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🎬 Streaming Studios' AI Hiring Spree

Jul 28 2023

🔦Spotlight

In the midst of Hollywood strikes, major streamers are quietly seeking AI Specialists, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Reporter calls out numerous AI postings within Amazon, Apple, Disney, and Netflix. 🎥🖥️🙋♀️

Image source: Shutterstock

The actors fear studios will replace them with AI-generated likenesses, while writers worry about AI-generated scripts. Despite recent job cutbacks, studios are focused on AI recruitment, as technology becomes integral to the industry. Disney is particularly active in seeking AI expertise, with roles like an R&D Imagineer for generative AI and a machine learning engineer for personalization in streaming services. Netflix is offering a $900,000-per-year AI product manager position. Other companies like Amazon, Apple, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and NBCUniversal are also hiring AI specialists. The growing AI influence in entertainment remains a contentious issue among industry workers.

Good or bad, AI is here to stay and has forever changed the Entertainment industry among many others!

🤝Venture Deals

LA Startups

• Airvet, a telehealth veterinary startup, raised a $18.2M Series B led by Mountain Group Partners -

LA Funds

• Nile, an enterprise connectivity startup, raised a $175M Series C led by March Capital Ventures -
• Q-CTRL, a global leader in developing useful quantum technologies through quantum control infrastructure software, raised a $54M Series B joined by Morpheus Ventures - learn more
• Supply Change Capital, a female and Latina-owned venture firm backed by General Mills, Mass Mutual, and Bank of America, is announcing its $40M debut fund - learn more
• Topline Pro, an online scaling service for home services businesses, raised a $12M Series A led by Forerunner Ventures and joined by Bonfire Ventures - learn more
• Source, a B2B marketplace for commercial construction products, raised a $7.5M Series A led by M13 Ventures - learn more
• Exponential Exchange, a startup that provides financial tools for customers ranging from hedge funds to rental car companies, raised a $7.4M seed round led by MaC Venture Capital - learn more
• Cohart, a social marketplace to discover, buy, sell and engage with art, raised $4M+ in a funding round co-led by Slauson & Co. - learn more

LA Exits

• Clutter, a storage startup once valued at $600M, sells itself at a discount -
• Triller, the short form video platform and US-based Tiktok competitor, plans to go public via a direct listing. It plans to sell 42.9m shares at $5.85 per share, representing a $2.1b fully diluted market value, and reports a $192m net loss on $48m in revenue for 2022 - learn more

⚒️Open Roles

Head of Product @ HostGPO

Fresh off a $6M funding round, LA-based HostGPO is hiring a Head of Product. This role will spearhead the next iteration of our cutting-edge e-commerce experience. This role is remote. HostGPO is the market-leading platform for vacation rental owners to manage their purchases. Reach out if you’re interested, and we’ll connect you to the team, or apply directly here.

Account Executive @ Pirros

LA-based Pirros is hiring an Account Executive. This role is the second Account Executive. Reporting to the COO, your job to close new deals and optimize the sales process. Pirros is the Github for Construction, creating an easy-to-use detail management storage platform for architects and engineers in the construction design space. Reach out if you’re interested, and we’ll connect you to the team, or apply directly here.

Founding Engineer @ Pirros

LA-based Pirros is hiring a Founding Engineer. As the first engineering hire, you will work directly with the founders to shape the tech stack, product road map, and processes. Pirros is the Github for Construction, creating an easy-to-use detail management storage platform for architects and engineers in the construction design space. Reach out if you’re interested, and we’ll connect you to the team, or apply directly here.

Are you a tech firm, startup, or VC with open roles? Reach out to be featured on next week’s Newsletter!

📅LA Tech Calendar

Friday, August 4th

• Enjoy the weekend!

Monday, August 7th

• LA Film & Web3 Meetup Monday🗽 - Films Movies, NFT's and Web3 will shape all facets of our lives!

Tuesday, August 8th

• LA Tech Happy Hour🗽 - Meet and connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals while enjoying refreshing drinks!
• Is your startup investable?🗽 - Come and learn tips to get your startup ready for investment!

Wednesday, August 9th

• SoCal Tech Monthly Networking Event - folks working in technology for a monthly happy hour with appetizers included!

Thursday, August 10th

• Points for Clouds, Dreams Aroused - Exhibition at the crossroads of art and tech, a panel discussion, and an afterparty with surprise live performances!
• Octane’s summer social - Mingle and network with the vibrant Octane ecosystem while indulging in delicious food and refreshing drinks!
• Sign up for the AMA Webinar🗽 scheduled for August 14th - The webinar will share more about the next MuckerLab Round on August 25th!

Other events to add to the calendar

🗽 - Free

Have an awesome event coming up? Reach out to be featured on next week’s Newsletter!

🌍Around The Internet

LA superstars Anna Barber, GP at M13 Ventures, Sarah Harden, CEO of Hello Sunshine, and Tracy Gray, Managing Partner at The 22 Fund were named in the Forbes 50 over 50. Congrats! - learn more

📙What We’re Reading

• LA is transitioning from a consumer to enterprise startup ecosystem -
• Changing the Game with Film3: The Power Is Us -
• YouTube star and entrepreneur MrBeast sues ghost kitchen company over “revolting” MrBeast Burger -

🙋♀️Key Hires

• Christine Hsu Evans has been named President and Karan Singh has been named Chief People Officer (in addition to his existing COO role) at Headspace
• Cameron Tucker joins HostGPO as Director of Data Analytics

McKinsey Accelerates LA Funding Diversity🚀

Jul 24 2023

🔦Spotlight

In the US of A, the vibrant start-up world paints a dazzling picture of innovation and potential. However, beneath the surface of glitz and glamour lies a troubling reality—a pervasive societal inequity that takes center stage. The numbers don't lie: in 2022, Black and Latino founders were left with a mere 1% and 1.5% slice of the VC funding pie. Meanwhile, women-founded teams, secured only a slightly larger share at 1.9%. At the time of exit, White male founders average an astonishing $210 million each, leaving our underrepresented counterparts to juggle with a mere 43% of that staggering sum, $91.1 million. It's a sobering tale of missed opportunities and systemic biases, one that deserves our serious attention…McKinsey is here to address this with the InLA Accelerator🚗🤸🏾♀️👻

McKinsey’s InLA partners with SoCal’s underrepresented founders to tackle their toughest challenges and fuel sustainable, inclusive growth. On Friday, July 14th the inaugural Demo Day was conducted to narrow down the final 3 ventures to receive 3 months of hands-on consulting to fuel their growth. The winners?

• ChargerHelp!: ChargerHelp! is a national EV charging infrastructure operations and maintenance service provider that hires and reskills black and brown workers to participate in the green economy. Series A - $20M raised
• Expect Fitness: Expect connects pre and post natal mothers with OB GYN approved on demand fitness workouts to minimize the risk of complications and promote maternal health. Pre-Seed - $300K raised
• Ghost: Ghost is a B2B marketplace for leading retailers and wholesalers to buy and sell surplus consumer goods to reduce the $160B+ pool of global excess inventory discarded each year. Series A - $18M raised

Follow their journeys and

about this incredible initiative!

🤝Venture Deals

LA-based Startups

• Valhalla Ventures, a Los Angeles-based early-stage venture firm focused on deeptech and gaming, raised $66M for its first fund - learn more
• Topanga.io, reusable packaging programs that save money and are sustainable, raised $3.6M in a funding round led by Amasia and Struck Capital - learn more
• Surf Air Mobility, electric aviation and air travel company, went public via direct listing guided by Anthem Venture Partners - learn more

LA-based Funds

• Cymbal, a crypto startup that allows users to view and search the Ethereum blockchain for transactions, addresses, tokens, prices and other activities, raised $18.5M in funding round joined by CAA Connect, and UTA Ventures - learn more
• Whop, a startup building a marketplace for people to sell access to digital products, raised $17M in a Series A joined by Insight Partners, Zinal Growth, and The Chainsmokers - learn more
• UpLift, a health insurance provider for virtual psychotherapy and psychiatry services, raised $10.7M in a Series A led by Ballast Point Ventures and joined by B Capital - learn more
• Gushwork.ai, an operational workflow outsourcing platform, raised $2.1M in pre-seed funding led by Lightspeed and joined by B Capital - learn more

⚒️Open Roles

VP of Sales @ HostGPO

Fresh off a $6M funding round, LA-based HostGPO is hiring a VP of Sales. This role will work closely with the executive team and oversee all of Sales Operations, developing sales strategies and driving revenue growth. This role is remote. HostGPO is the market-leading platform for vacation rental owners to manage their purchases. Reach out if you’re interested, and we’ll connect you to the team, or apply directly here.

Director of Sales @ First Resonance

LA-based First Resonance is hiring a Director of Sales. This role is hands on leading a team of business development reps, while growing the team and creating a sales pipeline. Founded by engineers from companies like SpaceX, NASA, Apple, and Toyota, First Resonance is creating a faster and more dynamic world for manufacturers. Reach out if you’re interested, and we’ll connect you to the team, or apply directly here.

Are you a tech firm, startup, or VC with open roles? Reach out to be featured on next week’s Newsletter!

📅LA Tech Calendar

Friday, July 28th

• Drunk Theatre LA - Tired of creating content? Watch someone else do it: A comedian takes five shots of whiskey in a row and tries to perform an improvised play with five sober comedians. What could go wrong?

Saturday, July 29th

• Web3 Innovation Club Meetup @ USC🗽 - If you are curious about cutting-edge technologies and yearn to join a like-minded community, this is the golden ticket you've been looking for!
• Venice Beach Games 2023🗽 - Join the pickleball craze or any of the 80+ events. Free fitness classes, competitions, games and more!

Sunday, July 30th

• The Summer 2023 Professionals Networking Mixer - Spend a Sunday networking with all walks of life…instead of running errands!

Monday, July 31st

• BGC Los Angeles In-Person Summer Camp - Calling tech parents! Black Girls CODE's two week camp provides hands-on, project-based instruction, where campers ages 12-17 engage in tech instruction!

Tuesday, August 1st

• Tacos & Tech Happy Hour🗽 - drinks, tacos, music, and conversation with different health innovators across Los Angeles, from venture-backed startups to innovative health organizations!

Wednesday, August 2nd

• CHCF and Techqueria Present: The Link Up | A Digital Health Leaders of Color Evening Gathering - Bringing together underrepresented minority digital health leaders to network and get to know one another!
• Prepare your SEO for Blast-Off🗽 - Workshopping sites live, while answering questions about link building and content!

Thursday, August 3rd

• Beeler.Tech Connect: Los Angeles🗽 - A community of digital advertising folks getting together for the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships!
• Sign up for the AMA Webinar scheduled for August 14th - The webinar will share more about the next MuckerLab Round on August 25th!

Other events to add to the calendar

🗽 - Free

Have an awesome event coming up? Reach out to be featured on next week’s Newsletter!

🌍Around The Internet

Calling all LA-based healthcare, fintech, climate, and technology founders! In partnership with the Annenberg Foundation, Pledge LA, and the California Healthcare Foundation, join Founders + Funders of Color for this special multi-day event. 📣🤝🧠

The convening will bring together innovative early-stage founders, emerging fund managers, and thought leaders for three days of candid conversations, targeted education, and curated matchmaking.

• Participants engage with peers, investors, and ecosystem leaders
• Reverse VC pitch day to highlight different funds
• Leaders share best practices across both nonprofit and for profit

Register to reserve your spot! Only 30 spots left

📙What We’re Reading

• Anthem Venture Partners celebrates Surf Air Mobility’s NYSE direct listing -
• Greenfly acquires AI provider Miro AI to enhance short-form content solutions -

LA Venture's Rollercoaster 2023

Jul 21 2023

🔦Spotlight

The Amplify.LA Seed Reportfor the first half of 2023 reveals a decrease in LA seed funding relative to H1 2022, reflecting the global decline in venture capital. 🌍💸⬇️

Image Source: Stable Diffusion

Prompt: Rollercoaster in front of open sky. Dollars falling down

Global funding took a nosedive, plummeting by a whopping 51% compared to last year. The City of Angels had its wings clipped too. Los Angeles saw a 20% decline in dollars deployed, making it rain a little less than in 2022 (💸 not ☔). Deal count also took a dip, with a 28% decrease.

Now don't fret just yet! There's a plot twist in this wild ride. The second quarter came to the rescue, showing a massive rebound with a 124% increase in capital deployed. And where did the moolah go? E-commerce and Blockchain took a backseat, while SaaS had a field day, claiming a delicious 45% of the pie. Aerospace deals took off, doubling in number and showing that LA is soaring to new heights. Health and wellness companies also flexed, going from 9% to 19% of the deal volume.

🤝Venture Deals

LA-based Startups

• Skims, an apparel company founded by Kim Kardashian, raised $270M in a funding round led by Wellington Management and joined by Greenoaks Capital Partners and Imaginary Ventures - learn more
• Futureverse, an AI and metaverse technology and content startup, raised $54M in a Series A led by 10T Holdings - learn more
• Karat, maker of fin-tech tools for content creators, raised $40M in a Series B led by SignalFire and raised $30M in debt from TriplePoint Capital - learn more
• Collectly, a patient financial engagement software company, raised $29M in a Series A led by Sapphire Ventures - learn more
• Embrace, a platform for developing mobile experiences, raised $20M in a funding round led by NEA and joined by Greycroft - learn more
• Beehiiv, a platform for writing, monetizing, and distributing newsletters (like this one!), raised $12.5M in a Series A led by Lightspeed Ventures - learn more
• Voice.ai, a real-time speech modulation startup, raised $6M in a funding round led by Mucker Capital and M13 - learn more
• Loma, a SaaS solution to local marketing and awareness for franchises, raised $2.25M in a pre-seed round led by Wavemaker, Slauson, and Impulsum - learn more
• , an AI biostatical and medical writing tool, raised a pre-seed funding round led by Meridian Street Capital and joined by Mucker Capital - learn more

LA-based Funds

• Powerhouse Capital and 75 and Sunny participated in the a16z Games-led $2.3M seed round for Closing theory, a new, independent game studio - learn more
• Varsity Healthcare Partners, a lower middle-market private equity firm, raised a $700M fund, Varsity Healthcare Partners IV - learn more

📅LA Tech Calendar

Friday, July 21st

• DEFORUM @ BRIGHTMOMENTS🗽 - A 3-day celebration of AI artists and developers in an art gallery…and AI karaoke!

Monday, July 24th

• Go see Barbie or Oppenheimer…or both!

Tuesday, July 25th

• Disarming AI: Webinar Series🗽 - Scared of AI? Us too! Tune into this webinar to stop it from taking over the world…or demystify it!
• SCALE Demo Day at UCLA🗽 - Want to see the best and brightest in aerospace? Come see all the startups in the SCALE accelerator pitch!

Wednesday, July 26th

• LA Film & NFT Web3 Meetup🗽 - NFT's in Film/Media, and Music will shape all areas/facets of our daily lives!

Thursday, July 27th

• Investors & Entrepreneurs in Los Angeles - Come for the startup pitches and networking, stay for the drinks!
• LA Startup and Tech Mixer - Come for the drinks, stay for the networking!

Other events to add to the calendar

🗽 - Free

Have an awesome event coming up? Reach out to be featured on next week’s Newsletter!

⚒️Open Roles

VP of Sales @ HostGPO

Fresh off a $6M funding round, LA-based HostGPO is hiring a VP of Sales. This role will work closely with the executive team and oversee all of Sales Operations, developing sales strategies and driving revenue growth. This role is remote. HostGPO is the market-leading platform for vacation rental owners to manage their purchases. Reach out if you’re interested, and we’ll connect you to the team, or apply directly here.

Director of Sales @ First Resonance

LA-based First Resonance is hiring a Director of Sales. This role is hands on leading a team of business development reps, while growing the team and creating a sales pipeline. Founded by engineers from companies like SpaceX, NASA, Apple, and Toyota, First Resonance is creating a faster and more dynamic world for manufacturers. Reach out if you’re interested, and we’ll connect you to the team, or apply directly here.

Are you a tech firm, startup, or VC with open roles? Reach out to be featured on next week’s Newsletter!

🌍Around The Internet

Do you have a dream?

LA-based brewery, Golden Road Brewing, is here to make your dreams come true. 🍻 💸🛟

“Follow Your Dreams” aims to empower people to dream big by offering monetary support and mentorship, especially for historically underrepresented communities in business, entrepreneurship, media, the arts, and many other industries (not just beer🍺).

So hop aboard the flight of dreams and savor the hopportunity to brew your own destiny with Golden Road Brewing! 21+ can apply here by July 25th!

📙What We’re Reading

• Amplify’s LA seed report for the 1st half of 2023 is out! -
• How AI will change how we supply and consume energy -
• PeerStreet, an LA-based real estate debt investing platform, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy -

🙋♀️Key Hires

• Soumil Mhaskar, Olivia Volkel, Ryan Baynes, and Charlie Wasson join the Watertower Ventures Scholars Program -