Wednesday, March 21, 2007Amp'd Mobile Raises $107M In FundingLos Angeles-based mobile operator has reportedly raised $107M in funding, according to Private Equity Week, citing a regulatory filing. The firm, which operates a youth focused mobile phone service, reportedly received the Series E round from its existing investors along with Old Lane Management. Amp'd Mobile told socalTECH that the firm was required to post the regulatory filing by the SEC, and had nothing more to say on the matter at this time.
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
Numira Biosciences Gets $2.5M in Series AvSpring Capital, the Tech Coast Angels, and the Pasadena Angels have funded Irvine-based Numira Biosciences, Numira said this morning. The Series A round was worth $2.5M. Numira develops R&D tools focused on genetics and molecular imaging. The company said that it will use the funding to expand its operations asnd further develop and commercialize its products and services.
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LegalZoom.com Raises Funding From PolarisLos Angeles-based LegalZoom.com has raised new funding, the firm said today, in a round from Polaris Venture Partners. Amount of the funding was not disclosed. LegalZoom is an online legal document preparation service that offers prepared legal documents for wills, incorporation, and other legal matters. Alan Spoon of Polaris Venture Partners, Jason Trevisan of Polaris, and Kamran Pourzanjani of PriceGrabber.com have all joined the firm's board as part of the funding.
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REAL D Raises $50MLos Angeles-based REAL D, which developed 3-D projection technology used in the cinema industry, announced today that it has raised $50M from Shamrock Capital Growth Fund. Other terms of the deal were not disclosed. REAL D will use the funding to fund development of its systems. REAL D's products are used for 3-D films and are currently deployed on 700 screens.
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Angel Investments Increase In 2006Angel investors increased their investments in new companies by 10.8 percent in 2006, according to a new study that was released this week. The study, by the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire, reported that angel investors invested $25.6B in 2006. The study, said that there were 51,000 entrepreneurial ventures receiving angel funding in 2006, and 234,000 individuals that were active angel investors. Among the indutries funded by those investors were healthcare servic (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
Web 2.0 Investments Double In 2006A new study released today by Ernst & Young and Dow Jones VentureOne found that Web 2.0 investments doubled from investments in 2005, to $844.4M, with almost twice as many deals. The study, which classified Web 2.0 firms as using user-created content, podcasting, blogging, social networking, or using AJAX and other rich Internet applications, found 167 Web 2.0 deals last year. Most active investors in the space were Benchmark Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Sequoia Capital, and the Omidyar Net (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
SpaceX Gets Successful Test LaunchEl Segundo-based SpaceX, the commercial space startup developing orbital launch vehicles, has successfully launched its Falcon 1 vehicle Tuesday afternoon. The launch, which took place yesterday at 6:10pm PST, reached 200 miles into space, and was the first successful launch for the company. SpaceX is preparing for a commercial satellite launch later in the year. The successful launch comes after a number of earlier scrubbed launches and issues. SpaceX is headed by PayPal's Elon Musk.
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
MovieLink Signs Music Content DealsMovieLink, the broadband video on demand download service, said today that it has signed three deals with digital music providers. The Santa Monica-based firm said it is in deals with CenterStaging Musical Productions, Digital Music group, and Egami Media to provide a range of titles through the firm's service. CenterStaging will provide original content, including interviews and discussions with music performers and Egami will include music concerts and film and television series. MovieLink all (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
Amp'd Mobile Launches In Japan and CanadaAmp'd Mobile, the venture backed, youth oriented mobile phone service, said today it has launched in Japan and Canada. The Los Angeles firm said that its entertainment content is now available to more than 30 million mobile users. Amp'd operates a mobile phone service which provides music, live streaming of concerts and events, and other youth-oriented services. Services in Japan are through KDDI Corporation; the company's Canadian services are through TELUS. Amp'd has relationships with MTVN, U (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
DailyStrength Launches Online Support GroupsLos Angeles-based DailyStrength said today that it has launched a new, social networking web site called DailyStrength.org, focused on adults facing life challenges and health issues. The social networking site is focused on people with health, social, and personal issues. The company said that it is will provide people with cancer, depressions, diabetes, and other issues a place to share challenges and advice.
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
Aylum Research Buys Interest In European DistributorSanta Barbara-based Asylum Research, a manufacturer of atomic force microscopes, said today that has purchased a majority interest in its European distributor, Atomic Force F&E GmbH. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Atomic Force has been Asylum's European distributor since 1999. Atomic Force F&E is based in Mannheim and Munich, Germany.
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
CyberDefender Rolls Out Multi-User PackLos Angeles-based CyberDefender, which develops security software for desktops, has introduced a new multi user offering for its online security product. CyberDefender said that its new Early Detection Center FamilyPak will provide a five-user license to its software, for $39.95. CyberDefender offers a suite of Internet security package for screening for spyware, viruses, and other security issues on PCs.
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
DivX Expands Management TeamSan Diego-based DivX said today that it has added two new executives to the firm's management team. DivX has appointed Patrice Lagrange as Vice President and Group Business Manager, Media Languages; and Mark Viken, as Vice President of Marketing. Lagrange was most recently at Adobe Systems; Viken as most recently at Sony Electronics. DivX said the move was part of a shift in structure to product groups headed by group business managers.
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)
Calient Networks Partners With EdenTreeNewbury Park-based EdenTree Technologies is announcing a deal today with Calient Networks, where the two will integrate EdenTree's test automation and lab management products with Calient's line of optical switches. The two said that EdenTree will also become the exclusive reseller of Calient's DiamondWave switches in the network equipment lab market. The two have had a reseller agreement since April of last year, and the firms said the solution has been in use in customer labs for two years. Ed (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007(Full story)