Wednesday, January 5, 2005


Microfabrica, MOSIS Launch MEMS Fabrication Program
Burbank-based Microfabrica and Newport Beach-based MOSIS have teamed together to offer Microfabrica's 3D micromanufacturing technology to customers. The two companies will offer companies, universities, research labs, and individuals access to three-dimensional MEMS and microdevice prototypes through MOSIS. The program is targeted at sensors, actuators, RF devices, and medical instrument designers. MOSIS provides low-cost prototyping and small volume product services for integrated circuit deve (More info...)
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Gemstar, LSI Ink Reference Design For TV Guide
Pasadena-based Gemstar-TV Guide International and chip maker LSI Logic said that the two companies have signed an agreement to create a reference design to allow manufacturers to easily add TV Guide on Screen features with LSI Logic silicon. The multi-year agreement calls for the two companies to develop a standard design platform incorporating the TV Guide interactive program guide. The platform will be based on LSI Logic's DoMiNo single chip DVD and HDD recorder procesor. Gemstar licenses its (More info...)
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Nereus Pharmaceuticals Raises $42.6M
San Diego-based Nereus Pharmaceuticals has raised $42.6M in a Series D funding led by HBM BioVentures (Cayman) Ltd. and HBM BioCapital LP. New investors included Advent International, InterWest Partners, Genavent Partners (Sanofi-Aventis), and Red Abbey Venture Partnerse. Existing investors Alta Partners, Forward Ventures, GIMV, Novartis Bioventure Fund, Pacific Venture Group, FirstBio, and Lotus BioScience Ventures all participated. HBM Advisors, Advent, and Interwest all added representatives (More info...)
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Broadcom Anchors UC Irvine Research Park
The Irvine Company and Broadcom said yesterday that Broadcom has signed a major office lease to anchor the Universeity Research Park at the University of California, Irvine. The deal, which The Irvine Company said is one of the largest leases in Orange County history, calls for Broadcom to occupy eight new building totaling about 700,000 square feet when it moves from its existing Irvine headquarters. The move is expected in about two years, and expands Broadcom's operations in Orange County by (More info...)
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InfoGenesis Acquired by Warburg Pincus
Santa Barbara-based InfoGenesis has been acquired by private equity firm Warburg Pincus, according to the companies. Infogenesis is a provider of software for the hospitality and foodservice industries, including point of sales, dining management, and reservations. Terry Cunningham has been appointed as President and CEO, with founder and former head Karl Willig retiring as a part of the transaction. Cunninham founded Crystal Decisions and was President of Seagate Software and Veritas Software. (More info...)
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Linksys Speeds Wireless LAN Equipment
Irvine-based Linksys announced new products yesterday which the company claims provides eight times the throughput for standard 802.11g equipment and three times the range. Linksys, a division of Cisco, said that its new line of Wireless-G (802.11g) products use Multiple In, Multiple Out (MIMO) technology to achieve the performance increase. The new product line includes a new wireless router (WRT54GX) and associated PC card (WPC54GZ) which the company says can provide faster wireless throughput (More info...)
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LA Sues Orbitz, Cheap Tickets, Others Over Hotel Tax
Los Angeles has sued online travel sites Orbitz, Priceline.com, Cheap Tickets, Travelocity, and Expedia, claiming that the hotel booking services underpaid the city's hotel tax, according to a report by Reuters. In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, the city apparently claims that online travel companies underpaid the hotel tax by receiving discounted room rates from hotels and selling them for higher prices to customers. Hotel tax is paid on the discounted room rates, instead of on (More info...)
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Interview with John Dilts, Managing Director, Keiretsu Forum
John Dilts in the Managing Director of the Keiretsu Forum (www.keiretsuforum.com), an angel group establishing a Los Angeles chapter. I caught up with John to better understand what the Keiretsu Forum offers to angel investors, and what he sees as the potential of Southern California. BK: What is the Keiretsu Forum, and how does your group operate? JD: Keiretsu Forum is an investment community of accredited private equity (angel) investors, venture capitalists and corporate/institutional in (More info...)
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