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​Can Venture Capital Slow Coronavirus?

​Can Venture Capital Slow Coronavirus?

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Reporter Rachel Uranga introduces us to one of the largest venture capital consortiums raising funding for vaccine and test-kit makers. (Yesterday, she introduced us to one of their most promising companies). The idea behind the group is to gather and vet ideas that can make the highest impact on the crisis and then help them get funding and operational help.

Is your office going remote? Ben Bergman has some tips for keeping everyone happy and on task. Tami Abdollah breaks down a new survey that shows tech professionals getting antsy about job security. Bill Gates is stepping away from Microsoft's board, and we have updates on coronavirus' effects on L.A.'s tech and startup community.

The terrifying stories out of Italy inspired Joe Wilson, a partner at bioscience venture capital fund MarsBio, to create a way to quickly fund new coronavirus' vaccines, testing kits and other life-saving ideas.

Over the last week, the consortium he's created has fielded more than a dozen calls and made connections with startups and scientists that have ideas on how to quickly combat the spread of the virus. Read more >>

"There's just no downside to over-communication," said Matt Hoffman, a partner and head of talent at the venture capital firm M13. As more offices go virtual, Hoffman led a webinar Thursday afternoon on how to manage remote teams. He shared some salient tips with dot.LA. Read more >>

An anonymous professional network has been leveraging its 3.2 million users — all verified via their work emails — to ask questions about job security, income issues, and working from home. Some key takeaways :

  • More than half of tech and finance professionals are worried about job security, with employees at Expedia, Uber, Cisco and Intel, among the companies where employees are most concerned about their job security

  • More than 62% of professionals think their total income will be negatively affected by COVID-19

In today's novel coronavirus news: L.A. has confirms new cases and several school districts — including LAUSD — cancel classes starting Monday. Apple's Developer conference is now online and Snap is no longer holding theirs. Six Flags joins Disneyland in shutting down. Santa Monica's Apple store announces one of its employees has tested positive for coronavirus. Read more >>

Snap canceled its in-person Snap Partner Summit that was to be held April 2 due to COVID-19 concerns. The Santa Monica unicorn had planned to stream its conference virtually, but then decided against it. Read more >>

Bill Gates is leaving Microsoft's board, 45 years after co-founding the company with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Gates also announced that he is stepping down from the board of Berkshire Hathaway, led by his friend and philanthropic partner Warren Buffett. Read more >>

The coronavirus pandemic's emergence has changed the world around us. Conferences have been cancelled, travel has been severely restricted, and working from home has become the norm. But less clear is the scale of the economic impact and how companies should be reacting. Looking ahead, how should Los Angeles prepare for longer-term shifts in the market. dot.LA is convening a group of experts from varying backgrounds to discuss this new business climate.

Register for our Strategy Session webinar taking place on Tuesday March 17, 2020 11:00 AM PST.

Speakers:

  • Alec Levenson, Economist / Senior Research Scientist at Center for Effective Organizations, University of Southern California

  • Chris Hill, Investor at Comcast Ventures

  • Tami Abdollah, Senior Reporter at dot.LA