OCBJ Weekly Edition | Orange County Business Journal

Olson’s Opportunity

High-Priced Sales, New Projects Highlight Hotel Industry’s Resilience

Record-setting sales providing plenty of funds for planned developments on hotel properties

B. Braun Investing $500M to Overhaul Irvine Campus

HEALTHCARE: Boosting supply of critical IV fluids

Facilities around the country will be part of the investment plan to double capacity for IV solutions.

Landsea Plans 132- Home Project in SJC

HOMEBUILDERS: 1st buy since going public

New community of townhomes will feature various designs and floorplans that will be prepared for smart home utility

TGS Management Pays $50M for Irvine Offices

FINANCE: Secretive hedge fund buys CSUF campus

Interest in the entire campus caused CSUF to change initial plans for selling

Taylor Made Cuisine Packs Meal Delivery Punch

FOOD: Upstart’s subscription plans take off during pandemic

Taylor DeCosta calls the first dinner she cooked for her then-boyfriend, now-husband the million-dollar plate of enchiladas.

SBA Loans Jump 63% as Average Size Gets Larger

FINANCE: $207M for top 15 lenders in OC

Loans under the Small Business Administration to local borrowers soared 63% to $206.6 million on the Business Journal’s annual list of lenders.

OC LEADER BOARD

California Dominance in Innovation Jobs Still Trumps Texas, But OC Lags

San Diego moves up the ladder for innovation jobs in 2020, ahead of Orange County

OCBJ INSIDER

Rocky Mountain Rivalry

Orange County companies continue to increase their presence in Colorado

1105 Media CEO Sees Events, Digital Path to Growth

MEDIA: B2B publisher adapts to keep relevant

Plans to launch a new marketing agency will place current offerings under a formal title

Viant CEO Expects Jump in Headcount

TECH: Sales, marketing focus after Feb. IPO

Growth strategy will see increased employee count to focus on larger share of digital advertising market

Heirloom Potager Blooms with Rise in Farm-to-Table

SMALL BUSINESS: Home garden gains chef followers

“Sorry, if you hear me watering in the background,” Heirloom Potager’s Ashley Irene said over the phone.

Cybersecurity Firm Netwrix Reports on Cloud Vulnerabilities

Phishing, Ransomware Among Top Issues

A new report by Irvine-based cybersecurity company Netwrix is drawing added attention to the risks of using the cloud and storing data there.

Anduril Aims to Add AI to Drone Capabilities

Buys Georgia’s Area-I; Maker of Military Drones

Rapidly expanding Anduril Industries in Irvine has bought a Georgia-based company that makes military drones capable of being launched from helicopters and other moving platforms.

Fullerton Student Housing Project Trades for $44.4M

Family-Owned Investor Champion Back in OC

A private Los Angeles investor has paid $44.4 million for a 100-unit, 346-bed student housing community near Cal State University, Fullerton.

Healthcare Realty Continues Laguna Hills Investment Swing

$31.3M Medical Office Deal; Fourth Recent OC Buy

Healthcare Realty Trust Inc., a medical office-focused real estate investment trust valued at more than $4 billion, is continuing its local acquisition spree around MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center.

STARTUPS & INNOVATIONS

Fuel50, a talent retention and recruitment software company, raised a $15.5 million round of financing this month.

PacSun Continues to Curry Favor from Gen Z

Moves Up in Latest Teen Survey

Teens have spoken again for Piper Sandler’s latest “Taking Stock With Teens” report for spring, and local retailer PacSun can pat itself on the back.

HBO Max Taps Lab For Art Installation

Anti-Mall Chosen For Gen Z-focused Show

The Lab Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa got a strong nod from on-demand video and streaming service HBO Max.

Urovant Sciences Starts Selling Drug for Overactive Bladders

Says Gemtesa Faster, Safer than Competition’s

Urovant Sciences of Irvine last week launched what it’s calling the first breakthrough medication for patients with overactive bladder in nearly a decade.

Philanthropy

Brea’s Viewsonic, a maker of digital projectors and other computer and electronic products, has committed $500,000 in funding and in-kind technology to the Orange County United Way’s Empowering Future Generations initiative, which is designed to identify and support schools and organizations in need of technology resources.

Anivive Sprints to Market With Pet Chemotherapy

DRUGMAKERS: Allergan ties, notable OC backers

$5 million in research and development costs funded project to address a global need in pet healthcare

Irvine Co. Goes Low-Rise With New Innovation Office Park

DEVELOPMENT: Project encourages return to office

The state's largest office owner launches first phase of its latest campus Innovation Office Park in Irvine Spectrum area

The Shoe Fits

Boot Barn Bucks Retail Trends, Expands With ‘Relentless Focus’ on Physical Stores

As new markets develop, a physical store redesign will be seen in new and remodeled locations

CoStar Inks Full-Building Lease at Spectrum Terrace

REAL ESTATE: Triples OC base, 115K SF

Despite acquisition setback, CoStar doubles down on operations in Orange County

Crossover Health Scores $168M Series D

HEALTHCARE: Medical group nears unicorn status

2021 expansion plans in place as the customer base and list of investors continue to grow

OC’s Luxe Listings Coming With Higher Asking Prices

Eight Homes Above $30M on the Market

A shortage of luxury homes in Orange County continues to help drive high asking prices.

OCBJ INSIDER

An Opportunity Made

Acquisitions and a planned IPO are setting up for big 2021 expectations

Pita Pita $13M Investment to Launch Expansion

RESTAURANTS: Aims to open 20 spots over 3 years

Pre-pandemic plans on technology investments were fast-tracked for 2020 success

Tarsus Pharm Sets Sights on China

DRUGMAKERS: $200M licensing deal with LianBio

Feature product TP-03 will help patients in China with inflammatory eye conditions, more products planned

Indoor Dining Returns to OC

Newport Beach Resturant Week Begins April 19

Foodservice is in full swing as dining establishments return to normal in Orange County

OneCharge Batteries Charged Up to Meet Economic Boom

Moving to Consolidated Site in Garden Grove

Larger facility is needed as the company looks towards expanding workforce

Blizzard Entertainment Parent Details Irvine Operations

World of Warcraft Boost; Hit to Overwatch Franchise

Growth initiatives and reinvigoration of the Overwatch franchise planned for with new sequel

DJM Eyes Adding Rentals to Bella Terra Mix

Surf City Mall to Swap Out Burlington Coat Factory

Plans to refresh and replace outdated retail options are in place to introduce new apartment project

New Home Expands Further Outside State

Phoenix Plans Come After Denver Buy

Average selling costs has lowered as the company looks to deliver affordable communities

Hyundai Connected System Adds Driving Score Feature

Insurance Savings Eyed; Verisk Analytics Data

Connectivity program actively monitor driving behaviors that could lead to insurance discounts

Del Taco CMO Focus: Bring Back Energy

Brand, Food Emphasis Before Digital, Other Tactics

Focus on reinvigorating the brand will bring back personality, started with new food

Waldorf Astoria’s Latest Switch: New Exec Chef

Mindful of pandemic protocols and keeping guests safe, looking forward to summer banquets