisco Systems mean anything to you?
BROBECK -- Attorneys at law
When your future is at stake.
http://www.brobeck.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
LA Fast 50 Companies Awarded
----
Deloitte & Touche's Los Angeles Fast 50 awards were last night, with an
impressive roster of companies which were ranked by percentage growth
in the high tech field. Topping the list was Pasadena based EarthLink
Network, with a whopping 158,405% 5-year revenue growth, followed by Calabasas
based Xylan Corp., Miravant Medical Technologies of Santa Barbara,
Atlas Communications Engines of Santa Barbara, and Northridge based
Soligen Technologies. In addition, three "Jumpstart" companies who didn't
meet the 5 year old rule for the list were awarded; these were Dental Medical
Diagnostics Systems in Westlake Village, Interactive Search in Los Angeles,
and Adrenalin Interactive in Los Angeles.
The rest of the companies awarded were:
6. Software.com, Santa Barbara
7. Advanced Recognition Technologies, Simi Valley
8. Computer Motion, Santa Barbara
9. THQ, Calabasas
10. MRV Communications, Chatsworth
11. View Tech, Camarillo
12. Nova Development Corp, Calabasas
13. Guidance Solutions, Marina Del Rey
14. Intelligent Systems Technology, Santa Monica
15. Activision, Santa Monica
16. Product Data Integration Technologies, Long Beach
17. GoldMine Software, Pacific Palisades
18. Watson Pharmaceuticals, Corona
19. jeTECH Data Systems, Camarillo
20. CIM Vision, Long Beach
21. EOS, Camarillo
22. Software Technologies Corp, Monrovia
23. Transoft Networks, Santa Barbara
24. ViewSonic, Walnut
25. Belkin, Compton
26. Vitesse Semiconductor, Camarillo
27. Tecstar, City of Industry
28. Optical Communications Products, Chatsworth
29. Gemstar, Pasadena
30. Sound Source Interactive, Calabasas
31. RIFOCS, Camarillo
32. MetaCreations, Carpinteria
33. ACT Networks, Calabasas
34. Delta Circuits, Van Nuys
35. Ampersand Corp, Glendale
36. North American Scientific, Chatsworth
37. MiniMed, Sylmar
38. BioSoiurce International, Camarillo
39. Peerless Systems, El Segundo
40. Unitek Miyachi, Monrovia
41. Trillium Digital Systems, Los Angeles
42. StyleClick.com, Culver City
43. QAD, Carpinteria
44. Irvine Optical, Burbank
45. Ducommun, Long Beach
46. Tanner Research, Pasadena
47. Ortel, Alhambra
48. Biopool International, Ventura
49. Channell Commercial, Temecula
50. DataDirect Networks, Chatsworth
(In keeping with journalistic principles, I do have to point out Deloitte &
Touche is a sponsor of this newsletter--although that makes no difference
in my coverage)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
** Forward this on to your friends! It's free!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special: Interview with Joseph F. Troy, Troy & Gould
----
Joseph F. Troy is a co-founder of Troy & Gould Professional Corporation,
and co-chairman of the American Electronics Association's Capital
Sources Conference being held next week (one of the many local venture
forums that happen throughout the year). I asked him a little bit about
the conference and what they're trying to do, and some of his views on the
startup activity here in Southern California.
Joseph F. Troy:
BK: Tell me a little bit about the Capital Sources Conference and what's
planned for this year...
JT: The conference is designed to bring the leading institutional
investors, investment bankers, venture capitalists, private equity
investors and angel investors who specialize in the technology sector
together with public and private technology companies that are seeking
financing, mergers and acquisitions or strategic partnerships. The speakers
are drawn from the various capital sources present. The attendees will be
AEA member companies and selected guests of AEA. Private meetings will be
arranged for attendees with the speakers during the conference in separate
meeting rooms set aside for this purpose.
BK: How do you see your conference as influencing tech companies here in
Southern California?
JT: Over the years, the conference has been a useful source of the latest
financing techniques, as well as important contacts, for growing high
technology companies. Of the more than a thousand companies that have
attended past AEA conferences, many have gone on to become the leaders in
their fields with very large public stock capitalizations.
BK: What's your view on the high tech startup activity here in the past
year? In particular, what kind of effect do you think it's had on
the local business climate?
JT: Start-up activity this past year has been stronger than every before,
particularly in the field of information technology, Internet and media
technology. The local business climate has clearly benefited from this
activity, and should benefit even more in the next two or three years as
these companies grow and mature.
BK: What challenges do you see for the local high tech industry in the future?
JT: The greatest challenge of the local high tech industry is to develop a
capital base comparable to that supporting the Silicon Valley and Northern
California centers, which are an order of magnitude greater than their
counterparts in Southern California.
BK: What advice would you give to prospective entrepreneurs on how to
attract startup financing here in Southern California?
JT: My advice to start-up venture entrepreneurs is to raise more money
than they think they need in the early rounds, roll their products out
fast, set themselves the goal of becoming the dominant technology platform
in their field, maintain ownership of their technology, recruit strategic
partners and licensees to spread the standard as far and wide and as
quickly as possible, aim for angel investors in the first round of
financing, and immediately shift to the conventional venture capital
sources for subsequent rounds. Do not be tempted by quick fixes, such as
mergers with shell public companies. Make sure the business model is
workable before you start circulating your business plan; test it by
discussing it with people experienced in venture capital. Seek patent
protection aggressively and early. Do a thorough and professional job on
the business plan before submitting it to anybody.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** Hot tips? Great news? A new product? Email ben@socaltech.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MyHome.com Launches E-Commerce Site
----
idealab company MyHome.com, based in Pasadena, announced the launch
of their web site offering home decorating and accessories. The company
launched a "preview" of the site, promising future phases and a
multi-million dollar advertising PR campaign.
EIS Introduces ISP Server
----
Camarillo based EIS Computers introduced a PC server designed for ISPs,
for a rack mount environment. The VerteX 400-2U runs the customer's choice
of Windows NT 4.0, Red Hat Linux 6.0 or Solaris 7.
SSI Beings PlayStation Development
----
Calabasas based Sound Source Interactive announced product development
plans for the Sony PlayStation console, specifically in the 5-to-8
year old category. The first titles will be based on The Land Before Time.
Latitude90 Renames to L90
----
Santa Monica internet advertising firm Latitude90 has renamed itself
to L90.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** Advertise here! Send an email to ben@socaltech.com for a rate card.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming Events This Week
Full calendar at http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/calendar.pl
** Am I missing your event? Tell me about it! ben@socaltech.com
September 18, Irvine -- LARTA's "Digital Epicenter: Mining Knowledge and Making
Deals" Technology transfer officials gather for a discussion of digital
technologies in development, how to access technologies developed in
research institutions, how deals are done, licensing technologies and
success stories. Contact Nicole Huntington at nhuntington@larta.org, or
call (213) 743-4164.
September 18, Santa Monica -- WebGrrls: Krav Maga Self Defense Class. See
http://www.ontargetdesign.com/wgla/
September 21, Los Angeles -- Zone Club meeting. Guests Sky Dayton and
Jake Winebaum, eCompanies. See http://www.zoneclub.com
September 21, San Diego -- San Diego Internet Roundtable: iLounge
Conference. See http://www.sdir.org/schedule.html
September 21, San Diego -- Microsoft Annual AITP Update. Association of
Internet Technology Professionals. See
http://www2.connectnet.com/aitp/next.html
September 21, San Diego -- "Visual Cafe" Steve Norton, SE Manager for
Symantec's Internet Tools. San Diego Java Users Group. Building,
deploying and debugging a distributed application using either RMI,
CORBA and/or EJB technologies. See http://jug.dtai.com/meetings.html/
September 22, Los Angeles - 1999 Capital Sources Conference,
American Electronics Association. See
http://www.aeanet.org/aeanet/Public/councils/LosAngelesCouncil/events.html
or call 310-563-1060 or email: renee_moran@aeanet.org
September 22, Los Angeles -- "From Aerospace Engineer to Entrepreneur."
John E. Lewis, PhD. , and Stephen A. Maas, Ph.D. IEEE Los Angeles Area
Consultants' Network. See http://laacn.org/index.htm
September 22, Culver City -- "e-Commerce: Strategic and
Tactical Implementation" Jerry Kalman of the Canaveral Group. California
Society of CPAs, LA Chapter. See http://www.calcpaweb.org/la/tech.html#A16
September 22, Los Angeles -- Web Fest '99. Venice Interactive Community.
Sponsor presentations and table-top demos, a mini job-fest, networking,
entertainment, food and drink. See http://www.veniceinteractive.com or
call (310) 452-2088.
September 23, Pasadena -- Transportation for the New Millennium: Clean
Vehicles and Mobility Services - CALSTART Advanced Transportation
Industry Conference. For more information contact: Sue Nelson,
WestStart-CALSTART 626/744-5680, E-mail: snelson@calstart.org
September 23-24, Los Angeles -- Los Angeles Times Small Business
Strategies Conference. Speakers include Alfred Mann, Minimed; Jeffrey
Green, Ari Engelberg and Jim McDermott, of Stamps.com; Sky Dayton,
Earthlink Network; David Bohnett, founder, GeoCities. See
http://www.latimes.com/sbsc
September 23, Los Angeles -- Tech Talk Live - A Series on High
Technology. Jon Goodman, EC2 With Panelists: David Hankin, Digital Coast
Roundtable, Rohit Shukla, LARTA (Los Angeles Regional Technology
Alliance) See http://www.ec2.edu/events/townhall.html
September 23, Irvine -- "How to Attract and Secure Angel Investors" Tech
Coast Venture Network. Panelists include David W. Berkus
Berkus Technology Ventures, Webb Castor, Jack Bunis Bunis & Associates,
and William C. Maurer, Romac Executive Solutions. See
http://www.tcvn.org/forums.htm
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to our newest sponsor!
Brobeck Phleger & Harrison LLP (www.brobeck.com)
Also, thanks to our continued sponsors:
Koffler Ventures (www.kofflerventures.com)
Deloitte & Touche (www.us.deloitte.com)
Human Capital Group (email@humancapitalgroup.com)
Two Roads Professional Resources (www.2roads.com)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are receiving this email via a forward, you can sign up for the
SoCal TechNews by emailing socaltech-l-subscribe@topica.com, or by
visiting the socalTECH.com site at
http://www.socaltech.com/news.html
If you'd like to UNSUBSCRIBE, email socaltech-l-unsubscribe@topica.com.
Visit our archives of this newsletter at:
http://www.topica.com/lists/socaltech-l
*** SPONSORSHIP opportunities available. Email ben@socaltech.com for
a rate card. ***
socalTECH.com - Dedicated to High Tech in Southern California
http://www.socaltech.com/
All contents Copyright(c)1999 by Benjamin F. Kuo. This material may not
be reprinted without permission.
List hosting by Topica, which is not a sponsor or related to this list
in any way (except having a handy mailing list system :-).
|
