Friday, December 1, 2006


CADFORCE Raises $3.1M
Los Angeles-based CADFORCE has raised $3.1M in a Series B funding, the firm said Friday. The round was led by new investor Louisiana Ventures, LP, and included participation by existing investors Rincon Venture Partners and the Tech Coast Angels. According to the firm, the Series B round is open for another $1.4M in investment. CADFORCE said the funding will be used to sustain the growth of the firm's systems, personnel and infrastructure, including locations in Los Angeles and three facilities (More info...)
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Interview with Kevin Collins, HD DVD Evangelist for Microsoft
HD-DVD and Blu-ray have been battling it out for position as the next standard for high definition video formats, as consumers are beginning to adopt HDTV television sets and are starting to look beyond existing DVD quality. As part of a push to promote HD DVD, Microsoft and other members of the HD DVD group have been touring the country with a fully outfitted, HD DVD home system on wheels . The HD DVD Experience rolled through town last week, and we took the opportunity to talk with Kevin Colli (More info...)
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eStudySite Raises $6M
San Diego-based eStudySite, a firm that provides clinical research services to pharmaceutical and contract research organizations, said Thursday that it has raised $6M in funding from Celerity Partners and Ticonderoga Capital. According to the firm, the investment was its first round of institutional funding. The funding will be used to expand the firm's operations, support development deployment, and to diversity its services.
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Guidance Software Sets IPO Terms
Pasadena-based Guidance Software, a developer of digital forensics software, has set terms of the firm's IPO. In a filing with the SEC Thursday, the firm said that it will offer 1,750,000 shares of its common stock at a price between $12.50 and $14.50 a share. The firm is looking to raise up to $83.4M on the Nasdaq under the symbol GUID. The IPO is being underwritten by Morgan Stanley, Wachovia Securities, Lehman Brothers, and A.G. Edwards.
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Yahoo Adds BBC News Video
Santa Monica-based Yahoo! News said today that it has begun offering BBC News video on its site, as part of an agreement with ABC News. The firm said that Yahoo News users will have access to approximately 30 BBC News Videos each day. ABC News is the representative for distribution of BBC News in North America. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The new content will be advertising supported and free for users.
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Alelo Gets Win At US Army's 3rd Infantry Division
Los Angeles-based Alelo, the USC spinout which is developing foreign language training systems based on computer games, said this week that it has been adopted by the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Air Field and Fort Benning. According to Alelo, the division began learning Iraqi Arabic using the firm's Tactical Language and Culture Training system this month. Alelo uses computerized technology to teach the Iraqi dialect and cultural cues and gestures to troops bei (More info...)
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Twistbox Expands In UK
Los Angeles-based Twistbox, a publisher of mobile content, said this week that it has established a new office in London, and hired former Warner Bros Entertainment executive Justin Richardson as head of the firm's European Sales and Marketing efforts. Twistbox is a publisher of games, WAP sites and mobile TV channels, and also operates and adult subsidiary, Waat Media. The firm is backed by Spark Capital.
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Scripps Research Institute In $100M Deal With Pfizer
La Jolla-based Scripps Research Institute is in a major, five year $100M research collaboration deal with Pfizer, the institutional announced yesterday. The deal calls for Pfizer to pay Scripps Research $100 million over a five year period to advance scientific knowledge of uncured diseases and ways to treat them. The broad reaching agreement covers therapeutic approaches to cancer, diabetes, and mental illnesses, and also include milestones and royalties on any therapeutic compounds created thr (More info...)
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Amgen Names Japanese Head
Thousand Oaks-based biomedical firm Amgen said this week that it has appointed a new president of its Japanese subsidiary Amgen KK. Yuki Orihara has been appointed as President and Representative Director of Amgen KK, the firm's wholly owned subsidiary. Orihara will head all of Amgen's commercial efforts in Japan, and will be based in Tokyo. Orihara joins the firm from Novartis Pharma KK. Amgen employes 120 in Japan.
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