Applications are now open for Class 11 of the Preccelerator ® Program, an early-stage start-up accelerator focused on the technology and digital media space! the Class 11 term begins October 22, 2018. Deadline for applications is September 15th, 2018.
Benefits include:
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 $450,000
100+ strategic mentors that provide regular office hours and are dedicated to each company’s success. Check out our mentor list here.
Onsite non-billable non-substantive legal advice
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.
Investment Strategy Sessions and potential introductions to our network of investors
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.
For more information about the Preccelerator and its offerings, contact Heidi Hubbeling at hhubbeling@stubbsalderton.com or (310) 746-9803.
Preccelerator Company Checkplis was featured this week on BuiltinLA’s Top 5 companies to watch report. The Checkplis app allows users to pay at any time and restaurants can also integrate the app into their point-of-sale systems (POS). 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 headquatered in Santa Monica, CA.
Preccelerator Company Lumenus and founder Jeremy Wall were featured this past week on Iot For All in an article discussing how AI takes wearables to the next level. The company started when the founder, Jeremy Wall, was almost killed while riding his bicycle. It was this life-changing event that pushed him to create products that use technology for something meaningful—to save lives. Today, Lumenus designs and produces apparel equipped with wearable LED lights for runners, bicyclists, and motorcyclists.
About Lumenus Lumenus is an IoT safety company, building a Smart Lighting Hardware/Software platform using the Internet of Things to provide real-time safety alerts and create actionable insights for both consumers (bike/run/motorcycle) as well as industrial usage (high-risk vocational workers).
Preccelerator Alumni Company RentSpree has just announced that they are partnering with the California Apartment Association (CAA). Together they offer a state of the art tenant screening platform to all CAA members. RentSpree’s standardized process will help CAA’s 15,000+ members work more efficiently with the verification process, while simultaneously reducing exposure to regulatory risks.
Amidst an atmosphere where faxing has been the norm for many, the new service will allow CAA members to seamlessly access a full credit report and score, eviction history report, completed rental application and more with the click of a button on any device.
All CAA members will also be given access to RentSpree PRO, a premium service offering from RentSpree that helps landlords and managers handle the tenant verification process. As part of the alliance, RentSpree will also be working closely with CAA to unveil a series of groundbreaking new features to provide unparalleled flexibility and convenience to members.
“As an organization that always puts our members’ interests first, we see tremendous value in the services RentSpree will provide for CAA members,” said CAA Senior Vice President Kevin Pellegrino. “Together, we will be able to deliver a platform that exceeds all current and future CAA member screening needs.”
“We are very proud to have CAA as a major partner where our combined efforts will provide CAA members with a technology platform that will significantly enhance their businesses,” said RentSpree Chief Operating Officer Michael Lucarelli. “Importantly, our solution makes it effortless for all CAA owners and managers to offer a digital screening process that most tenants expect in 2018.”
About RentSpree
RentSpree is a Los Angeles-based real estate tech company that has created a proprietary platform allowing landlords and property managers to seamlessly screen and verify tenants. The award-winning tool automates the lease application process for property representatives by providing a 24/7, one-stop system for screening applicants.
LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 28, 2018 (Newswire.com) – The Preccelerator ® Program, a Santa Monica, California-based accelerator program for early- stage startup companies in the digital media and technology space, announced today that it has added its ninth class of companies featuring three innovative startups.
In 2012 Stubbs Alderton & Markiles launched the first-of-its- kind Preccelerator® Program to provide select start-ups with co-working space, mentorship, sophisticated legal services, curriculum and access to a strategic perks portfolio with the objective of helping grow a founder’s idea from business concept to a funded company. Over the past five years, 37 companies have graduated the Program, of which 24 have received funding totaling over $11.2M.
Louis Wharton, President of the Preccelerator states, “Class 9 is representative of the diverse Southern California tech ecosystem, showcasing fintech, e-commerce and social connectivity. We’re thrilled to partner with these founding teams as they accelerate development and deployment of their market solutions.”
Preccelerator® Program Class 9 companies include:
PayClub, Inc. – Payclub is the easiest way to organize and collect money with a group. Payclub can be used for any type of group, which we call “clubs.” Payclub enables you to manage the entire process directly from your phone with a few simple taps, empowering groups to come together and gain insight without the need for spreadsheets or outdated systems. Whether you are collecting for your club or organization, to planning that next getaway with friends, Payclub will help bring both your group’s finances and the people who matter most, together. Based out of Los Angeles, CA, the team is founded by tech, financial, and sales veterans who had a deep need for a solution to managing funds together. It’s time to #JoinTheClub.
Loved Lots, Inc. – Loved lots offers the best in premium
pre-loved baby goods in one safe and easy to use marketplace. Buyers enjoy the best selection of top-of-the-line baby gear and Sellers benefit from a marketplace of Buyers who know the value of quality baby goods. We’ve eliminated awkward cash exchanges and offer a variety of shipping and delivery options to fit your needs. Rest assured with our Buyer and Seller Protection Programs and feel good knowing that a portion of each sale goes to help children and families in need.
Fork & Spoon, LLC – Connect. Cook. Share. Creating a culinary delight for someone is one of the most genuine expressions of care. Fork & Spoon revolutionizes the dating app paradigm by combining the joy of a home cooked meal with the convenience of a mobile app. Realize or extend your passion for cooking and experience what it’s like to Fork & Spoon. Put a spark in your day by sharing your culinary adventure stories and even your #kitchenfails with our unique community. Welcome to a place where relationships start with the magic of sharing.
About Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP is a Southern California-based business law firm with robust corporate, public securities, mergers and acquisitions, entertainment, intellectual property, brand protection and business litigation practice groups focusing on the representation of, among others, venture- backed emerging growth companies, middle market public companies, large technology companies, entertainment and digital media companies, investors, venture capital funds, investment bankers and underwriters. The firm’s clients represent a broad range of industries with a concentration in the technology, entertainment, video game, apparel and medical device sectors. The firm’s mission is to provide technically excellent legal services in a consistent, highly-responsive and service-oriented manner with an entrepreneurial and practical business perspective. These principles are the hallmarks of the firm. For more information, visit https://preccelerator.com.
About the Preccelerator® Program The Preccelerator is a novel platform offered to select start-up companies out of the Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP Santa Monica office that provides interim office space, sophisticated legal services, education, networking, mentorship and $350,000 in usable perks from Google Cloud for Startups, Amazon Web Services, and HubSpot among others, with the objective of helping grow a founder’s idea from business concept to funded startup. The program also retains more than 50 active strategic mentors providing free office hours and discounted services, and provides over 50-plus educational workshops and networking events each year. The Program expanded in 2017 to accept a greater number of companies in more formalized classes, depending upon where the companies are in their evolutionary growth, expand benefits to accepted companies, and will look to make strategic investments backed by strategic angel investors. To apply to the Preccelerator, visit www.www.sparkxyz.io/competitions/152.
Congratulations to SAM Preccelerator company nēdl on their official launch on Amazon Alexa Echo devices and Alexa Cars including Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Mini and Ford. nēdl (like the haystack) is a search engine designed to make live streams discoverable to radio listeners. They turn every word you broadcast and note you play into a magnet to attract new listeners in real-time. Search for “Needle Now..” to find them and start your modern radio experience.
About nēdl
nēdl uses proprietary Speech Recognition to let you search within 100,000+ live news, sports, talk, and music broadcast streams to find what you want and listen to the stream or add your unique voice to the global real-time database for instant discovery. Visit www.findnedl.com
For more about the Preccelerator® Program or to apply, contact Heidi Hubbeling, COO at (310) 746-9803 or hhubbeling@stubbsalderton.com
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles and the Preccelerator Program are proud to announce the launch of their Startup Superhero Video Series – featuring SA&M Attorneys, Preccelerator Mentors, and entrepreneurs on topics specific to entrepreneurship and lessons learned throughout the journey.
This week we’re featuring Preccelerator Mentor Mark Wald as he talks about “Mentor Partnership & Financial Modeling with BallParq.io.”
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.
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To learn more about the Preccelerator Program, contact Heidi Hubbeling at hhubbeling@stubbsalderton.com
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles and the Preccelerator Program are proud to announce the launch of their Startup Superhero Video Series – featuring SA&M Attorneys, Preccelerator Mentors, and entrepreneurs on topics specific to entrepreneurship and lessons learned throughout the journey.
This week we’re featuring Preccelerator Mentor Andrey Kudievskiy as he talks about “Startup Teams & Tech.”
IT executive, Serial entrepreneur, CEO and Founder at Distillery.com, and named one of the 25 Inspiring Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2017 by Inc. Magazine. Andrey Kudievskiy started his career in tech at the age of 19 while working on his degree in computer science. Within five years Andrey had established his first company and played a key role in creating a successful cloud synchronization startup that was sold to a Fortune 500 company. A serial entrepreneur and talented developer in his own right, he is currently focused on enabling other entrepreneurs to build businesses and continuing Distillery’s expansion in the U.S. and international markets.
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Transcript
Speaker: Andrey Kudievskiy
Moderator: Heidi Hubbeling
Startup Superhero Series Featuring Andrey Kudievskiy on “Startup Teams & Tech”
Heidi: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your background and a little bit about Distillery.
Andrey: Absolutely! Distillery is a full-service software development company located here in Santa Monica. We like working with startups as well as enterprise clients. Now we are focusing on stack technology design and development. A little bit about myself, you can tell by my accent, that I came from Russia. Just a few years ago, not knowing anyone here in the States, I had a burning desire to build a business and to help other companies succeed in the area where I have a lot of knowledge and assist in technology. That’s how Distillery started – and so far, we have been successful. This year we got on the Inc. 5000 list for the fastest growing companies in North America. I hope that we position ourselves for the next year as well.
Heidi: Congratulations on that, that’s a huge honor! You are one of the mentors of the program and Distillery, in the Los Angeles tech scene, is one of the premier agencies for startups. What do you like most of working with startups? I know you are one of the mentors of program. Distillery is one of the most well-respected agencies in Los Angeles and you work with a lot of entrepreneurs. What do you like most?
Andrey: Sure, I like working with startups because you can quickly see the value of the work you do. You can see the results of your work. When you meet someone, let’s say your friend on the street and you ask them to “hey can you show me your phone” and see the application I have developed and you can say “wow!” That is just pure happiness. That is when I feel my life is accomplished. Versus working with enterprises when you can work with them for years and years for one of the projects. When it’s released its just a small part of something huge, you don’t really feel like you’ve contributed enough.
Heidi: It doesn’t feel as impactful. When you work with younger stage startup you feel like you become part of their team. On that note, some of the advice that you give with startups. What advice do you give them when they are selecting a stack? What kind of stack do they need to select to be most successful?
Andrey: For technology stack as startups, what I like to say is that they don’t need to overthink it. All the companies who try to build something big in the beginning they go all in. They don’t test the market. They don’t really know what it is. It’s rather important to release something, test the market, see if people use it and then adjust as needed. When people do something enterprise scale for a startup, they spend months and months for development and end up being behind the time curve. So, they are late to the market. We try to build something at a scale you need right now. Something small, go to the market test it. Do the alpha version, the beta version do the public release later. Then at the end when you see that your idea is valuable, its fine to go and rebuild some of the parts. You will lose 50% of your time on building something with the right technology stack, but then this product will do better in the market.
Heidi: What are some of the pros and cons of hiring an internal vertical team versus hiring a team like Distillery, an outside tech team?
Andrey: I think the ideal scenario is when there is a combination. A tech team that will help you on stuff and you have an extension. A company like Distillery who would just help you move faster. When you don’t have enough resources, you cannot move fast enough or maybe some parts of the projects are simply outside of your core expertise. That’s when bringing an agency would be meaningful. It would help you. Outsourcing everything and giving control to an agency doesn’t seem right to me.
Heidi: I think so, because when you outsource without having a technical strategist that is overseeing development internally. If you don’t have that person that is vested in your idea and you fully outsource then you just have somebody whose just project-based developing it. When they’re done, they walk away from the project and walk away from your idea.
Andrey: You must have a vision. You must be able to provide a clear direction. Of course, the digital part of it that you choose. They need to be comfortable adding something to your idea. Advising, according to their expertise what to do and what not to do. At the same time, I feel that getting a technical co-founder for the team really does miracles.
Heidi: Absolutely, so let’s go back to the Preccelerator a little bit. Not to be self-serving, but we really appreciate you as a mentor and you’ve provided great value thus far with your mentorship. What are some of your favorite things about working with the Preccelerator and working with our companies.
Andrey: Well, first thank you so much for having me. The Preccelerator is an amazing group of people and amazing group of potentially big startups and companies, that I see will really grow. To me the value is talking to those young entrepreneurs, seeing them to be in my shoes 5 years ago maybe three years ago depends on how fast they will grow. And exchange knowledge, bounce some ideas around. I also like helping people. That keeps me motivated. When I see that I prevented one person from making the same mistake that I made 5 years ago. That’s the best I can do.
Heidi: I think that’s the definition of true wisdom. When companies take advice from somebody that has already been through that cycle, through that path. Rather than making those mistakes on their own. That’s very valuable. Appreciate you being here and we will see you all at the next startup superhero series.
The Deal Clear your calendar – It’s going down! The Preccelerator® Program Class 7 Demo Day kicks off on January 24th @ 5:30pm, and you’re invited to take part in the festivities. SAM Preccelerator® Program is our meeting spot to showcase the Preccelerator®’s current class of all-star companies to investors and the start-up community.
Appetizers and drinks on us!
The Location 1453 3rd Street Promenade
Suite 300 Santa Monica, 90401
The SAM Preccelerator® is located in the heart of Silicon Beach. Off of 3rd Street Promenade, it has the ease of parking at both the Santa Monica Main Place Mall and Parking Structure #5 on the corner of 4th Street and Broadway.
The Participants
Now, Every Moment of Your Live Stream is Searchable in Real-Time nēdl is a B2B2C platform addressing a nearly $40B global ad market by providing 100’s of millions of radio listeners an AI-powered tuner to instantly locate specific live news, sports, talk, information, and music content using keyword search on live broadcasts; eliminating the need to go station-to-station for specific live content. nēdl not only lets you search live content on over 120,000 domestic and international broadcast radio stations for free, but users can instantly create their own live broadcast stations to inject their speech into the same real-time search results so others may discover them by words they are saying as they speak. Visit www.findnedl.com
Virtual Reality Platform Providing Content for Independent Creators
EVRealities is a secure marketplace for licensing and digital rights management of virtual/augmented reality stock and packaged video content. We are empowering professional VR creators, 360 video, and AR graphic artists to sell immersive content of current events and culturally significant VR/AR experiences to digital media publishers. We deliver curated content directly to publishers for ease of discovery of relevant pieces that can be licensed, editorialized, and published into AR/VR formats to fulfill a steady VR/AR content strategy. Visit www.evrealities.com
Share your Lyrics with Sound, Promote your Music with Custom Lyric Video Clips
LineForLine is a software service for music promotion that gives artists and their fans the ability to share song lyrics across all social media platforms as music videos known as lyric video clips. The growing demand for short form video content on social media platforms is making it difficult to promote songs that are meant to be heard. By syncing lyrics with songs LineForLine gives artists and their fans the ability to create and share lyrics video clips on the fly. These audiovisual snippets of lyrics with sound encourage viewers to listeners, to help artists leverage social media as a platform for music discovery. Visit www.lineforline.com
The Lineup 5:30pm –Registration & Networking
6:00pm –Opening Remarks
Heidi Hubbeling, Chief Operating Officer- Preccelerator Program
Stubbs Alderton & Markiles and the Preccelerator Program are proud to announce the launch of their Startup Superhero Video Series – featuring SA&M Attorneys, Preccelerator Mentors, and entrepreneurs on topics specific to entrepreneurship and lessons learned throughout the journey.
This week we’re featuring Preccelerator Mentor Lisa Tsou as she talks about “Fundraising Tactics.”
Lisa Tsou provides independent strategy and solutions for entrepreneurs so they can grow their businesses to the next level. She is passionate about working with innovative entrepreneurs and startups to develop unique strategies to grow and fund their businesses. Whether you are a startup on the track for traditional venture-capital financing or an entrepreneur on a more offbeat path, she can collaborate with you to develop and implement a creative and practical strategy for success. Lisa also speaks regularly on issues related to startups, tech and women in business. She has been a featured speaker at events including The West Hollywood Women’s Leadership Conference, The SoGal Summit, The USC Graduate Women in Business Summit, Women Founders Network, and Bruin Entrepreneurs, and appeared in publications including The Huffington Post, CNBC, GenHERation and E The Magazine for Today’s Female Executive and the Business Rockstars program.
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Transcript
Speaker: Lisa Tsou
Moderator: Heidi Hubbeling
Startup Superhero Series-Intro with Lisa Tsou “Fundraising Tactics”
Heidi: Today we are featuring Lisa Tsou of the Winning Pitch and Lisa is one of our mentors here at the Preccelerator. She specializes in fundraising, pitch-investor decks, helping companies with their formal presentation as well as other kinds of strategies for fundraising. Tell us a little bit about yourself and thank you for being here.
Lisa: Thanks Heidi. I started working with startups back twenty years ago this year, when I graduated from law school. Spent many years on Wall Street doing Venture Capital, Ipos, mergers and acquisitions, all with tech and startup companies. Spent my whole career on startups and am now concentrating on the part I really enjoy which is the growth part of startups. Working with startups on their fundraising, their investor strategy and positioning for investors.
Heidi: All very important things, especially at this stage within the Preccelerator and other startup companies in this Los Angeles ecosystem. Going back to the fundraising and preparing the pitch presentation, what exactly are investors looking for when companies are starting that fundraising process?
Lisa: I think the best way to think about what investors are looking for is to think of it as a risk reward ratio. Basically, venture capitalists are looking for a really big reward and as small a risk as possible. They’re looking for things with really big markets or things a consumer or a business would be using with a lot of frequency. Something that can get really big and then they are trying to find things with as little risk with the really big as possible. Things that would be considered as something like a risk would be does your product work? Does the consumer like it? Things like what other competition might be out there? I like to think of it as that kind of ratio.
Heidi: That’s a great way to look at it. In a life-cycle of a company, especially with these early stage companies When is the right time to start fundraising? What are those key metrics?
Lisa: I’m going to say something that I know is going to sound really contradictory, but it’s a combination of as late as possible and earlier than you think. A lot of startups go “oh I should go out there and find a venture capitalist to fund me” without thinking through when do they really need the capital? Can they go a little longer? The longer you can go without outside financing, the stronger position you’re in. If you go very early, the venture capitalist is going to take a lot of your company control and you are not going to get as much capital as you would like. So, on one hand think as late as possible on the other hand, from that point start earlier than you think. It’s going to take longer to get in front of investors, get them comfortable with you and build that relationship. From that point when you think you need capital, I would say start certainly start six to nine months earlier than that.
Heidi: The due diligence process by itself once you actually have somebody who is interested in funding you can take four, six, eight months at that point. Also, figuring out whether or not venture capital funding is right for you, versus angel investors versus small business loans. Whatever funding that type of company might need depending on their scalability.
Lisa: Absolutely! Investors are going to ask questions and you may need to think things through or vet some other elements of your business before they will write a check.
Heidi: What are your tactics? What do you suggest to startups when they start looking for funding? How can they get in front of an investor or a VC?
Lisa: It’s a combination of research and somehow wrangling a warm introduction. The research part being finding the right VC or investor depending on their situation. That makes sense for them. How big a check the investor generally writes and the industries they may be comfortable with investing in. Doing that research which will take time and then wrangling your warm introduction to get to them. A lot of investors are not going to be receptive just cold email or blind submissions to them. Working your way through your network, which may be a five or six step process to finding the person who knows a person, who knows a person, who knows a person, to getting in-front of that investor.
Heidi: That’s very important. So, you have been a value and a resource to the Preccelerator program. What are some of your favorite things about being a mentor here, about the program and working with the companies?
Lisa: I really enjoy working with the Preccelerator. As I said I was an attorney at one point doing this kind of work. It’s fun being around really smart people like at Stubbs Alderton and the other mentors who are also awesome. I just love working with the companies. I think you put together a really smart batch of companies who are doing a lot of interesting things in different industries. It’s always fun to come over here and hangout for a couple of hours and see what they’re doing and see if I can help them.
Heidi: I am proud of them! It was great to have you here and we will see you guys next time at the Startup Superhero Series.
Applications are now open for Class 11 of the Preccelerator ® Program, an early-stage start-up accelerator focused on the technology and digital media space! the Class 11 term begins October 22, 2018. Deadline for applications is September 15th, 2018. 
Preccelerator Company Checkplis was featured this week on BuiltinLA’s Top 5 companies to watch report. The Checkplis app allows users to pay at any time and restaurants can also integrate the app into their point-of-sale systems (POS). 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 headquatered in Santa Monica, CA.
Preccelerator Company Lumenus and founder Jeremy Wall were featured this past week on Iot For All in an article discussing how AI takes wearables to the next level. The company started when the founder, Jeremy Wall, was almost killed while riding his bicycle. It was this life-changing event that pushed him to create products that use technology for something meaningful—to save lives. Today, Lumenus designs and produces apparel equipped with wearable LED lights for runners, bicyclists, and motorcyclists.
Preccelerator Alumni Company RentSpree has just announced that they are partnering with the California Apartment Association (CAA). Together they offer a state of the art tenant screening platform to all CAA members. RentSpree’s standardized process will help CAA’s 15,000+ members work more efficiently with the verification process, while simultaneously reducing exposure to regulatory risks.
– Loved lots offers the best in premium
Congratulations to SAM Preccelerator company nēdl on their official launch on Amazon Alexa Echo devices and Alexa Cars including Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Mini and Ford. nēdl (like the haystack) is a search engine designed to make live streams discoverable to radio listeners. They turn every word you broadcast and note you play into a magnet to attract new listeners in real-time. Search for “Needle Now..” to find them and start your modern radio experience.
Now, Every Moment of Your Live Stream is Searchable in Real-Time
Virtual Reality Platform Providing Content for Independent Creators