If Scarlett Johansson's now-settled lawsuit against Disney revealed anything about Hollywood, it's this: the rise of streaming video is upending the way talent gets paid — and that's hitting everyone from the A-list actors to the technicians who haul 50-pound cameras on their backs. Reporter Harrison Weber dives into what appears to be a brewing battle between the streaming giants and one labor union that can shut it all down.
🕶 L.A. esports company 100 Thieves and AT&T team up to launch a new virtual reality space, making their first foray into the metaverse.
💼 Biotech Networks is holding a West Coast life sciences career fair virtually on Nov. 10.
🚗 Fisker, the L.A.-based EV maker, has recruited Aston Martin executive David King to develop special versions of its electric vehicles in the U.K.
🛻 Rivian, the Irvine-based EV maker, will rely on a membership model similar to the one Tesla uses to give potential buyers access to new electric vehicles.
📱 The global market for smart home devices is expected to keep growing, from $54.7 billion in 2020 to $123.4 billion in 2025.
💳 Visa is testing a universal payment channel to connect to a variety of cryptocurrencies.
⬆️ L.A. food startup Spudsy has raised $3.3 million in a Series A funding round to put its chips in more U.S. supermarket aisles.
Big Tech and the Strike Authorization Vote
IATSE — the union behind the workers who operate cameras, dress actors, build sets and clean toilets — will vote over the weekend on whether to authorize a strike amid protracted contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
Some of the biggest names in tech, including Apple, Netflix and Amazon (which bought MGM), have a seat at the table alongside AMPTP's major studios. That means their lawyers sit opposite of union members in negotiations over pay and working conditions. Read more...
The Scientist as CEO? Brazien Bio Wants to See It Happen More
Most bioscience companies are run by CEOs with business backgrounds. Startup incubator Brazen Bio wants to turn that around by training scientists to helm their own startups.
MCT's Shane Kelly Says Tech Is Changing Entertainment and Investing
Shane Kelly saw how the pandemic disrupted the entertainment industry. For him, that opened up avenues for new markets in which to invest. Listen to Kelly on the LA Venture podcast as he talks about new tech, the entertainment industry and what he learned while being a mentor.
Event: How 5G Could 'Change the Game' for the Tech Industry
Tech industry leaders and venture capitalists gathered for a final dot.LA 2021 Summer Series event at the Verizon 5G Labs in Playa Vista on Thursday to get a first-hand look at the technological promises of the new generation of wireless. The event was sponsored by real estate agents Jen Winston and Lauren Forbes from COMPASS and Ari Afshar from VOYAGE.