🔦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. 🎥🖥️🙋♀️
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 - learn more
LA Funds
- Nile, an enterprise connectivity startup, raised a $175M Series C led by March Capital Ventures - learn more
- 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 - learn more
- 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 - read more
- Changing the Game with Film3: The Power Is Us - read more
- YouTube star and entrepreneur MrBeast sues ghost kitchen company over “revolting” MrBeast Burger - read more
🙋♀️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
