Friday Coffee Meet Up Podcast

Space exploration is a lot of things. Important. Groundbreaking. Inspiring. But cheap isn’t one of them. The NASA JPL Curiosity Mars Rover Mission from 2011 had a price tag of $2.5 billion. It’s Artemis program to go back to the moon has a budget of $35-billion. Those budgets are doable for large government agencies, but they’re out of the realm of possibility for commercial “new space” applications. In fact, adapting NASA space technologies for commercial applications often means creating significant cost efficiencies, sometimes by a factor of 10. Without sacrificing capability,reliability or flexibility. Sound tough? It is, but one Pasadena Company has been on both sides of the equation. Chris Thayer, the CEO of Motiv Space Systems will tell the story of how the company successfully executed large NASA contracts, like building the primary robotic arm for JPL’s mars 2020 rover, and then used that knowledge, experience and capability to move the cost of those systems nearly one decimal point to the left

Why is the size of the venture fund important to the entrepreneur? The size of the fund and the associated strategy for its portfolio construction should matter to the entrepreneur and the reasons why should be clear if you look at the math. Larger funds seek outsized returns, and therefore, this requires entrepreneurs to seek valuations over $1B in some cases. Depending on the founder’s ownership percentage, this sometimes can be less desirable than smaller exits, which can be encouraged by micro VC funds. In this presentation – we are going to dive into the math behind venture funds, how this translates to the entrepreneur, and how entrepreneurs should factor a fund’s size and portfolio strategy into their fundraising decisions. Jawhara Tariq is passionate about funding the LA tech ecosystem. She is going to dive into the math behind venture funds, how this translates to an entrepreneur, and how entrepreneurs should factor a fund’s size and portfolio strategy into their fundraising decisions. Bio: Jawhar

The time when space exploration was only a matter of government has ended. In the past few years, a number of private space companies have skyrocketed. Elon Musk claims that the first manned crew to Mars will happen in 2024 whereas NASA plans to send humans to the same destination in the middle of the 2030s. There is a lot of interest expressed on how we will get there, yet no particular plans on HOW we will sustain our presence in the severe environment. Yet, NASA estimated that the crew behavioral health is a secondary risk in manned space missions after radiation exposure. Human factor considerations increase with the longevity of missions, in particular, their application to where future travelers will be living to support the wellbeing of the crew in an enclosed environment. What does the future of living in space look like? Is it going to look like the promise of sci-fi movies? Or somewhat different? Join Anastasia Prosina for a peek at what aspects need to be habitable modules to thrive in long-dura

While the world is consumed with the current crisis, consumers are still selecting brands into their homes. What brands clear the test and why? A growing buyer value lies the answer to: “is this product produced in a sustainable and ethical fashion?” Sustainable operations are moving from marketing and public relations positioning to being embedded in the product experience. Join this discussion on how new technologies are providing transparency and assurance to consumers regarding fair labor, lower use of natural resources, eco-friendly packaging, and positive carbon footprints. Today’s companies are looking beyond showing what they do with the products in a sustainable and ethical manner to looking downstream and upstream from the materials to the transportation and disposition of their products. This shift needs a new way to share trusted, auditable information that is openly shared and free from manipulation. Companies are now adopting blockchain as the assured way to share the information. The discuss

Market ups and downs happen all the time. Some are industry-specific and some (like what we're seeing now) are general. What can you do as a founder to be resilient during a downturn and use the time as a period of growth? Bio: Paul Orlando has led startup accelerators on three continents. He is Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California and runs USC’s on-campus Incubator for businesses founded by students, alumni and faculty. Paul advises Fortune 500 and funded startups on internal product innovation, rapid experimentation and growth. He has degrees from Cornell and Columbia and was a winner at the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon. He studies unintended consequences. Twitter: @porlando

Kwame Ulmer’s talk will discuss what role regulations play in a healthcare startup’s life. He will provide a deep dive into regulatory strategy with an overview of 5 categories that healthcare startups should consider to be prepared for the road ahead. Bio: Kwame Ulmer Kwame Ulmer brings nearly twenty years of experience evaluating medical technologies in the government and serving in senior operating roles at medical device companies. This experience allows him to help companies at all stages efficiently navigate global regulatory agencies. Kwame has particular expertise in all aspects of the USFDA, from premarket applications to postmarket compliance. Mr. Ulmer previously served as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance at Implant Direct, a Danaher Corporation (Fortune 150) operating company. He led efforts to shorten global registration timelines, improved product quality by process optimization and achieve best-in-class department engagement scores. Kwame has in depth knowledge of the

It’s uncharted territory for many — having everyone who answers to you in a different location, checking in only by email, text and Zoom. But management principles are the same no matter where your team is, with just a few extra steps needed when your workforce isn’t all under one roof. This talk covers: - Why the happiness of your employees should be your highest priority (hint: because their unhappiness costs you millions) - How to root out and fix the problem of “Accidental Managers” - Communication tools to keep everyone engaged and productive, and - How AAA and AC/DC will save your bottom line In times of uncertainty, most people strive to feel useful and productive. The best thing you can do is know how to lead them to give you their best. BIO: Valerie Alexander is a nationally-recognized speaker on the topics of happiness in the workplace, the advancement of women, and unconscious bias, and her TED Talk, “How to Outsmart Your Own Unconscious Bias” has been viewed more than 75,000 times. Valerie’s bo

It's been said time and again that persistence is key to success, but living that ideology through times of trial is another story. Hear first hand how these Entrepreneurs have navigated the many times their business should have failed, and how they adapted during these moments to become stronger and more successful. Trey and Ashleigh Lockerbie Bio: Trey and Ashleigh Lockerbie were internationally touring musicians, working with the likes of Rihanna, Lady Antebellum, Selena Gomez, and Lenka. The rigorous travel schedule was replete with late nights, early mornings, airplanes, and tour buses; They craved connectedness to a community and a healthier lifestyle. When they met in 2011, Trey and Ashleigh began brewing kombucha at home in support of a family member who had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. Kombucha was known for its potentially anti-cancerous properties, but not for tasting great. Better Booch was founded in January, 2012 in an effort to make the healthy choice the obvious one. They hav

During this rapidly developing pandemic, it is difficult to stay ahead of the information, much less the viral spread. Dr Kimberly Shriner's talk will focus on coronavirus origin, pathophysiology, clinical presentations and a short review of current proposed therapies. It will be directed for both medical and nonmedical audiences. Bio: Kimberly A. Shriner, M.D., F.A.C.P. A native of Pasadena, Dr. Shriner attended John Muir High School, Occidental College and Case Western School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Huntington Hospital and received her fellowship degree in Infectious Disease from UCLA/Olive View in 1992. Since that time, she has practiced infectious disease and tropical medicine at Huntington Hospital and in the Pasadena community. Dr Shriner has been a faculty member and assistant director for the graduate medical education department at Huntington Hospital. She is the founder and director of The Phil Simon Clinic, a Huntington based outreach clinic for underserve

Design consistently improves the most profitable companies and products but why do many startups fail to integrate design strategy as they grow. Learn ways to utilize design to build teams, streamline products, connect to users and acquire customers. Bio: Robbie Nock is the Director of Entrepreneurship and Professional Practice at ArtCenter. His background spans media production, new technology and venture development and he is driven to connect design, business and engineering partners to develop new synergies for early-stage innovation. Robbie produces academic programs and provides strategic services for a global community of entrepreneurs, educators, investors and philanthropist. At ArtCenter, Robbie has initiated and grown: BOLD, ArtCenter’s entrepreneurship symposium; Launch Lab, a capstone accelerator for graduating students; RE/BOOTCAMP, a mid-career professional training program; and the Ethics and Emerging Technology Roundtables, an interdisciplinary thinktank to prepare designers for the future.

Yipeng Zhao is a Managing Partner at Embark Ventures, a Los-Angeles based venture capital firm focused on early-stage companies. Embark Ventures particularly interested in Frontier/Deep Tech companies such as cyber-security, AI/ML, Robotics and Data Analytics. Yipeng co-founded Embark Ventures in 2017 where he manages Embark Ventures’ new investments and portfolio companies. Since founded Embark Ventures, Yipeng lead 8 investments and is on the board of directors of multiple venture-backed companies. Prior joining Embark Ventures, Yipeng serviced as Executive Vice President of ZMXY Global Investment, Inc., a China-based private equity investor where he has been actively involved in equity investment in both China and US. Some cases including the equity investment of YangQuan City Commercial Bank and a mixed-use REITs portfolio in Taiyuan, China. Yipeng also helped ZMXY Global Investment set up their venture investment arm (ArcheMatrix Investment Group, LLC) in Los Angeles as a part of the global strategy. Y

Every week, the Friday Coffee Meetup brings together a cross-section of interested innovators (investors, entrepreneurs, programmers, CTO's, VC's, angels, etc) who are eager to more actively engage with other members of our local community at the Cross Campus co-working space in Pasadena. These sessions occur every Friday from 8:15am to 9:30am and are informal. We typically have a short structured presentation on a specific topic or do a deeper dive on a local company. All interested parties are welcome to attend. You can learn about upcoming meetups and about how you can attend in person at FridayCoffeeMeetup.com (http://fridaycoffeemeetup.com/) Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqEpMLu3sr... (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqEpMLu3srTmz_hbS0ucCBQ) The weekly Friday Coffee Meetup is brought to you by Echo-Factory, a Pasadena-based marketing and advertising agency that specializes in helping healthcare, consumer goods, cleantech and aerospace companies achieve rapid, sustainable growth

Artificial Intelligence has the potential to enhance life in ways that we are just beginning to explore. But along with its advantages comes new challenges for ethical system behavior. We must work together to mitigate the risks associated with AI solutions. Bio: Maria Alvarez As the General Manager of Shared Engineering Services in the AI + Research division at Microsoft, Maria and her team provide services and programs that support Search, Ads, News, Maps, and Microsoft Research. Maria is a technical leader with over 20 years of experience. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2011, she was promoted through positions at Symantec, HP, CoCreate Software, and Yahoo! She also served as CTO of Panda Security in Spain. Maria has a B.S. in Information Systems and a M.S. in CS from California State Polytechnic University. Twitter handle: @lacatiraa

New Year’s resolutions aren’t like ordinary goals. In theory they have a far more powerful effect on our psyche because the start of a new year symbolizes new beginnings, a new chapter and a clean slate. Nevertheless, researchers tell us that over 1/2 of us will fail to commit to their New Year resolutions past six months. No sooner have we set our resolutions and announced them on social media, we find ourselves finding reasons to give them up. So why then should meditation and mindfulness be the first two resolutions on your list? Because life is unpredictable, stress is normal and mindfulness can help you with all of it. A mindful meditation practice can helps you develop enough stillness to become aware of your internal state and the forces that drive your day to day behavior. In this way your meditation practice can go a long way to helping you keep your other promises to yourself! It also allows us the time and space to sit with difficult feelings and make better choices toward more helpful behavior. F

What does it take to commercialize new technology? Evan Tsang of Leap Biomed, a boutique medical device engineering and manufacturing firm, outlines the challenges entrepreneurs encounter and how to meet those challenges. Bio: Evan Tsang is currently Vice President, Business Development at Leap Biomed. Prior to this, he led engineering and product development teams at General Motors and Beckman Coulter before jumping into the startup world, where he has led multiple product development teams make the leap from idea to the clinic and beyond. Evan received his BS from Caltech in Mechanical Engineering and an MS from Oakland University in Industrial/Systems Engineering. http://www.weLeap.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ectsang/

How long have you been working on your idea? Or looking for that next disruptive investment? Better still, how do you perfect your skill in doing all that? How do you lock-down your idea, your technology, your business or even your approach to investments? Consider this: the key stems from a very practical understanding how the abstract world (where disruptive innovations come from in the first place) actually works. Amazingly, it is something we were never accurately taught. Hard to believe right? But change that…and we change everything. So take a step into both the past and future. Come to a talk that will change the way you understand the world forever – something that will actually make you smarter. How cool would that be? Winston is the founder of a discipline called Concept Modeling, which is at the root of all other disciplines – but don’t let the word “discipline” scare you. This talk will be very practical and may just be the key to your success going forward. He is the author of an award (Visionar

The story and strategy on how founder Edward Bullard took an idea in his head to a fully working product amongst countless obstacles, through leveraging the product and earning a one million dollar investment. Biography Edward Bullard is a four time entrepreneur, DJ, and film maker. He is the CEO & Founder of Bacpak, a DJ booking app that allows you to book a DJ in 5 minutes, much like Uber. Edward has deep hands-on experience in building digital and brick & mortar ideas with minimal to no preset structure to solid products ready to launch. From starting his first business at 16 mowing lawns to opening a brick & mortar bar and launching digital apps, Edward has over a 15 years of struggles and success to share. Instagram: @djpurplelove @bacpak.app www.bacpak.app

Boards are an inevitable part of the startup journey. Your decisions in the early stages of your startup around your cap table and your board structure will persist and have implications throughout the life of your company. Chang Xu will share her experience from sitting on and observing a number of startup boards as well as give advice for how you can set up your board for success. She will dive into topics such as: -- What does a board do? -- What is it useful for and what is it not? -- What rights do they have? -- When do you form a board and is it ever too early? -- What are the benefits vs. tradeoffs? -- Should you give an investor a board seat and how do you choose your first investor board member? -- How do boards evolve over more rounds of financing? -- How does your relationship with your board change? -- How do your rights with respect to your board change? -- What are the features of a well-functioning board vs. a dysfunctional board? -- What precipitates the latter and how do you avoid it? Bio C

Coachability in its simplest form means that an individual is receptive to feedback and will act to improve their performance in response to constructive criticism. For founders coachability is a critical quality as they are rapidly learning beyond their past experience and the founding team is a key part of an investor’s evaluation of their start-up’s likelihood of success. A coachable founder has a willingness to learn and the ability to change for the better, positively impacting themselves, their employees, and their investors while driving success for their business. Being labeled “uncoachable” in contrast comes with the assumption that an individual will not adapt to changing needs and circumstances in their business and is unable to recognize and act on personal growth areas. Who would you rather invest in? We’ll discuss ways to cultivate a growth mindset and demonstrate coachability for the benefit of the founder and their start-up. Biography Helen McBride, PhD is currently an Entrepreneur in Reside

Stender has been an angel investor for over 25 years and has invested in over 100 startups. While he usually talks about his portfolio strategy and his diligence process, we've asked him to talk about mistakes. While he says his biggest mistakes are picking the wrong horse or the wrong jockey....we've convinced him to talk about the things he's done wrong over the years.