THE NEXT WAVE

Along with the shiny world of famous faces and golden beaches, the City of Angels is forging a reputation as one of the most innovative technology hubs in the nation.

 

By Bill Van Parys
Photography by Craig Cameron Olsen
A funny thing happens as our Ford Fusion Hybrid glides inland from Venice Beach. Carny Cali-funk gives way to architectural flourish, sea air mixes with the scent of innovation, the fitness energy of Muscle Beach is channeled into an entrepreneurial craze. This is the inspiration behind Silicon Beach, the tech wave now coursing through the reaches of Greater L.A.

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Behind those walls, start-ups with recycled-chic decor, airy rooms full of hipsters on laptops, and the requisite office dog could be anywhere. But on closer look, distinguishing factors emerge: Many start-ups expand upon L.A.’s key media and entertainment industries in revolutionary ways; the technical talent is largely home-grown, spawned by top-notch universities like Caltech, USC and UCLA. And then there’s that laid-back Cali lifestyle to tie it together, creating what one advocate calls “the perfect storm” for an innovation phenomenon. So what better car to tour the scene than the Ford Fusion Hybrid, a testament to innovation itself.
Here's what a day cruising Silicon Beach and meeting its innovators looks like.

8:45am: Omaze

Founders: Matt Pohlson (left) and Ryan Cummins
FRESH THINKING: Raffling affordable, once-in-a-lifetime celebrity-driven experiences to benefit causes.
THE INSPIRATION: A charity auction where one chance to play basketball with a legend cost $15,000: “So we just thought if this was available for $10 online and everyone had the chance to win, you could raise so much more money and awareness,” Pohlson says.
THE NUMBERS: Crushing items in a tank with Arnold Schwarzenegger raised $1.1 million, while watching the finale of Breaking Bad with its stars raised $1.7 million. “We raised over $3 million in 2013 , and we’ve already outpaced that in 2014,” Cummins says.
FAVORITE INNOVATIONS OF THE LAST 5 YEARS: Personal space travel and the advent of Big Data.
WHAT MAKES SILICON BEACH UNIQUE? “That big ocean, plus the creative abilities from Hollywood,” Pohlson says.

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11:00am: Silicon Beach@USC

Founder: Jay Tucker
FRESH THINKING: A USC venture competition and conference highlighting innovation in digital media and tech.
THE INSPIRATION: Melding the technical genius of USC engineers with the creative genius of Hollywood artists.
THE NUMBERS: Home to top universities, including USC, UCLA and Caltech, L.A. County graduates more engineers than the surrounding regions, including the Bay Area.
FAVORITE INNOVATION OF THE LAST 5 YEARS: USC’s Shoah Foundation is creating 3D projections of Holocaust survivors with the ability to “virtually sit in a classroom, tell their story to a class, and then be able to answer questions—forever.”
WHAT MAKES SILICON BEACH UNIQUE? Tech wizards and Hollywood types, coupled with a vibrant, multicultural community of people. “Innovation benefits from a diverse number of perspectives.”

1:30pm: CreatorUp

Founder: Mike Tringe
FRESH THINKING: Make quality filmmaking, video and storytelling tools accessible to everybody.
THE INSPIRATION: “Cost and connections are limitations to filmmaking, as well as a lack of community. Getting feedback on how to make your story a reality is key. So if you are trying to learn and have no time or money, we’re a convenient solution.”
THE RESULT: Online courses co-developed with working professionals costing $20–$50 and lasting 30–120 minutes. “People say they never imagined they could learn these kinds of things.”
WHAT MAKES SILICON BEACH UNIQUE? “People have always thought creatively here. Now we’re thinking about technology and entertainment working more closely in a new way.”

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3:15pm

Smart tech for a smart town: Silicon Beach start-ups sprawl from Playa Vista to Pasadena. So exploring them means experiencing that famed L.A. traffic and parking game. Fortunately, available features on the Ford Fusion Hybrid include BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with cross traffic alert, where indicator lights in the side-view mirror signal vehicles in blind spots. Active park assist can also help you find a spot and aid in parallel parking. It’s almost like having automated valet parking. And most Angelenos just love their valet parking.

4:45pm: Gigmor

Founder: David Baird
FRESH THINKING: Create a social network site that connects musicians based on compatibility.
THE INSPIRATION: “When I moved to L.A., I couldn’t find anyone to play music with. Craigslist was a lot of time and effort, and having a background in tech, I knew we could create a better solution.”
THE RESULT: Gigmor applies a proprietary matching algorithm to a musician’s key information such as genre, playing level, goals and location. “Music is a collaborative art form—people need to connect and get together. In that sense, we’re like a dating site.”
WHAT MAKES SILICON BEACH UNIQUE? “There’s a rebellious, unconventional streak to L.A. culture that lends itself to an entrepreneurial mind-set.”

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7:30pm: SiliconBeachLA.com

Founder: Rob Lambert (left)

Founders night out

Roni Eshel of goFlow (a wave-sharing app for surfers) and Ryan Magnusson of Grail (an app that aggregates trending content among friends) join Lambert in Venice. FRESH THINKING: Create a go-to networking resource for first-time start-ups.
THE INSPIRATION: “I had my first start-up in university and realized very quickly that you spend a ridiculous amount of time making mistakes you don’t need to. So, I created a resource for those who have an idea and aren’t sure what the next step is.”
THE RESULT: A company directory, jobs board, community calendar and Silicon Beach social network. “A one-stop shop for everything happening in the L.A. tech and start-up community.”
WHAT MAKES SILICON BEACH UNIQUE? “L.A. is one of the most entrepreneurial cities in the nation. A lot of creative people come here to realize their dreams,” Lambert says.

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FAST FACTS

FORD FUSION HYBRID

>EFFICIENT POWER Fusion Hybrid’s regenerative braking system captures up to 90% of the energy normally lost during braking and recycles it to recharge the state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery.
>DRIVER INTERACTION The Lane-Keeping System* prevents you from unintentionally drifting out of your driving lane by using a digital camera mounted behind the windshield.
>ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL* When sensors detect slowing traffic ahead, your Fusion Hybrid will also slow down. When the traffic clears, it will resume the set speed.
>INNOVATIVE INTERFACE Available SYNC^® with MyFord Touch^®** lets you keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road through its voice-activated command function.

*Available feature. **Driving while distracted can result in loss of vehicle control. Only use SYNC^®/MyFord Touch^®/other devices, even with voice commands, when it is safe to do so. Some features may be locked out while the vehicle is in gear. Not all features are compatible with all phones.

A subject’s appearance in this article does not constitute or imply an endorsement of Ford or any Ford product or service by such individual or his/her affiliated entities.