Grainge co-hosts Founders Forum in L.A.

HANDS ACROSS THE WATER: UMG’s Lucian Grainge, WME’s Ari Emanuel, Sony Entertainment’s Michael Lynton and will.i.am are doing their thing for Anglo-American business relations, partnering with the Founders Forum and U.K. Trade & Investment to host L.A.’s first-ever Innovation Forum. The two-day confab is scheduled for Feb. 4-5. Confirmed attendees include Spotify’s Daniel Ek, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Simon Fuller, Vivendi’s Jean Rene Fourtou, Casey Wasserman, Google/YouTube’s Robert Kyncl, Randy Phillips and a bunch of prominent Brits. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will give the opening address. "Whether you are a digital start-up, venture capitalist or a content company engaged in proper business development, it is imperative that you think and act globally," said Grainge in the press release. "Nowhere is that achieved more than through collaboration. The Innovation Forum is an effort to foster stronger ties between new and established entrepreneurs from the U.S. and U.K. I'm certain that international ties will not only be strengthened, but significant innovative collaboration will emerge from this unprecedented gathering." Added Sen. Dianne Feinstein, "There is no better time to bring together American and British entrepreneurs and innovators. I hope this gathering in California will produce a wide array of successful online and mobile ventures that enrich consumers around the globe." (1/16a)