Category Archives: Events

You’re Invited To “How I Got Funded” Presented By Pasadena Angels And Stubbs Alderton & Markiles

“How I Got Funded”
Presented by Pasadena Angels in partnership with Stubbs Alderton & Markiles

Wednesday, April 3, 2019
6:30PM-8: 30 PM

SA&M Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401Launching your start-up requires more than grit, determination and a great idea. A successful start-up requires funding, mentoring and strong community partnerships. Join us for our panel discussion with Pasadena Angels’ funded companies and learn how leveraging relationships, laser-focused presentations and perseverance got them over $2M dollars in funding from one of Forbes top 10 angel groups. Moderated by Scott Alderton.

Network with Pasadena Angels investors, Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, fellow entrepreneurs.

Moderator:

Scott Alderton of Stubbs Alderton & Markiles

Panelists:

Danielle Cocanoupher: https://www.mylabbox.com/

Phoenix Gonzalez: https://www.dotstudiopro.com/

Brian Nickerson: https://www.magiclinks.org/

Food & Beverages will be served. Limited seating

About Pasadena Angels
Pasadena Angels: http://pasadenaangels.com/
The Pasadena Angels is Southern California’s most respected and connected group of accredited investors, ranked one of the top ten angel groups in the US by Forbes in 2015 , 2018 and Angel Research Institute in 2017. We invested more than $80 million dollars of early-stage capital in over 210 companies. Pasadena Angels funded companies have gone on to raise over $1 Billion from additional funding sources such as venture capital and private equity. Twitter: @pasadenaangels / Instagram: @pasadenaangels / FaceBook: @pasadenaangels

About Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP
With robust corporate, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and emerging growth, business litigation, public securities, entertainment, and intellectual property practices, Stubbs Alderton & Markiles’ attorneys assist clients with virtually every legal issue a business or an individual may face. Since its inception in 2002, Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP has worked alongside innovators and leaders of businesses large and small whose ideas are world changing. Our firm takes the long-term approach to our relationship with clients, partnering with them all along their evolutionary path, from idea to growth to exit, or whatever their future may hold. Our mission is, and has always been, to provide technically excellent legal services in a consistent, highly-responsive and service-oriented manner with an entrepreneurial and practical business advisory perspective.

Twitter: @StubbsAlderton / FaceBook: @StubbsAldertonMarkiles

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: BOOST Sales Performance with Carrie Lauby

How you approach the sales process predicts the end result of either a close or constant follow up. In this workshop, we’ll look at sales strategy and the top 5 things you can do to set up the relationship for success. If you’re concerned about not closing deals, frustrated from constantly chasing or unsure where to spend your time and effort, this is the workshop for you.

Tuesday, March 12th, 2019
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Featuring

Carrie Lauby

Carrie Lauby is an LA-based sales expert with over 25 years growing B2B2C SaaS companies in digital marketing and streaming media. Carrie and her team deliver customized solutions looking at all levels of the funnel including client retention, inside, outside and online lead conversion. She is a regular speaker on sales and customer service with engagements that include EO, The Channel Company, AA-ISP and ASTA Global Convention.

Sandler Training is the largest sales consulting organization with over 250 training centers worldwide. Sandler utilizes distinctive, non-traditional sales and management methodologies, supported by continual reinforcement through ongoing training and individual coaching sessions. We service all sizes of companies from startups to larger corporations which include LinkedIn, AT&T, Oracle, Accenture, American Express, Prudential and Nationwide Insurance.

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica CA 90401

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Strategic Partnerships with Jonathan Tavss

Strategic Partnerships: Everything is a Dance. Care to Join?

Strategic partnerships are integral to businesses both big and small. Unfortunately, most partnerships are not created equal and outcomes can be deeply affected when not giving deliberate consideration to who should be teamed up with and why. Consider how the venture should regard partnerships – what they should be looking for in a partnership – and what those partners are actually looking for in return. Put a simpler way: everything is a partnership. What are investors, partners, employees, vendors, and conferences looking for from you? With this understanding, better sourcing, agreements, communication, and outcomes can be had.

Tuesday, March 5th, 2019
12:00-1: 30 PM

Featuring

Jonathan Tavvs, Managing Partner, Kaleidoko

Jonathan Tavss is an award-winning entrepreneur, marketer, strategist, and content creator with more than two decades of experience leading content creation, distribution, product development and global marketing for international entertainment studios, Media firms, CPG brands and service corporations.

A leader in marrying business strategy, consumer insight and technology around the globe to ideate, manage and launch products that truly deliver integrated and holistic brand experiences – where all consumer touch-points are aligned to drive heightened customer satisfaction and company growth – Tavss is sought out for globally strategic marketing strategy, product design, distribution strategy, media planning and business development advice for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to startups.

Since 2001, Tavss has planned and directed content initiatives, product development and integrated marketing campaigns or, been an advisor under his Scarlet Terrier Productions and Scarlet Strategic banners for companies including 20th Century Fox Theatrical and Home Entertainment, Warner Brothers International, Buena Vista Theatrical, OwnZones Media Network, ABS-CBN International, ALTAR Furniture, Real Medicine Foundation, ConnectD, Zetta2, PromaxBDA, Klickly, Sporcle and the Stubbs Alderton Preccelerator Program.

Most recently, Tavss launched the new global venture, Kaleidoko, bringing transformation and shifted perspectives to its clients as they optimize productivity and expand audiences. Kaleidoko provides a new path for businesses to achieve true potential.

Tavss is a frequent speaker at media, entertainment and advertising events. Past engagements include Ad:Tech, Cynopsis, Digital Hollywood, iMedia, BUAC London, The Actor’s Fund, Comikaze, Comic-Con, Southeastern Museum Conference and DED Global Roadshow.

Connect with him on Twitter and Linked-In.

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Fundraising Essentials – Term Sheets 101 with Caroline Cherkassky and Kelly Laffey

Preccelerator Workshop: Fundraising Essentials- Term Sheets 101 with Caroline Cherkassky and Kelly Laffey

Topics that will be covered include:

  • Type of financing: convertible notes vs SAFEs vs priced equity rounds
  • Convertible notes and SAFEs: caps, discounts, and other key terms
  • Priced equity rounds: economic provisions, voting rights, and other key terms

Tuesday, February 26th, 2019
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Featuring

Caroline Cherkassky

Caroline Cherkassky is a partner of the firm.

Caroline’s practice focuses on advising emerging growth, development stage, and middle market companies on a variety of matters, including venture capital and other financings, employee compensation, securities laws compliance, technology transactions, mergers and acquisitions, stockholder agreements, equity incentive plans, corporate governance, and other general corporate matters, including serving as outside general counsel to early-stage companies. She also advises the funds and other investors that invest in these types of companies.

Kelly Laffey

Kelly Siobhan Laffey is an associate of the firm and the Director of Business Affairs at the Preccelerator.

Kelly’s practice focuses on advising emerging growth and middle market companies in the technology, digital, internet, interactive media (i.e., AR and VR), and entertainment industries. Kelly counsels clients on issues related to corporate governance and formation, venture capital and other financings, joint ventures, employee compensation, complex stockholder and operating agreements, securities law regulation and other general corporate matters. Kelly also advises investors and funds in connection with venture capital and other financings.

Kelly also counsels clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions matters, including asset and equity acquisitions and dispositions, cross-border transactions, spin-off transactions, secured lending transactions, financing restructurings, and corporate reorganizations.

Drawing on her diverse work experience in the entertainment arena, including time spent with talent agencies, and music and television production companies, Kelly also assists on matters related to licensing, marketing, and exploitation of intellectual property rights.

Location
SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Parking
Parking Structure #4, entrance on 2nd Street

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Employment Contracts & Alternative Compensation for Startups with Louis Wharton

For a company founder, it is easy to understand the benefits of providing stock or stock options to employees. It’s a way of compensating employees that doesn’t drain cash from the business. Employees will feel invested in the future success of the company. Join us to get insights and wisdom about maximizing opportunities and minimizing mistakes in creating equity compensation.

Tuesday, February 19th, 2019
12:00-1:30 PM

Featuring

Image result for louis wharton

Louis A. Wharton is a partner of the firm and president of the Preccelerator Program. Louis’ practice focuses on advising venture capital funds and angel networks, along with early stage, emerging growth, middle market and public companies in corporate finance, securities compliance, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters.

He counsels clients in the technology, e-commerce, digital media and entertainment industries, among others.

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

Preccelerator® MBA Student Internship Opportunity – Applications Open!

Preccelerator

 

MBA Student Intern – Preccelerator® Program, LLC

Time frame:  March 2019 through September 2019

Compensation: $20/hr and/or for-credit through University

Direct Report: Heidi Hubbeling hhubbeling@stubbsalderton.com COO, Preccelerator® Program

 Description:

Exciting opportunity at one of Los Angeles’ top startup accelerators – the Preccelerator® Program, based in beautiful Santa Monica, CA.  The Preccelerator provides initial capital, sophisticated legal services, a strategic perks portfolio, mentorship, targeted curriculum and office space for the 6-month term for up to 5 promising young startups.

The intern will work closely with the Chief Operating Officer, the President of the Program, and the Director of Business Affairs, and other team members on the review and selection of incoming initial applications to the Program.  The intern will be trained how to select companies based on set criteria, conduct initial interviews with other team members, and will be allowed to shadow and provide feedback during the final selection round with the venture investment committee.  When there are opportunities for additional research and analysis of specific market data, competition and industries for applicants, the intern will be requested to do that research and provide feedback to the investment team.  The intern will also compile a matrix of interviewed companies to present to the investment committee prior to the selection of second round company candidates.

The intern will also shadow the COO in business and investment strategy meetings with individual companies, as well as attending monthly accountability meetings with the group of cohort companies.  If there are specific needs that the cohort companies have, where the intern can be of assistance, the intern will have the opportunity to work with the individual founders.  This may include strategy sessions, financial modeling, refinement of business plans, market analysis, etc.

Qualifications:

  • Be a current student in a top-tier MBA program
  • Strong analytical skills and experience with financial modeling and market analysis
  • Excellent business sense and ability to understand and resolve complex business issues
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to present themselves well in an executive setting and interview setting.
  • Knowledge and passion for working with startups in the digital media & technology sectors.

Preccelerator Program, LLC parent company Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP is an equal opportunity employer.  All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, legally protected physical or mental disability, covered veteran status, status in the U.S. uniformed services, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, genetic information or membership in any other legally protected category.

If interested, send resume to Heidi Hubbeling, hhubbeling@stubbsalderton.com

 

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Financial Modeling and Projections with Mark Wald

Preccelerator Workshop : Financial Modeling and Projections with Mark Wald

Raising money? Investors want to maximize their return and minimize their risk, so you need to demonstrate to investors that you understand business and your business model, that you know how to make money, and that you can be trusted. Learn how to build and understand your financial model so you can demonstrate credibility by presenting it to investors and win their confidence in you.

Tuesday, February 5th, 2019
12:00-1:30pm

 

MARK WALD

Managing Director
Supporting Strategies – Santa Monica

mwald@supportingstrategies.com
LinkedIn | Website

*CFO Consulting, Daily Accounting, Fundraising, Financial Modeling, Data Analytics

Mark is an innovative problem solver who values simplicity, efficiency, and collaboration between people and organizations, with strong experience in financial modeling and data analytics to inform and support quick decisions on complex issues. Specific experience developing, deploying, and supporting new technologies to thousands of retail locations using 3rd party logistics and service providers. Professional specialties: Financial strategy & fundraising, sourcing business opportunities, conserving resources, enabling people, satisfying customers, analyzing complex data.

Supporting Strategies is your complete outsourced Accounting & Finance Department, with Enterprise-level people, processes, and controls to meet the evolving accounting and operational support needs of both early-stage companies and fast-growing organizations. We employ grownups, not amateurs—our most junior staff have 15 years of experience working in an industry for the very same type of businesses that our clients operate and on average 20+ years of experience. We assign a dedicated team of resources to each client business to provide Enterprise-level ownership and competency of all accounting and finance functions which enables our entrepreneurial client companies to quickly and efficiently scale while relying on sophisticated insights and business intelligence.

Don’t fly blind…connect with Mark for a few minutes to validate your business model assumptions and formulate a solid plan for your back office operations and management reporting infrastructure.

Location
SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Parking
Parking Structure #4, Entrance on 2nd Street

We hope to see you there!

 

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

Class 12 Applications Are Now Open!

PrecceleratorApplications are now open for Class 12 of the Preccelerator ® Program, an early-stage start-up accelerator focused on the technology and digital media space!  Deadline for applications is March 20th, 2019. Start date for Class 12 is May 6, 2019.

Benefits include:

  • Access to $25,000 worth of real-time non-billable legal advice and transactional legal services on site under our standard terms of engagement
  • Initial unrestricted cash investment of $25,000 to each cohort company.
  • Access to our network of investors through investment strategy counseling sessions, Meet the VC Luncheons, Demo Day and targeted investor introductions.
  • 24/7 access to co-working space and a collaborative environment in our Santa Monica co-working space
  • A robust strategic perks program worth over $500,000
  • 100+ strategic mentors that provide regular office hours and are dedicated to each company’s success. Check out our mentor list here.
  • Over 50+ educational and networking in-house events per year, plus access to free admission to many sponsored events.  Check out our upcoming events here. 
  • With an emphasis on community and collaboration, the Preccelerator alumni continue to participate, give back and help foster the success of current and future Program participants.

apply now

For more information about the Preccelerator and its offerings, contact Heidi Hubbeling at hhubbeling@stubbsalderton.com or (310) 746-9803.

Preccelerator Workshop: Pitch Deck Preparation with Jasmine Foroutan, CEO of Pitch Genius

Time 
Tuesday, January 8th, 2019
12:00-1:30pm

Jasmine Foroutan

Jasmine Foroutan is a full-time pitch deck specialist for tech startups, investors, and accelerators. She’s the Founder & CEO of Pitch Genius, a boutique pitch deck consulting firm on a mission to help more startups get funded. The firm is based in Los Angeles but has also helped startups successfully pitch in San Francisco & New York. She started her career in 2014 and holds a Bachelors in Entrepreneurship from Loyola Marymount University.

Follow her on Medium and Twitter, connect on LinkedIn, and learn about pitch deck services at PitchGenius.co.

Location
SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Parking
Parking Structure #4, Entrance on 2nd Street

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to Preccelerator Class 10 Demo Day!

Clear your calendar – It’s going down! The Preccelerator ® Program Class 10 Demo Day kicks off on January 23rd @ 6:00 pm, and you’re invited to take part in the festivities.

What a wild ride it has been! Preccelerator cohort companies are early stage, and we work hand in hand with them throughout their 6-month term to know their market and users, foster their leadership skills, build and test their product, avoid legal pitfalls, ensure the defensibility of their products, acquire users and partnerships and prepare them for the fundraising process. Now it’s time to showcase their efforts! Hear from an expert panel of judges about specific feedback for the companies and what it takes to be investor ready in the early-stage startup fundraising process.

 

_____________________________________

THE COMPANIES

Checkplis believes people should feel like they are visiting friends when they go out for a meal or drinks with their friends. It’s all about the experience. They are solving the last mile problem of the hospitality industry service. Whether a solo lunch, a brunch with girlfriends or a table with friends at a club, paying the check can ruin what otherwise would be a great experience after an amazing meal or drinks with friends.

Checkplis is a mobile app integrated into POS systems so customers can pay, tip and split the check themselves, all from their phones. They are strategic partners and experience creators for restaurant, bar and nightclub industry leaders.

Checkplis was founded by Abner Flores and is currently headquartered in Santa Monica, CA.

Visit www.checkplis.com

UNOMI is a SaaS for animators and video game developers. UNOMI leverages advanced, patent voice recognition and motion capture technology that automates a lot of the most time-consuming aspects of animation production. Our voice recognition software understands human speech in multiple languages. This allows animators to easily create the speech of multiple 2D and 3D animated characters and for some, UNOMI gives them the ability to create content on a daily basis. UNOMI’s motion capture software will give content creators the ability to easily track human movement within their home or studio, which will eliminate the need to rent expensive motion capture studio space and equipment. Large-scale animation studios will be able to drastically reduce costs allowing them to create more content in a significantly shorter amount of time. UNOMI will also be releasing an Augmented Reality and VR, 3D object plugin for Adobe software which will allow users to easily implement and animate 3D objects quickly and easily. Each UNOMI software will be intuitive, which will eliminate a learning curve for most users.

UNOMI was founded by Obi Onyejekwe and is currently headquartered in Santa Monica, CA.

Visit www.getunomi.com

StarMetrics is an entertainment analytics platform and suite of tools designed to make the casting, financing and forecasting process easier for content creators. With StarMetrics, users can easily discover new talent and understand the value of actors, directors and other entertainers across many data points, such as international appeal, social media reach, or box office impact. StarMetrics provides predictive intelligence and analytics that empowers creators, advertisers, investors and other stakeholders to succeed in an increasingly global and complex content marketplace.

StarMetrics was founded by Audrey Delaney and is currently headquartered in Santa Monica, CA.

Visit www.starmetrics.com

Screen Door Labs created ARescue, a team communication software built for first responders. The virtual command center shows commanders 2D and 3D maps, as well as geotags and video feeds from drone operators and other first responders. Boots on the ground can see virtual markers that lead them to their objectives. Running on tablets, smartphones, and several off-the-shelf AR headsets, ARescue allows first responders to work safer, respond faster, and communicate better as a team.

Screen Door Labs was founded by Kari Wu and Seth Persigehl and is currently headquartered in Santa Monica, CA.

Visit www.screendoorlabs.com

HaloLoop is the bridge between people seeking spiritual inspiration and spiritual institutions seeking people. They are a live-streaming spiritual marketplace that connects people to live spiritual experiences and spiritual institutions to people. They are solving a major crisis where the Religious Industry is experiencing a dramatic decline in attendance amid an explosive demand for spirituality in society. At HaloLoop they’re solving this crisis by changing the rules on how people and institutions engage each other. HaloLoop is an inspiring inclusive movement and community that is championing a new reality where everyones’ spiritual needs or aspirations to help others, can be met. Their vision is to create a loop where everyone can find their spiritual community.

HaloLoop was founded by Michael Hawthorne and is currently headquartered in Santa Monica, CA.

Visit www.haloloop.com

LOCATION

1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

EXPERT PANEL OF INVESTOR JUDGES

Peter Csathy – Preccelerator BOD member. General Partner, SAM CREATV Ventures. Chairman, CREATV Media. Advisor, Strategist, Connector, Dealmaker, Investor, Producer, Writer, and Thought Leader — Entertainment, Digital Media, Media, Tech and Social Impact. Former CEO Manatt Digital Media, CEO Sorenson Media, CEO Sightspeed (acquired by Logitech), President Musicmatch (acquired by Yahoo!), SVP Universal Studios, New Line Cinema.

Scott Alderton – Scott Alderton is a founding partner of Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, Managing Partner, and a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee. Scott is the Chairman of the Preccelerator and General Partner of SAM CREATV Ventures. Scott is co-chair of the Firm’s Venture Capital and Emerging Growth Practice Group and chair’s the Firm’s Interactive Entertainment and Video Games Group. Scott advises both public and private clients across a number of industries, including technology, manufacturing and distribution of goods in commerce, finance, the Internet, interactive video games, and new media industry.

Santosh Devati – Angel Investor. Santhosh is a dreamer, problem-solver, serial entrepreneur and a proven leader in the technology industry for past 20+ years. In his professional journey thus far, he has advised and created Business/Data Analytics/Technology Solutions for national brands such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, Allergan and many more. In recent years, he has mentored 200+ business owners, startup, entrepreneurs and professionals to succeed in their pursuit. Santhosh is a proud circle member of Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, SoCal Society of Information Management (SCSIM) and a Certified Business Mentor at SCORE Los Angeles.

Brett Munster – As Principal at Sway Ventures, Brett Munster focuses most of his investment activities on the seed and earlier stages for the fund. In addition to evaluating new investments, Brett’s responsibilities include coordinating the due diligence process across all investment opportunities for the fund, monitoring performance of the fund, modeling portfolio allocation, and working directly with many of Sway’s existing portfolio companies. Brett draws on his experience as a two-time entrepreneur and former operations executive to assist early stage companies in their growth. Prior to joining Sway Ventures, Brett ran day-to-day operations for AMO, a loss mitigation company, where he oversaw a portfolio of distressed assets that grew to over $2 billion. Brett began his career at zAthlete.com, a sports social networking startup that he launched during his final semester at UC Berkeley and sold in 2009. Soon after, Brett launched his second start-up Visual Icon, a platform designed to help bring Hollywood content online. Brett graduated from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and was an infielder and captain of the baseball team. He also holds an MBA from the University of Southern California where his focus was on entrepreneurship and technology commercialization.