Compile LA Podcast

What happened to the EV companies in LA’s South Bay? In episode three of Compile LA, Darren Alfonso looks at Fisker, Faraday Future, and Canoo: what they set out to build, where things went wrong, and what their stories say about building a lasting business.

From Fisker’s delivery problems to Faraday Future’s move into robotics and Canoo’s changing strategy, the episode traces the gap between raising money and delivering a product. Darren also explains the SPAC boom that connected all three companies and considers what LA’s current AI wave can learn from it.

Plus, a visit to the Inclusive Coding Festival in Irvine, a look at Edge Negotiation Group’s AI Deal Advisor, and questions about Disney’s relationship with the team behind Character.ai.


More stories about the founders, engineers, and companies making hardware and software in Los Angeles: https://compile.la

Have an LA company or story I should cover next? Send your suggestion to [email protected]

In Episode 2, I review and react to five LA tech stories: Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros., Apple Studios' new agreement with VFX workers, investor pressure on Snap's Specs business, the Epson projectors powering DATALAND in Downtown LA, and California balcony solar.

More stories about the founders, engineers, and companies making hardware and software in Los Angeles: https://compile.la

Have an LA company or story I should cover next? Send your suggestion to [email protected]

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:00:25) Snap

(00:00:51) Why I’m Rooting for Snap

(00:02:37) Attempts to use Snapchat

(00:04:30) Snap Struggling

(00:08:43) Specs

(00:09:18) Armchair CEO

(00:10:30) Outro

Snap is the home team, and I want it to win. But being a fan of the company hasn’t made me a regular Snapchat user, or sold me on its new Specs glasses.

In the first episode of Compile LA, I talk about why I’m rooting for Snap, my concerns about its userbase, and a frustrating pattern: coming up with ideas that other companies take mainstream. Plus, a little armchair CEO advice.

More stories about the founders, engineers, and companies making hardware and software in Los Angeles: https://compile.la

Have an LA company or story I should cover next? Send your suggestion to [email protected]