From Hong Kong, to Los Angeles, to the Vatican. How running three very different startup accelerators over five years changed the way I think about entrepreneurship. Multiple program formats, 100+ companies, tens of millions in funding, lots of customers, exits, all across three continents. The talk will focus on: • Commonalities growing companies face across locations. • Getting results: How I try to trick people into learning. • Next steps in thinking about the future of company growth. Bio Paul Orlando enables companies to grow. He is Incubator Director and Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at USC. Paul has founded and operated successful startup accelerator programs in Hong Kong (focused on mobile development), Los Angeles (focused on growing a wide range of companies with founders affiliated with USC), and Rome (the Laudato Si accelerator, partnered with the Vatican and focused on environmental technology). Companies Paul has worked with have raised tens of millions in capital, served millions of customers, and have been acquired. He has authored several related academic case studies available on Harvard Business Publishing. Paul also helps larger institutions innovate, develop, and grow, especially in lowering the risk of innovation projects, speeding up learning cycles, and transitioning past legacy business models and products. Paul has been featured in media including Forbes, TechCrunch, Fast Company, and the Wall Street Journal. He was a winner at the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon. Paul has a BA from Cornell, an MBA from Columbia, and speaks Mandarin. Twitter handle: @porlando Speaker email: paul.orlando@gmail.com Date: Friday, February 23, 2018 from 8:15 AM to 9:30 AM Location: Cross Campus, 85 N. Raymond Avenue · Pasadena, CA Venue is located on the 2nd floor. Free street parking until 11:00 am; except where valet signs are posted. 90 minutes free parking is also available at nearby parking lots.
Tag: Innovate Pasadena
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
RSVP to Pasadena Startups: Past, Present and Future
Talk a walk down memory lane with Gene as he tells stories of Pasadena Startups Past, Present and Future. I am the Forrest Gump of Internet - I have worked in the worked with some of the pioneers and innovators all with origin stories to Pasadena: GoTo, Overture, Yahoo, YP, Chegg, WhatsApp, Tinder, Google Adword/AdSense/Photos, Sellbrite. So come take a seat on the bench and listen to my story. Pasadena tech is like a box of chocolates - you'll never know what you're gonna get. Bio: Gene is a software veteran and Internet executive known for his expertise in mobile, social, cloud, Big Data, search marketing and eCommerce. He is currently VP of Engineering at Sellbrite.com a eCommerce SaaS startup in Pasadena. Before that he was CTO of Synctree.com a Ruby/Node and DevOps-as-a-Service boutique development shop. He was the CTO of Oversee.net a $100M Consumer Mobile and Domain Monetization company. Before that he was Director of Engineering at Chegg, an online network for college students that offers assistance with homework, course selection and textbook rentals. He was also Executive Director of AT&T Interactive, building and leading teams for YP Mobile, Data Systems and Buzz.com. He also served as Director of Engineering at Yahoo Search Marketing/Overture where he built large-scale search marketing platforms. Gene is currently a on Board of Directors for Innovate Pasadena, a mentor for Mucker Labs, as well as advisor to mobile startups. Gene is a frequent speaker at tech industry events and has received numerous industry awards. He graduated Magna cum Laude with a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles and lives in San Marino with a very supportive wife Jacki and 3 kids.
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
Busy morning at the Friday Coffee Meetup
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
Listening to Michael Culhane’s talk at the Innovate Friday coffee meetup. He’s talking about “Building a Blockchain based Business and funding it via a TGE.” Interesting talk, but a bit too congratulatory about blockchain potentials with no discussion about many of its downsides.
RSVP to Building a Blockchain based Business and funding it via a TGE
Token Generation Events (TGE’s) have proliferated as an alternative means of funding a Start Up. There are some compelling opportunities for the entrepreneur over conventional VC and Angel options. This is the (unfolding) story of how one navigates a fast changing landscape where the SEC looms, Token Economics is religion, Skepticism is growing, Exchanges can help or hurt you and potentially tens of thousands of people in dozens of foreign countries are your investors. I’m all in and I’ll tell you why….. Friday, December 8, 2017, 8:15 AM to 9:30 AM Cross Campus, 85 N. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA Venue is located on the 2nd floor. Free street parking until 11:00 am; except where valet signs are posted. 90 minutes free parking is also available at nearby parking lots. Topic: Building a Blockchain based Business and funding it via a TGE
I met Michael Culhane at today’s coffee and he’s quite interesting. I’ve been meaning to delve into some of the blockchain technology a bit despite some of the dreadful things I’ve been hearing about the underlying viability of using it for some of the off label use. I hope to see everyone there next Friday.
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
Speed networking at Friday Morning Coffee Meetup
Walking to Cross Campus Pasadena from the South
Getting ready for some speed networking
Checkin Cross Campus Pasadena
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena: Friday morning coffee meetup
Adventures in STEAM with a presentation by STEAM:CODERS founder Raymond Ealy
I’m going to have to volunteer some time to this organization.
Some caffeine and networking before the presentation
Cross Campus is a great place to host these types of meetups
Today’s Topic: Steam:Coders
Raymond Ealy has a great sense of humor!
After the meetup I had a grand conversation with Joe Love II about food. I hope we’ll manage to reconnect later on.
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
Innovate Pasadena coffee meetup
“Who is this TED guy anyway? And what the heck is TEDx?” 
“Who is this TED guy anyway? And what the heck is TEDx?”
While short and relatively interesting, this talk felt kind of like filler compared to what Friday morning coffees typically present. I’m surprised that it was something that came out of someone who organizes TEDx talks (aside from the short length). The take away was definitely don’t do one of these talks the day before one of the areas biggest TEDx events of the year. The worst part was that she was tired as the result of the event coming up on Saturday and didn’t get the real PR value out of it because the event had been sold out for months already. Better, she should have done it the week before the next event to lead into it.
Heather Heimerl Brunold talking about “Who is this TED guy anyway? And what the heck is TEDx?”
Cross Campus Old Town Pasadena on Raymond
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
Andy Wilson speaking at Innovate Pasadena. “My First Rodeo”: Campaign Reflections & Insights
Cross Campus in Old Pasadena hosts the weekly coffee for Innovate Pasadena
head this way for Innovate Pasadena
Heading into this weeks coffee meetup at Innovate Pasadena hosted by Cross Campus
Andy Wilson talks about his recent campaign.
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
Valerie Alexander at Innovate Pasadena
Innovate Pasadena: Valerie Alexander on “How Women Can Succeed in the Workplace”
Sadly, based on the general attendance in comparison to typical weeks and someone who asked new people to raise their hands, there was a terrible turnout of the “regulars” and the majority of those there were first-timers. I’m not sure if it was the timing with the beginning of Summer or perhaps the title of the topic that scared the usual crowds away, but one thing is clear. THEY REALLY MISSED OUT! I’ve been to half a dozen or so of these coffees, and hundreds of presentations in this genre and this was easily one of the best I’ve ever seen.
I’ve written a separate post on some of the detais… It was that good!
Checkin Cross Campus Old Pasadena
Adjoa apparently photobombed my attempt to photograph the Innovate Pasadena sign at the entrance.
Innovate Pasadena Coffee Meetup with Drew Koven, Managing Dir. of LDR Ventures, an LA based Venture Capital group, talking about the path to profitability.
