Tuesday, January 29, 2008ThisNext Raises $5MSanta Monica-based ThisNext has raised $5M in a Series B funding round, the firm confirmed today with socalTECH. The round came from the firm's existing investors, which includes Clearstone Ventures and Anthem Venture Partners. Gordon Gould, CEO and co-founder of ThisNext, said that the funding will go towards growth capital and hiring new people. Gould also said the funding will include additional debt in the next few days, and that the total raised will be between $7M and $8M. ThisNext operate (More info...)
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OG Planet Rolls New MMORPGEl Segundo-based OG Planet, which develops massively multiplayer, online games, said Tuesday that it has rolled out a beta test of its new Cabal Online title in the U.S. The new title, which is already available in Asia and Europe, will begin accepting players Friday; OG Planet said it expects the official launch on February 21st. OG Planet is funded by RealNetworks, and is focused on bringing popular Korean online games into the U.S. market. OG Planet has also received funding from angels Richa (More info...)
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Callwave Hikes RatesSanta Barbara-based Callwave has hiked the rates for the firm's fax services, telling customers of the service that it has raised rates to $12.95 a month and a limited number of pages, up from what was previously $7.95 for unlimited service. The move, which was announced late last week in an email to customers, comes shortly after the firm cut nearly half of its employees in a massive realignment last Thursday. The new $12.95 rate plans cut the number of pages a FAX number can receive to 300 pag (More info...)
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Avalon Laboratories Gets $66MLos Angeles-based Avalon Laboratories, a provider of medical devices for connecting patients to life support devices, has raised $66M in a combination of a equity and debt. According to American Capital Strategies Ltd., the firm invested a combination of senior term loan, senior subordinated debt and convertible preferred and common equity in Avalon Laboratories, along with a revolving credit facility. Avalon Laboratories is based in Rancho Dominguez, and its devices are used to connect patients (More info...)
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Ticketmaster Buys Get Me InWest Hollywood-based Ticketmaster, the online ticketing arm of Barry Diller's IAC, said today that it has acquired Get Me In! a web-based marketplace for music, sport, thater, and other live event tickets in Europe. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Ticketmaster said that the acquisition is a major expansion of its European ticket resale business. Get Me In will be used to create a platform for both primary and resale tickets. Get Me In was launched in 2003 by James Gray, Pa (More info...)
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FreeFi Deploys At Denver International AirportLos Angeles-based FreeFi Networks, a new company providing advertiser supported Internet access at airports, said Monday that it has deployed its systems at the Denver International Airport (DIA). According to FreeFi, it will offer free, ad-supported Wi-Fi Internet access to passengers at the airport, in a partnership with DIA. Previously, the airport charged $7.95 for Internet access. According to Free-Fi, the new service is being funded by advertisements and banner ads which show while surfing (More info...)
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Endemol Links Into MetacafeLos Angeles-based Endemol USA, the production company behind Fear Factor, Deal or No Deal and Big Brother, said this morning that the firm is in a production deal with online user-generated content site Metacafe, to launch a new online, late-night game show. Endemol said it would produce "Buzzed," a trivia game show focused on nightclub and bar patrons. According to Endemol, the series will only be available on Metacafe. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed; the firms said that the ser (More info...)
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Left Bank Becomes Monet SoftwareLos Angeles-based Left Bank Solutions, a developer of workforce management software, said today that it has renamed itself Monet Software. Left Bank said the change would align its corporate and product brand identities. Left Bank's flagship software is the Monet Workforce Management System. Monet's software is used for managing call center operations and customer service. The product is available both as software-as-a-service and traditional software installation.
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