On this episode of the LA Venture podcast, Jump Capital’s Yelena Shkolnik talks about her work with crypto and the sometimes surprising ways in which commerce, content and fintech are converging. The firm operates a $350 million fund focused on writing $8 to $10 million checks to Series A companies. Shkolnik estimates her company leads about 70% of the rounds in which they participate.
Southern California News
San DIego Union-Tribune: Qualcomm bets on the metaverse with a new $100 million investment fund
Qualcomm has set up a $100 million fund to invest in virtual and augmented reality technologies in a bid to help jumpstart the metaverse. The San Diego wireless technology firm announced the initiative, called the Snapdragon Metaverse Fund, Monday.
Built in LA: Dave Raises $100M to Hire, Expand Into Cryptocurrency
Dave, an LA-based banking app backed by Mark Cuban, announced Monday that it raised $100 million in fresh financing. The massive raise came courtesy of VC giant FTX Ventures and will be used to help the company continue to scale.
Built in LA: Newly Minted Unicorn Linktree Raises $110M, Plans to Expand LA-Based Team
“Link-in-bio” is an oft-uttered internet proverb, that’s both a short phrase and a complete sentence. It’s a concise yet effective bit of instructions that can lead you to a wealth of resources. Linktree is arguably one of the most recognizable link-in-bio services available. Almost exactly a year ago, the Sydney-based company announced the arrival of its $45 million Series B. At the time, Linktree announced plans to open an office in LA.
LA Inno: Proptech startup brings in $100M, plus other L.A. startup funding news
A local proptech startup led the way this week with a massive $100 million round. A handful of others, from an aerospace company to an underwater audio-streaming startup to a venture capital firm, raised millions more.
Built in LA: 7 Local Tech Companies With Big Growth Plans
It’s nice to feel wanted, isn’t it? Many employers are motivated to hire right now, which means candidates have more leverage than they’ve had in recent memory. The job market is candidate driven, meaning power has shifted to the applicants, and people who have been waiting for a change might want to consider making a move.
Built in LA: At Celonis, New Leaders and Major Growth Plans Herald an Innovative Future
After working at Google for nearly 16 years, Dustin Jackson walked away from his time at the tech giant with one resounding truth: the existence of massive excess. Yet it’s not the kind you might imagine.
LA Inno: Tradesy online fashion marketplace acquired
Los Angeles-based peer-to-peer resale marketplace Tradesy has been acquired by Vestiaire Collective SA, a global online pre-owned fashion marketplace headquartered in Paris.
Lighting the Spark: Community Leaders and Changemakers
On International Women’s Day 2022, Verizon’s SGA team hosted a conversation between GoodrCo.’s Jasmine Crowe, Skills for Rhode Island’s Future’s Nina Pande, Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital’s Lidia Soto-Harmon, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) LA’s Tunua Thrash-Ntuk for a conversation about how these women are helping their communities thrive. Watch the full conversation below.
Times of San Diego: Opinion: Broadband Technology Can Help San Diego and Other U.S. Cities Reinvent Themselves
There is a case, a necessary case, that renewed community support and local leadership in our cities, San Diego in particular, can make a difference in America’s future by pursuing technical solutions to be a “smart city,” a “city of the future.”
