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Weekly Tech Recap: Meet the California Legislator Disrupting Big Tech

Weekly Tech Recap: Meet the California Legislator Disrupting Big Tech

September 25, 2021

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California assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez from San Diego has emerged as one of the California legislature's fiercest critics of Silicon Valley's giants.This week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that targets Amazon's surveillance of warehouse employees. Earlier this month, another bill appeared on his desk, this one allowing restaurants to provide customers an itemized breakdown of the fees charged by delivery apps.

Both bills aim to take on big tech. And both were authored by Lorena Gonzalez. Read our profile on the legislator writing California's new laws that take on tech's biggest players.

A new travel app out of Los Angeles made its Apple store debut this week. Welcome, a sort of Yelp app for people planning vacations and trips, this week also raised $3.5 million in funding.

StreamElements, a streaming services company with leadership in Los Angeles, saw a surge in users during the pandemic thanks to a rise in streamers. The company raised $100 million led by Softbank's Vision Fund 2 this week.

The video game industry is plagued with an issue called crunch where employees work more than 12 hours a day. FuzzyBot Games, a new gaming company in L.A. created by former EA Games employees, raised a $3.5 million to make its first game with as little crunch as possible.

Soylent is rebranding itself as a "complete nutrition company."

CreatorIQ, a marketing analytics company, is acquiring Tribe Dynamics for about $70 million. Both companies have used A.I. to analyze marketing trends.

Karman Missile & Space Systems, an L.A.-based aerospace company, this week acquired Systima Technologies as part of Karman's push into the markets for space and hypersonic system infrastructure.

Cybersecurity threats have gotten worse during the pandemic, with so many people working from home and using their personal computers to access corporate networks. El Segundo-based cybersecurity vendor Saviynt is positioning itself to cater to that growing market.

Former Tinder chief marketing officer Justin Mateen secured $247.5 million at his firm JAM Fund.

Need a podcast recommendation this weekend? Here are some new pods we have for you:

🎙 This week on Behind Her Empire, Yasmin Nouri talks with CEO and co-founder of Mojuri Noura Sakkijha about the jewelry market, reaching burnout and selling 1.8 million pieces of jewelry since the start of the company.   Subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, the Pfizer vaccine showed signs that it's safe for children between the ages of 5 and 11. Now the company hopes for a quick FDA approval.

Los Angeles County on Friday began administering CDC- approved third doses of the vaccine for certain groups, including frontline workers.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek acknowledged the tensions developing with its high profile talent this week during a Goldman Sachs Conference. He said Disney is undergoing "a bit of a reset" in the way companies do talent deals.

Los Angeles County is investing $10 million in a bioscience hub, one of several projects through out the county that leaders hope will raise L.A.'s biotech profile.

Though firefighters remain overworked and underpaid, they may soon have some help in their Sisyphean task thanks to Playa del Rey-based KSI Data Sciences and other drone companies that are increasingly on the frontlines.

The SEC launched an investigation this week into video game publishing giant Activision Blizzard, which is engulfed in allegations that company executives ignored reports of sexual misconduct and discrimination against women employees.

Check out these upcoming Southern California events in the tech and startup scene in October:

Is your organization having an event? Let us feature it in our newsletter! Email [email protected].

Throw me feedback, compliments or questions on this newsletter at [email protected] or on Twitter at @rungomez.