Los Angeles Is Recognized As Innovation Hub
With its thriving tech ecosystem, Hollywood-fueled digital media sector and talented technology leaders, Los Angeles has been recognized as one of the country’s top innovation hubs.
To continue to grow the area’s technology economy, stakeholders need to strengthen each node of the ecosystem. That requires partnerships among entrepreneurs, research institutions and business organizations.
Top Industry
Los Angeles is a city that constantly reinvents itself and strives to be a better place. This is reflected in the city’s tech scene, which has grown rapidly over the years.
The region is home to a number of major tech companies, and is also an attractive location for startup companies looking to set up shop in the area. It is also known for its creative and artistic community, which can provide a unique and inspiring environment for tech companies to operate in.
Another factor that has helped the tech industry in Los Angeles grow is its large and highly educated workforce. This helps to attract more top-notch employees for tech companies to hire.
Finally, the low cost of living in Los Angeles has also contributed to the growth of the tech industry in the area. This allows companies to keep their costs down and allow them to compete with other tech hubs around the world.
This year the gaming industry has also seen a lot of money go into companies that are located in Los Angeles. For instance, Sherman Oaks-based game maker Mythical Games raked in $75 million during its Series B last June. In the same year, LA-based NightSchool Studio, a company that makes mobile games, was acquired by Netflix for $150 million.
This is just one example of how the industry has grown in Los Angeles over the years and how it has become an innovation hub for companies across a variety of industries. The region is also home to a number of top VC firms, making it an attractive place for startups and established tech companies to start their business.
Top Inventors
With its warm weather, year-round sunshine and beaches, Los Angeles is often called “The City of Dreams.” It has a history of innovation, as well, with Hollywood and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech. This makes Los Angeles an ideal place to develop new technology.
In the recent past, SoCal has produced more tech PhDs than any other region in the country. It also has a robust startup ecosystem, with a large number of companies including SpaceX and Snap (Snapchat).
Another reason for SoCal’s strong innovation is the high-powered universities in the area. Several schools are working to better link their programs with local startups, such as USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies and UCLA’s Silicon Beach Innovation Lab.
UCSD has a renowned life sciences research program, and UCSB is known for its leadership in materials science. Pasadena is home to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which sends rovers on Mars and probes the far reaches of the solar system.
While most of the nation’s top tech hubs are clustered in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, there is no denying that other regions have a wealth of talent as well. In fact, this report found that LA and Orange County had the fifth-largest tech talent labor pool in the United States in 2016.
As a result, it’s not surprising that the area has been the source of many great inventions over the years, from computer-controlled vehicles to the invention of wireless communication. It’s a trend that is continuing, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature by researchers from Harvard University. This trend, they find, is fueled by a growing interest in software-related patents.
Inventor Assistance Center
Inventors need to have legal support when they want to apply for a patent. That’s why the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) created the Inventor Assistance Center.
The center is staffed by former supervisory patent examiners, experienced primary patent examiners, and intellectual property specialists. They can answer general questions about the patent process and help inventors fill out forms and research prior art. They also can refer inventors to other USPTO staff.
There is a group of pro bono attorneys that provide free consultations to inventors in developing countries who are interested in applying for a patent. This helps them learn how to use the patent system and develop their professional skills in ways that are not always available to them.
Another program is the California Inventors Assistance Program, which offers pro bono legal services to financially under-resourced independent inventors. The program, established under the America Invents Act of 2013, assists independent inventors in obtaining patents by partnering with law firm lawyers, in-house counsel and pro-se attorneys with expertise in patent law.
Many of these programs also have training and workshops for inventors who want to learn about the patent application process. In addition, they can assist with market research, engineering design, and prototyping.
Los Angeles has an Inventor’s Assistance Center that is operated by the University of California. The center helps inventors with preliminary patent research, market research, and engineering design. It is also a great place to meet other entrepreneurs and get involved in the local community.
Incubators in the Area
Throughout the region, there are several incubators and accelerator programs that support startups of all kinds. From biotech to digital healthcare, there are plenty of options available for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to take their ideas from concept to reality.
Some of these incubators are specifically focused on specific industries, while others offer co-working space and mentoring to help founders get their business off the ground. Some of these incubators also have specialized programs to support women-led or socially conscious businesses.
For example, Techstars offers a three-month accelerator program that supports any kind of startup with seed funding, mentorship, and tons of perks. Its powerful team of experts, corporate partners, and investors will provide you with workshops, experiences, curated resources, fundraising opportunities, and more to help you build your company.
Another incubator is the LACI, which supports cleantech and green technology startups. This program aims to accelerate the commercialization of clean technologies and create green jobs. Its staff of entrepreneurs, researchers and market specialists work with a 60+ mentor/advisor network to help startup companies launch and grow.
Hera Labs is an incubator dedicated to fostering female start-ups. It provides shared “wet” lab space and shared equipment, as well as operations management services to a group of member companies. It has a number of local success stories, including travel app Elude and influencer booking site Mavens List.
In addition, there are a few other incubators in the area that cater to certain groups of people. For example, the Expert Dojo group prioritizes backing women-led and socially conscious startups in its Santa Monica accelerator, which invests an initial sum of $25,000 to $100,000 in participating pre-seed and seeded startups.
SBDC in the Area
Whether you’re looking to start a new business or grow an existing one, the SBDC in the Area is a great resource. It offers a variety of trainings and workshops that can help you improve your business.
The SBDC in the Area is part of a network of centers that are funded by the Small Business Administration and provide individualized consulting and training to new and growing businesses. In addition, there are a variety of resources available to help you grow your business including incubators and accelerators.
If you’re interested in getting started, the SBDC in the Area can also help you choose a business model that suits your needs. It has an experienced team of business experts who can help you find the right fit for your company and make sure that it runs smoothly.
Aside from one-on-one advising, the SBDC in the Area can also assist you with your marketing and branding, sales strategies and customer service. They can even help you get a loan or apply for one if you need it.
Founded in 2010, the SBDC in the Area is a non-profit organization that is funded by the Small Business Administration and provides free entrepreneurship education to the public. It offers classes on everything from financing to marketing.
They also offer an innovative crowdsourcing platform that allows people to build community around their projects. This allows people to gain valuable contacts that can help them jumpstart their business.
The California iHub2 program is designed to help technology and science-based companies in underserved regions and communities grow their businesses and create jobs. It is a partnership between higher education institutions, economic development organizations and private nonprofit corporations. It helps these companies identify market opportunities, access funding and mentorship with industry experts.
