This year was filled with pivots, pauses and restarts for L.A.'s tech and startup world. In our first year of chronicling it (we officially launched in late January), our most-read stories reflect the strangeness of 2020, and go some way in predicting some big questions for 2021. From gaming to biotech, movies to music, and transportation to education, the shifts have been dramatic. Where will we be when the dust settles from this year? As we head into our second year, we'll keep a close eye on the trends that have transformed some of L.A.'s core industries.
#1: Bird's Botched Layoffs
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjkwOTAyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTI0OTg2OX0.XjPdxZkwuisNDImEtwwoQ63ghrehyPCc0kvnTjOYu_U/img.jpg?width=980" id="35f71" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0a5fcc8551294342f63ef3c0e5801fb2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Bird scooters" /><p>The early days of the pandemic, as companies scrambled to shore up cash and preserve their business, provided a number of examples of how to handle a crisis. L.A.-based scooter unicorn Bird, sadly, provided the world a lesson in how not to do it, calling over 400 employees into a glitchy virtual chat and summarily dismissing them all in a two-minute, no-question call that left employees feeling baffled, humiliated and betrayed. In <a href="https://dot.la/bird-layoffs-meeting-story-2645612465.html" target="_blank">a post that went viral</a>, dot.LA spoke with employees and obtained a recording of the call. </p>#2: Ageism and Women in the Workplace
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="74d13fe5e79c2b86616cd4b8d1575763"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tURu7rWxpRw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"When you're older you get discredited and when you're younger you get discredited." Our <a href="https://dot.la/dot-la-convenes-ageism-in-the-workplace-2645955189.html" target="_blank">virtual discussion</a> on how ageism affects women in the workplace struck a nerve with readers. Inclusology founder Cheryl Ingram, PhD and Cue Career founder Heather Wetzler discussed strategies for women to employ at every stage of their careers, and tools that companies can use to combat workplace discrimination.</p>#3. The Twentysomething Who Built LA's COVID Testing Response
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzE4NjUwMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTAxODQyNX0.VUnHkEjwobf6lwllBIn_wsxpwxsoMZGNP-K9KHJTS30/img.jpg?width=980" id="23ea0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0d19cea1f641cebe81a3e4f5fa601516" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Interest in our <a href="https://dot.la/coronavirus-rapid-test-curative-los-angeles-2645906983.html" target="_blank">profile on Fred Turner</a>, the 25-year-old college dropout who founded of Curative Inc., gathered over the course of the year, as more people became personally familiar with the testing system he helped deploy at Dodger Stadium and throughout the city (and, <a href="https://dot.la/curative-kiosk-covid-testing-2646437371.html" data-linked-post="2646437371" target="_blank">eventually, the country</a>). "We are a strange company because our goal is to essentially put ourselves out of business," Turner told dot.LA at the time. Sadly, his startup has only grown since we published the story.</p>#4. The Rise and Collapse of LA's $164M Cannabis Startup
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUyOTM2OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDM5MTk5N30.lJJe-vHUkIRCAhoDMBy3X0z20xtOCrm7s-6qdCvSOg4/img.jpg?width=980" id="cc0a5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6dfed20a014aed28322e02b79d7a5040" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p> The killing of a well-connected Russian investor and the missteps of the twenty-something U.S. executives he hired to run his $164 million cannabis empire made for one of the most compelling stories we published this year. dot.LA spoke to dozens of former employees, as well as state and national law enforcement, to bring readers <a href="https://dot.la/genius-fund-collapse-2646865907.html" target="_blank">this 5-part series on the collapse of the Genius Fund</a>. </p>#5. The Tech Startups Poised to Reshape How Music is Made
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU2NTE3Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzYzNzM1Mn0.6IJEqaQ9bPGU5slt6A8ey6GTX05cgmzLYvKHJ7_b_5s/img.jpg?width=980" id="57ff7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="21de31edcd0b949f841cc5d0ee6a0547" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><div>"Music is no longer just music." The pandemic has completely reshaped the music industry, and transformed how music is made, performed and distributed. In a post that was reached far beyond Southern California, <a href="https://dot.la/music-startups-2647008629.html" target="_blank">we took a look at the new players </a>that are rapidly growing as the traditional model has hit pause. </div>#6. Where Celebrities Meet the Gig Economy
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQwODEzNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTI5MjEyNH0.Rz4OBSxgOLoCe0x9zeTJGx8sNmxbLWRcveyRkvj5I6I/image.png?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C114%2C0%2C114&height=700" id="bed0f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="44b96f900501d80730c824e2f959c0a0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1245" data-height="700" />Cameo CEO Steven Galanis<p>In 2020, CEO Steven Galanis moved from Chicago to L.A. with a number of his Cameo cohorts. The <a href="https://dot.la/virtual-fireside-chat-with-founder-ceo-of-cameo-steven-galanis-2646352676.html" data-linked-post="2646352676" target="_blank">app has increasingly found itself</a> at the intersection of two mega-trends: the growth of gig work and the rise of the influencer economy. Social media stars have been leveraging their massive audiences and forcing the advertising industry — so often fixated on TV, film and sports celebrities — <a href="https://dot.la/influencer-marketing-2648899321.html" data-linked-post="2648899321" target="_blank">to take notice</a>. Our <a href="https://dot.la/cameo-ceo-on-his-move-to-l-a-and-his-companys-future-2646225672.html" target="_blank">profile of Galanis</a> and his company revealed a world of celebrities eager to take hold of their audiences — and monetize them.</p>#7. The Investors Who Remained Unfazed
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzNTgzNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNTQxMjc3OX0.vPXX3wgKJ7qfiC4_2F7tLUSKBon_ovnXunBpgIpcnEM/img.jpg?width=980" id="00b33" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1a967abb5c66c0b78a879b7b437fa605" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>When the pandemic brought the economy to a standstill in March, many L.A. entrepreneurs found themselves staring down a frightening future. But investors were still spending. Inspired by a LinkedIn post from Luma Launch partner Laurent Grill, <a href="https://dot.la/here-are-the-192-investors-still-writing-checks-during-coronavirus-2645576980.html" target="_blank">dot.LA published a list of local investors</a> still looking to fund great ideas. The resulting post took off and <a href="https://dot.la/top-venture-capital-funds-2649623434.html" data-linked-post="2649623434" target="_blank">so did the dealmaking</a>.</p>#8. FAANG Reimagines LA Real Estate
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI3MDA0Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDEyNTU2OX0.A8SKHh326QBC_H1XayK90-A-tbCzmSWtBu5ZrZ2eLbY/img.jpg?width=980" id="75a98" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dfcd9ad7b639b01165349c0482ba7b41" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Among the trends that have reshaped L.A. during the pandemic has been the rapid rise of streaming services and the equally stunning shift in audience habits for movies and TV. As the world emerges from the pandemic in 2021, it will find <a href="https://dot.la/netflix-google-los-angeles-2645965570.html" target="_blank">Netflix, Google and other FAANG companies have gobbled up real estate</a> — especially on the Westside, where Netflix alone is poised to occupy 10% of commercial real estate by 2023.</p>#9. Sketchy's Product Plans and Edutainment's Rapid Rise
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzNTQ3Mi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNTgyMTIzNH0.Ri9lvtrAQA5ocuOAq53rCgh_3eIdezihEDrEctzbAw4/img.png?width=980" id="f5659" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dbf6b94b48d194733826a1139da9059b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>In 2020, Sketchy Medical grew <a href="https://dot.la/sketchy-medical-2647784595.html" data-linked-post="2647784595" target="_blank">from a cult startup</a> that helped medical students efficiently memorize clusters of information into an edtech darling, with big raises, a <a href="https://dot.la/sketchy-medical-2649521016.html" data-linked-post="2649521016" target="_blank">new CEO lured from Disney</a> and plans to leverage its foothold in education technology into a full-blown media empire <a href="https://dot.la/saud-siddiqui-sketchy-2649103276.html" data-linked-post="2649103276" target="_blank">that aims to make remote learning more effective</a> and far more entertaining. Its story parallels the incredible disruption taking place in schools and homes globally, as parents, teachers and school districts confront the pandemic and rethink how education can happen. </p>#10. Karma's IPO Push and Electric Cars' Banner Year
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUxMzYxMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTI1NzIxM30.AVCWBnazt9nMN677n7y5Jm-UQAz4vPADY7h_mmjZV3w/img.jpg?width=980" id="dd926" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5d3b9cebd56cdccf93c902a86e5c90ac" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>dot.LA <a href="https://dot.la/karma-automotive-ipo-2646804376.html" target="_blank">got the scoop</a> on luxury electric car company Karma's moves to go public via SPAC, but it was far from the only SoCal electric vehicle startup to do so. In the wake of Tesla's turbocharged stock market rise, <a href="https://dot.la/dotla-newsletter-2649535973.html" data-linked-post="2649535973" target="_blank">Canoo</a>, <a href="https://dot.la/fisker-gets-ready-for-wall-street-debut-picks-up-manhattan-beach-hq-2648211958.html" data-linked-post="2648211958" target="_blank">Fisker</a>, <a href="https://dot.la/xos-trucks-2647020951.html" data-linked-post="2647020951" target="_blank">Xos</a>, <a href="https://dot.la/culver-city-based-envoy-gets-11m-to-make-electric-cars-an-apartment-perk-2648866406.html" data-linked-post="2648866406" target="_blank">Envoy</a> and many others sought their own IPOs or raised massive rounds. It's a trend we'll be watching closely as <a href="https://dot.la/electric-vehicles-boom-los-angeles-2645360911.html" data-linked-post="2645360911" target="_blank">California ramps up its plans</a> to go fossil fuel free by 2035. </p>Related Articles Around the Web
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The pandemic and social unrest of 2020 accelerated change at a rapid pace for individuals, corporations and communities, L.A. business and tech leaders said during a virtual panel discussion. They predicted 2021 will be an opportunity for tech growth.
Upfront Managing Partner Mark Suster, Valence co-founder and COO Emily Slade and entrepreneur, athlete and investor Baron Davis spoke to dot.LA during its final Strategy Session event of the year. The challenges of 2020 were a common theme.
<p>Suster said he sees the economic recovery as being K-shaped rather than U or V-shaped where half of the economy is doing better than it ever has, while the other half is doing worse. </p><p>"It's really, sadly, exacerbated inequalities in our system because the people that are doing better are knowledge workers and remote workers, and the people doing worse are the people who have to have their earnings from being in person," he said. "So, one thing I didn't anticipate was what we've basically done is accelerate societal change that would have taken five or eight or 10 years into one year." </p><p>Working from home is a change that the pandemic brought that Suster doesn't see going away. He expects people will work from home two or three days a week. He also said he is "bullish" about VR as the pandemic is pointing towards remote collaborative working.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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</p><p>One of the takeaways of Airbnb's and DoorDash's successful IPOs last week was how important and pervasive tech companies have become in today's market, Suster said.<br/></p><p>"It sets up the opportunity of what we expect in the next 10 years," he said. "The second thing it speaks to is the sheer demand there is for public stocks because there's been a six, seven, eight-year period of time where these great companies raised billions of dollars in the private markets and weren't public. And now a lot of them are shifting to becoming public companies." </p><p>Valence, which connects Black professionals with capital, mentorship and professional development, saw its community membership double this year amid the social unrest following the death of George Floyd. Companies had been thinking about diversity and inclusion before this summer, but the protests brought "a sense of urgency and the awareness and understanding across the board," Slade said. </p><p>She said they saw strides this year towards diversity and inclusion in the L.A. tech and startup community, although the steps companies took in response to the movement varied.</p><p>She outlined three things that companies can do in 2021 to achieve diversity and inclusion goals: have diverse people on recruiting teams; spend money, time and attention on retention of new employees and promote Black and diverse leadership within the company. </p><p>"Being a part of a moment like this is actually really inspiring — to be able to say that we were in a time where so much change is taking place and that we didn't just stand by, that we participated," she said.</p><p>Davis, a former L.A. Clipper, said when he was involved in the early L.A. tech scene, he advocated for a name other than "Silicon Beach" to differentiate the community from Silicon Valley.</p><p>A native Angeleno, he'd like to see what he called "L.A. Unified," not the school district, but a community of innovation and inclusivity. </p><p>"For me it's really about unifying the city so we understand how to pay it forward, how to pay it back and how to build a modern city and a smart city where everybody can participate and everybody can share," Davis said. </p><p>He wants to create a structure for opportunities for young entrepreneurs, especially women, people of color and those in the LGBTQ community. And he's hopeful that the pandemic can create a unique moment for innovation. </p><p>"Right now, L.A. is, I keep saying, it's in its infancy, especially due to COVID," he said. "Obviously our school systems were failing, our educational systems need to be rewritten, so COVID has given us all these opportunities for these young minds to come and create and build. So, I think the opportunity for all of us is to seek, find, deliver and give access and use some of the things that we have, as the privilege, to share and build opportunities for the unprivileged." </p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODgyNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDE1ODg0Nn0.9MHOK5nMFrmjUJd19jZa7pZDJnxfJNZWi0OW-OJHRRg/image.jpg?width=1500&coordinates=234%2C0%2C234%2C0&height=2000" id="54056" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f49cf8c06da7b8bae43ca7aaa71541ec" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Baron Davis" data-width="1500" data-height="2000" />
Baron Davis, Entrepreneur, Athlete & Investor
Baron Davis, Entrepreneur, Athlete & Investor
<p>Baron Davis is a two-time NBA All Star, serial-entrepreneur, investor and creator of thought-provoking content and platforms. During his years in the NBA, Davis was constantly listening, learning, networking, and connecting both on the court and off which ignited a successful post-NBA business career. </p><p>Davis is the founder of several companies, including Sports and Lifestyle in Culture (SLiC), Business Inside the Game (B.I.G.), The Black Santa Company and No Label; each with the objective of combining creative talent with original publication and production to develop and provide educational and empowering stories that appeal to global audiences of all ages. Davis was one of the original investors in Vitaminwater and helped launch Thrive Market. </p><p>Davis also served as producer of several acclaimed documentaries including "Crips and Bloods: Made In America," "30 for 30: Sole Man," and "The Drew: No Excuse, Just Produce."Davis currently resides in his hometown of Los Angeles where he plays his most important role, Dad to his two kids. </p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0ODY5Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjU2MTkyMX0.WgbltkeHzG-IoPwhoY56UsWrBpb56CCIxYyTJNIossg/img.jpg?width=980" id="2b417" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d66be3fcb4e47fcf70d6f54fa39993e2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Mark Suster" data-width="3956" data-height="4945" />
Mark Suster, Managing Partner at Upfront
Mark Suster, Managing Partner at Upfront
<p><br>Mark Suster has been a managing partner at Upfront since 2007, where has led notable investments in companies including Bird, Invoca, Density, Nanit and Maker Studios (acquired by Disney). He previously was the founder & CEO of two successful enterprise software companies, the most recent of which was sold to Salesforce.com, where Mark became VP of products. Prior to being a founder, Mark was a software developer at Accenture while living and worked in Europe, Japan and the U.S. Mark is a graduate of UCSD and has an MBA from the University of Chicago.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0NDg5MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjczOTAxNH0.hyPrqUqp2BCVc0Ko8kfflh7nNzcPMPf0qUkdS133XQg/img.jpg?width=980" id="c64c1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="29407c3729d94c3ae633fa5049fd5304" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="356" data-height="580" />
Emily Slade, Co-Founder & COO of Valence
Emily Slade, Co-Founder & COO of Valence
<p>Emily is the co-founder & COO of Valence, a new tech platform and community incubated by Upfront Ventures focused on connecting Black professionals with mentorship, job opportunities and capital.<br><br>Previously, she was the global head of growth/partnerships at Working Not Working, the platform connecting the world's top creative talent with companies looking to hire them, She built the "Work in Progress" initiative there. That effort launched with the acclaimed food-recovery program "FoodFight" that supports tens of thousands of homeless people. They launched FoodFight with a focus on turning foodie-hotspot Abbot Kinney Blvd in Los Angeles into the first zero-food-waste street in America during their beta, and now FoodFight is a feature within the Postmates app in 19 cities with 3000+ participating restaurants donating food to homeless shelters.<br><br>Throughout her career, she's focused on helping tech companies and startups scale strategically and authentically, contributing to the $1B IPO & sale of Active Network during her seven-year tenure there. Her side hustle is behind the lens as a co-founder of a travel production company, Pindrop Films, which takes her on photo adventures around the world. She's also worked as a film consultant supporting the development of features including "Man's Search For Meaning" based on the iconic memoir by Viktor Frankl and she is the L.A. chair of The Schusterman Family Foundation.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0NDkwMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Mjg0MjQwOH0.SzkX-JEOrU-nSmWcaE7hFZcs-RTvGrwR980JoMGsO9E/img.jpg?width=980" id="a0098" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5ac1729cf6acd94a65d747e1ef049616" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1772" data-height="1717" />
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Correspondent & Host and Head of Video
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Correspondent & Host and Head of Video
<p>Kelly O'Grady is dot.LA's chief host & correspondent. Kelly serves as dot.LA's on-air talent, and is responsible for designing and executing all video efforts. A former management consultant for McKinsey, and TV reporter for NESN, she also served on Disney's corporate strategy team, focusing on M&A and the company's direct-to-consumer streaming efforts. Kelly holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A Boston native, Kelly spent a year as Miss Massachusetts USA, and can be found supporting her beloved Patriots every Sunday come football season.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0ODY5OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTg1Mjc4NH0.ldqKcPdkyQHCWmF_FAsST5T_hIxZ1beLOb4azgD0fWM/img.jpg?width=980" id="caca5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2e9e456d97b5bc558de8eac49aafa3ba" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1280" data-height="1920" />
Ben Bergman, dot.LA Senior Reporter
Ben Bergman, dot.LA Senior Reporter
<p>Ben Bergman is the newsroom's senior finance reporter. Previously he was a senior reporter/ host at KPCC, a producer at Gimlet Media and NPR and produced two investigative documentaries for KCET. He has been a frequent on-air contributor to NPR and Marketplace and has written for The New York Times. Bergman was a 2017-2018 Knight-Bagehot Fellow in Economic and Business Journalism at Columbia Business School. He enjoys skiing, playing poker and cheering on The Seattle Seahawks.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODg3MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNTQ1NzY2MX0.3BZbeKWgIisx3pak4_U1a0FFIPHQd_9PSm93bORi68s/img.jpg?width=980" id="e765a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="50eaabae40b153439f5100b00ab89da7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="341" data-height="512" />
Sam Adams, dot.LA Co-founder & CEO
Sam Adams, dot.LA Co-founder & CEO
<p>Sam Adams serves as chief executive of dot.LA. A former financial journalist for Bloomberg and Reuters, Adams moved to the business side of media as a strategy consultant at Activate, helping legacy companies develop new digital strategies. Adams holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and an MBA from the University of Southern California. A Santa Monica native, he can most often be found at Bay Cities deli with a Godmother sub or at McCabe's with a 12-string guitar. His favorite colors are Dodger blue and Lakers gold.</p>From Your Site Articles
- Netflix and Google Will Dominate L.A. After the Pandemic - dot.LA ›
- Mark Suster of Upfront Ventures on VC's Primary Job - dot.LA ›
- Why NYC and SF Tech Workers are Moving to LA - dot.LA ›
- Los Angeles' Tech and Startup Scene is Growing. - dot.LA ›
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This Nonprofit Just Launched a Hub to Introduce SoCal's Regional Tech Communities to One Another
Dec 09 2020
The Alliance for Southern California Innovation is LongLA, as regional investors and boosters like to frame their investment outlook.
Launched three years ago in a bid to help build a hub for technology that can rival Silicon Valley, the nonprofit has been slowly building up a network of tech companies, backers and entrepreneurs beyond Silicon Beach.
<p>"We felt like we are under-appreciated because Hollywood and Silicon Beach are such a strong part of the story and there is so much more than that," said executive director Andy Wilson.</p><p>This week, the nonprofit announced a partnership with Verizon Media that will build out <a href="https://www.alliancesocal.org/community/local-innovation-communities" target="_blank">a digital hub</a> for regional communities to connect. Already their site hosts boards and events.</p><p>The platform centers around so-called microsites such as Pasadena, home to Caltech; downtown Los Angeles where Honey and Soylent are based; Long Beach, a burgeoning center for space development; Ventura County/Thousand Oaks, home to several pharmaceutical outfits and it also has what it calls a Space Ventures Coalition. </p><p>The communities can independently manage content and relationships on the site, but the idea is to create a network for the region's diverse companies. </p><p>Backed by local universities, research institutions and tech companies, Silicon Valley entrepreneur and former state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner co-founded the nonprofit to ignite startup growth and draw the kind of big venture money that helped make the region's northern neighbor the nation's technology epicenter.</p>
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