Bancor hit the market with a splash in June, 2017, when it raised a (then) record $150 million in an ICO. At it’s core, Bancor is a set of formulas that solves the liquidity problems faced by most tokens. Bancor works by creating a token that is connected to shared liquidity pools on the blockchain. The way the math […]
Finance
2018 Predictions and Pitfalls In Finance and Investing
Outlook on Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Investing Trends 2017 was a year in which we continued to see major paradigm shifts in capital raising as institutional quality investments became more accessible online through alternative investment options, as investment platforms leveraged various regulations and technology to support fundraising activities, and as investment advisors received a marketplace […]
How Blockchain Could Impact Your Business and Taxes
Bitcoin and ethereum are popular investment options, but it is the underlying blockchain technology that holds real value in the way we can revolutionize big data and transactions over the internet. The potential of blockchain goes well beyond cryptocurrency. It will remain in the fabric of our technological lives and, hence, entrepreneurs should recognize its […]
My Seven Crypto New Years Resolutions
By any measure, 2017 was an epic year for Crypto, which I define as the confluence of the blockchain, cryptocurrency, decentralization, smart contracts and zero-knowledge proof. Crypto started with a market cap of $18 billion, and finished with a market cap of $600 billion. As epic as 2017 was, 2018 is going to be even […]
Is Crypto a Religion and 6 Other Crypto Thoughts
About four months ago, during a conference call I held with four crypto thought leaders, I saw the Crypto light. Some refer to the light as Decentralization. Others call it Blockchain. I refer to it as Crypto. The Crypto light is so shiny, so luminous, I can’t divert my eyes. Over the last four months, I’ve met […]
Inside the Mind of a VC: Tina Aufiero of Safeguard Scientifics
Welcome back to Inside the Mind of a VC, a series of interviews in which we speak with Venture Capitalists. In the hot seat this time is Tina Aufiero, Senior Vice President and Managing Director at Safeguard. Tina brings 20+ years of experience in venture, PE, M&A, and Strategy to Safeguard where she oversees the fintech vertical […]
This LA Startup Just Raised $7M To Make Student Loans a Benefit and not a Burden
The amount of outstanding student loans in this country numbers a staggering $1.4T (Trillion with a T). This has the potential to be a very large problem. At the same time, competition amongst employers for top talent is fierce. Employers need ways to differentiate themselves; especially when targeting potential millenial employees. Tuition.io, has shrewdly devised […]
LA Startup FloQast Raised $25M to So That Accountants Wont Have to Think About This
No accountant likes the month-end-close, and while many attempts have been made to address this pain point, no one is helping you close faster and more reliably than FloQast. FloQast, the SaaS providers made for accountants and finance teams, offers one platform to track, reconcile and automate some of the most tedious tasks while allowing […]
Visa’s Everywhere Initiative Aims to Give Startups the Tools to Go to Market
Finalists will be able to pitch their idea to Visa’s Major Clients at an upcoming Visa event this May in Orlando, Florida. Three Challenges. One big prize pool. Visa’s Everywhere Initiative is just days away from closing submissions for its third annual challenge in the US. For startups, there is a lot at stake: the […]
Cashiers Go To The Bots: The Loss Of The Entry Level Job
Recently, Amazon reported a record fourth-quarter earnings with a profit of $749 million on $43.7 billion of revenue. Amazon is in so many businesses beyond books and e-commerce, from shipping & logistics (and eventually drones) to cloud hosting services. In the spirit of our upcoming event on The Societal Impact of Robotics on March 2nd, I would like to analyze its […]
This LA Startup is the Go To For Student Debt Assistance
With nearly 70% of college graduates accruing some financial debt, information and resources regarding student loans are as valuable as ever. If you are looking for a one stop hub to assist you in making a plans to release yourself from this debt, look no further than Student Loan Club. The service provides loan calculators, […]