Wednesday, October 18, 2006DARPA Grand Challenge Names Track B TeamsDARPA has named the second set of teams that are competing for its 2007 Urban Challenge robotic vehicle contest, saying today that it has added another seventy-eight teams that are taking on its robotic vehicle race contest next year. The 75 teams are on top of the existing 11 Track A teams that the agency is funding with up to $1M each to compete in the event. Local Track A teams competing in the Urban Challenge are Pasadena-based Team CalTech, and Santa Monica-based The Golem Group. Among the (More info...)
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Report: LSI Looking to Acquire StoreAge For $55MLSI Logic is reportedly looking to acquire Irvine-based StoreAge, a provider of storage software, according to a report in Israeli newspaper Globes. According to a report in Globes, LSI is looking to pay $55M for StoreAge, which develops storage virtualization software used in enterprise storage area networks. The newspaper reports that when the deal closes, StoreAge's operations in Israel will become LSI's R&D center in Israel. StoreAge maintains its headquarters in Irvine but does the bulk of (More info...)
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Interview with Jawad Ansari, Miven Venture PartnersWe recently caught up with Jawad Ansari, General Partner of Irvine-based Miven Venture Partners, a venture firm backed by Victor Tsao, founder of Linksys. Miven has been active recently with investments across the globe, and we thought it would be interesting to hear about what the firm is looking for and where it is focusing its efforts.
Ben Kuo: Tell me a little bit about Miven and the kinds of companies you invest in?
Jawad Ansari: Miven has $100 million under management, and is focused (More info...)
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SYS Technologies Buys Ai MetrixSan Diego-based SYS Technologies announced this morning that it has acquired AI Metrix, a provider of network management products based in Reston, Virginia. The deal is worth approximately $7.3M in SYS stock, plus unspecified earnout. Ai Metrix employs 42 in Virginia, and had revenues of approximately $5.8M in the nine months ended September 30th. Ai Metrix develops a network management platform that provides real-time monitoring of alarm events, primarily for the Department of Defense. SYS was (More info...)
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NComputing Raises $8MOrange, California-based NComputing said today that it has closed a $8M Series A investment from BA Venture Partners, for the firm's shared PC computing products. NComputing said today that the firm, which provides a product that allows users to share a single computer to run multiple PC terminals, will move its headquarters to Silicon Valley as a result of the funding. Jim Jones and Rob Herb of BA Venture Partners will join the board.
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AST Founder Launches Media Processor FirmSafi Qureshey, founder of AST Computer, has launched a new company to deliver semiconductors for media processing. Irvine-based Quartics said today that it is launching the firm to focus on development of codec and transport agnostic media processing systems-on-a-chip and software. The firm's products are being used for PC-to-TV, wireless projects, and USB hubs. Quartics said that its products are being used by Acer, ViewSonic and D-Link. The firm is backed by Enterprise Partners, which lists th (More info...)
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Breach Ships ModSecurity FirewallCarlsbad-based Breach Security has shipped the latest version of the firm's ModSecurity open source web application firewall, the firm said this week. ModSecurity version 2.0 adds support for XML and Web Services, better attack detection, and greater flexibiility. The release is the first for the ModSecurity package under Breach, which acquired Thinking Stone Ltd., the open source software developer of ModSecurity, in September.
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SIPPhone, LiveJournal Partner On VoIPSan Diego-based SIPphone said Tuesday that online social networking site LiveJournal will roll out its voice-over-IP and instant messaging software to its users. SIPphone said that LiveJournal will offer its Gizmo Project software for free download to its users, and will provide synchronization between LiveJournal contacts and the LiveJournal-branded Gizmo software. SIPphone develops the Gizmo Project, SIP-based voice over IP software, and is headed by MP3.com founder Michael Robertson.
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Fandango Names SVPLos Angeles-based Fandango has named Stacey Olliff to the position of Senior Vice President, Legal and Business Affairs, the firm said this week. Olliff will oversee legal matters for the online movie ticketing firm. Olliff was most recently General Counsel of Shopzilla, and has also served at Ervin, Cohen & Jessup LLP and Morrison & Foerster. Olliff joins former Shopzilla President and CEO, Chuck Davis, at the firm. Davis serves as president and CEO of Fandango.
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