Wednesday, January 3, 2007


MatchActivity Raises Angel Round
Los Angeles-based MatchActivity has received a round of angel funding from the Tech Coast Angels, according to CEO Yoni Avital. MatchActivity, which operates an online dating service centered around activities, said that the round follows friends and family financing. Amount and terms of the round were not disclosed. The TCA lead on the deal was Mike Napoli. Avital also said that the firm has added Dave Nielsen a former executive at Paypal, as an advisory board member.
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AeroVironment Sets IPO Terms
Monrovia-based AeroVironment has set its IPO pricing terms, saying Wednesday in a filing with the SEC that it is looking to offer up to 6,700,000 shares of its common stock at a price between $14.00 and $16.00. AeroVironment develops unmanned aircraft vehicles to the U.S. Department of Defense. The firm is looking to be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "AVAV". The IPO is being underwritten by Goldman, Sachs & Co., Friedman Billings Ramsey, Jefferies Quarterdeck, Raymond James, (More info...)
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Intertainer Sues Apple, Google, and Napster
Culver City-based Intertainer, the defunct movie download service that provided video on demand for the cable television and Internet market, has sued Apple, Google, and Napster over movie download patents, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal Tuesday. According to the WSJ, Intertainer is seeking unspecified damages for infringement of patents for its digital entertainment platform. Intertainer was shut down in October of 2002.
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Amgen Ties Into Cytokinetics
Thousand Oaks-based Amgen and South San Francisco-based Cytokinetics today said that the two will collaborate on the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of heart failure. The two firms said that Amgen will pay Cytokinetics $42M in a non-refundable up-front license and technology access fee, and has also purchased $33M worth of the firm's common stock. The deal also calls for up to $600M in milestone payments based on annual net sales of products commer (More info...)
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Interview with Danny Kastner, FanRocket
Southern California is an interesting environment for both technology and media, and in particular for the fascinating intersections of the two industries. One of the most interesting projects in recent months that combines the two is "It's Your Show", an online, Internet project created by NBC's Carson Daly. It's Your Show rewards users who upload their own user-generated video content with prizes, and with eventual broadcast of the winners on a television show. For today's interview, socalTEC (More info...)
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NextWave Wireless Acquires GO Networks
San Diego-based NextWave Wireless said today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquired GO Networks, a Mountain View-based firm that develops Wi-Fi products for the campus and municipal Wi-Fi systems market. The deal is worth $13.3M in cash, plus $25.7M in earnout over the next 18 months based on performance milestones. NextWave also said it will assume $7.46M in Go's existing obligations. Go's broadband wireless systems are used in deployment of metropolitan Wi-Fi networks. NextWave (More info...)
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Warner Independent Taps Spot Runner For Film Marketing
Los Angeles-based Warner Independent Pictures and Spot Runner today said that the two have begun promoting independent films using Spot Runner's online television ad placement system. The two firms said that Spot Runner has been running a targeted cable TV ad campaign in 18 markets to promote Warner Independent's feature film The Painted Veil. Spot Runner provided localized versions of a national advertising spot, and ran promotions tied to local theaters on cable television for Warner. The move (More info...)
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Telelogic Offers Free UML Software
Irvine-based Telelogic, a provider of modeling software for the software development industry, said Tuesday that it has released a free Unified Modeling Language (UML) software tool. Telelogic said that its new Telelogic Modeler software is available free for developers, and allows engineers, designers, and developers of embedded, real-time, and enterprise IT applications to create model-driven designs. UML is used throughout the software development industry to create object-oriented models of (More info...)
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Mogopop Launches iPod Media Service
Los Angeles-based Mogopop said today that it has launched a beta of a service that allows people to create and share rich media content for the Apple iPod. Mogopop said that its new site provides a way for users to create and share multimedia content specifically designed for the popular media player, including music, video, images, and other information. The new Web 2.0 firm currently offers independent music, music and sports trivia quizzes, and other content on the site.
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ProQuest Closes $425M Healthcare Fund
New Jersey-based ProQuest Investments, a healthcare focused venture capital firm that also maintains offices in San Diego, said today that it has closed ProQuest Investments IV at $425M. The new venture fund brings the fund's total managed to approximately $900M. ProQuest is a very active investor in healthcare and biopharmaceutical firms in Southern California.
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