*socaltech.com <http://socaltech.com> TechNews - Thursday, December 21, 2023* Edited by Benjamin F. Kuo ISSN: 1524-6736 http://www.socaltech.com/News <https://www.socaltech.com/News> ------------------------------
*Sponsored By * Pacific Western Bank, Venture Banking Group (http://www.pacwest.com/lending-solutions/venture-lending) Stubbs Alderton Markiles, LLP (http://www.stubbsalderton.com). Business. Technology. Law. Vision. KPMG (http://home.kpmg/us/en/home/about/offices/los-angeles-1.html) Level up with KPMG ------------------------------ *Headlines * - Wired Looks At Bird's Scooter Contractors <#0083769> - Viasat Aims At SMB Businesses <#0083768> - Activision Blizzard's Kotick Heads For Exit <#0083767> - Bird Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy <#0083766> - UNIGRID Gets Grid Scale Battery Win <#0083765> - University Lab Partners Wet Lab Hits 4 Years <#0083764> - Activision Blizzard To Pay $54M To Settle Discrimination Charges <#0083763> *Marketplace* - Pacific Western Bank, Venture Banking Group <#ad797> - Accelerating Growth For Early Stage Innovation. <#ad764> - Pixelgate.net - Internet Access, Web Hosting, Network Services <#ad796> - IP Protection for Technology and Business - SoCal IP Law Group LLP <#ad750> *Thursday, December 21, 2023* *From Idea to IPO - KPMG’s Emerging Growth Practice < [email protected]>* KPMG provides Bookkeeping, Audit, Tax, and Advisory services to assist you at any stage of your life cycle. Whether you are starting your business, strengthening your business, expanding into new markets, or pursuing an exit, we have a global network of experienced resources that can take you to the next level. For more information, please contact Ryan Youhan at [email protected]. *Wired Looks At Bird's Scooter Contractors* <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083769.html> Santa Monica-based Bird filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week: but how does the micromobility company run its business? It turns out, it's driven much by independent contractors, who chase down wayward scooters and charge them, all driven by contracts with Bird, according to Wired. The unflattering portrait, Blood, Guns, and Broken Scooters: Inside the Chaotic Rise and Fall of Bird, talks with contractors who complain of "unstable and sometimes punishing relationships with the company. (More... <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083769.html>) *Viasat Aims At SMB Businesses* <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083768.html> Carlsbad-based satellite communications provider Viasat is taking aim at small and medium businesses, saying it has launched a new set of Internet service plans with up to 150 Mbps service. According to the company, it is looking to help business customers "even in the hardest-to-reach locations where terrestrial-based internet is unavailable". Pricing on the new service was not announced, however, a spot check showed 50Mbps plans at $69. (More... <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083768.html>) *Activision Blizzard's Kotick Heads For Exit* <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083767.html> *Bobby Kotick*, CEO of *Activision Blizzard <https://www.activision.com>*, is officially heading for the exit on December 29th. Kotick talked about his departure in a note release by Activision Blizzard <https://newsroom.activisionblizzard.com/p/bobby-kotick-december-note>. Kotick had headed up Activision Blizzard for 32 years before the company merged this last year with Microsoft.(More... <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083767.html>) *Bird Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy* <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083766.html> Los Angeles-based micromobility provider Bird has filed for bankruptcy, saying that it has entered into a "financial restructuring process" with its first- and second-lien lenders. The company--which says it will "operate as usual"--said it has entered into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. (More... <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083766.html>) *UNIGRID Gets Grid Scale Battery Win* <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083765.html> San Diego-based UNIGRID Battery, a UC San Diego spinoff working on sodium-ion batteries, reportes that it has received "MWh-scale" purchase orders for their advanced sodium ion batteries. Financial details of the win were not announced. The company said it was founded by Dr. Darren H. S. Tan and Dr. Erik A. Wu. The company said it is working on cylindrical cell, soidum ion batteries, which it claims has a volumetric energy density beyond even lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. (More... <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083765.html>) *University Lab Partners Wet Lab Hits 4 Years* <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083764.html> Irvine-based nonprofit wet lab incubator *University Lab Partners <https://www.universitylabpartners.org>* says it has hit its four year anniversary. The incubator provides wet lab facilities and other infrastructure for life sciences startups in Orange County. The nonprofit says it has now incubated 64 companies, who it says have raised more than $535M in total, and created 448 jobs; the company says eight companies have so far graduated out of its incubator.(More... <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083764.html>) *Activision Blizzard To Pay $54M To Settle Discrimination Charges* <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083763.html> The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) said late Friday that Santa Monica-based Activision Blizzard has agreed to pay $54M to settle allegations that the company discriminated against women at the company, including by denying promotion opportunities and paying them less than men for doing substantially similar work. (More... <https://www.socaltech.com/fullstory/0083763.html>) *Pacific Western Bank, Venture Banking Group <https://www.pacwest.com>* Pacific Western Bank is a commercial bank with over $41 billion in assets headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with an executive office in Denver, Colorado. Our venture banking team specializes in financial products and services for startups, venture-backed businesses, and their venture capital and private equity investors. We are dedicated to delivering high-touch, tailored solutions, helping innovators take their business to the next level. No matter the size or stage of your business, you can expect guidance, resources and flexibility, making them the perfect team to support your evolving needs. For more information, visit www.pacwest.com, or follow them on LinkedIn and Twitter. *Accelerating Growth For Early Stage Innovation. <http://www.preccelerator.com>* The Preccelerator® Program is an accelerator for early-stage startups offered to select companies out of the Santa Monica office of Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP that provides initial capital, sophisticated legal services, interim office space, mentorship, a targeted curriculum, investment strategy counseling and access to a strategic perks portfolio with the objective of helping you grow your idea from business concept to funded startup. www.preccelerator.com *Pixelgate.net - Internet Access, Web Hosting, Network Services <http://www.pixelgate.net>* We put the "Service" back into Internet Service Provider. http://www.pixelgate.net *IP Protection for Technology and Business - SoCal IP Law Group LLP <http://www.socalip.com>* Patents. Trademarks. Copyrights. Trade Secrets. IP Filings. IP Strategy. IP Litigation. IP Transactions. US and Worldwide. Offices in Westlake Village and Santa Barbara. [email protected] www.socalip.com ------------------------------ *Recent Funding <#funding>* 4/13/23 Altruist <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=110844> Culver City $112.00 M 2/10/23 Fabric8Labs <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=110604> San Diego $50.00 M 1/31/23 Saviynt <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=110563> El Segundo $205.00 M 1/23/23 ADARx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=110494> San Diego $46.10 M 1/19/23 PLAI Labs <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103242> Culver City $32.00 M 1/19/23 Oro Inc. <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103241> Los Angeles $13.00 M 1/19/23 ContractSafe <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103240> Malibu $27.50 M 1/17/23 Sensible Weather <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103239> Santa Monica $0.00 M 1/10/23 CRISPR QC <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103238> San Diego $1.60 M 1/10/23 Cari Health <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103237> San Diego $3.20 M 1/09/23 PBS Biotech <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103236> Camarillo $22.00 M 12/07/22 Drata Inc. <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103235> San Marcos $200.00 M 10/21/22 Kudos Technologies <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103234> Woodland Hills $7.00 M 9/22/22 TheoryCraft Games <https://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=103233> Los Angeles $50.00 M ------------------------------ *Upcoming Events* Submit your events at least two weeks in advance to: http://www.socaltech.com/submitevent.html December 30, City -- *Test Event 3* Test Description - IGNORE. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/26756 January 17, San Diego -- *Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America* ntersolar North America and Energy Storage North America is the premier US-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. Dedicated to accelerating the energy transition, the event delivers actionable education, invaluable networking, and an immersive exhibit hall experience. . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/26772 January 18, San Diego -- *Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America* ntersolar North America and Energy Storage North America is the premier US-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. Dedicated to accelerating the energy transition, the event delivers actionable education, invaluable networking, and an immersive exhibit hall experience. . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/26773 January 19, San Diego -- *Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America* ntersolar North America and Energy Storage North America is the premier US-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. Dedicated to accelerating the energy transition, the event delivers actionable education, invaluable networking, and an immersive exhibit hall experience. . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/26774 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ------------------------------ *Sponsored By * Stubbs Alderton Markiles, LLP (http://www.stubbsalderton.com). Business. Technology. Law. Vision. KPMG (http://home.kpmg/us/en/home/about/offices/los-angeles-1.html) Level up with KPMG Email [email protected] for more information about sponsoring this newsletter. ------------------------------ You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the socalTECH.com TechNews from our web site, or otherwise requested a subscription. If you do not want to receive this newsletter go to: http://listserv.socaltech.com/mailman/listinfo/socaltech or email us at [email protected] ------------------------------ Legal Notices ---- While SOCALTECH LLC has used its best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein, SOCALTECH LLC does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident or other causes. All contents Copyright (c) 2017 SOCALTECH LLC. All rights reserved. socalTECH.com - Dedicated to High Tech in Southern California http://www.socaltech.com/ SOCALTECH LLC 4607 Lakeview Canyon Road, Suite 290, Westlake Village, CA 91361
_______________________________________________ Socaltech mailing list [email protected] http://listserv.socaltech.com/mailman/listinfo/socaltech
