Thursday, February 21, 2008


Comedy.com Launches, Discloses Funding
Santa Monica-based Comedy.com has launched an online video web site focused on comedy, and has also scored a round of funding. The funding for the site came from Symbolic Action, Prism VentureWorks, and Walden Venture Capital. Comedy.com was founded by former UPN CEO Dean Valentine, who also manages Symbolic Action. The site--which joins a slew of comedy sites launched in recent weeks--features original, comedy content. A source at Prism Ventures, which was seed investors in the site, told socal (More info...)
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Internet Brands Adds Nine Vertical Websites
Santa Monica-based Internet Brands announced Thursday that the firm has acquired nine new vertical web sites, including eight auto sites and one for dog owners. Financial terms of the acquisitions were not disclosed. The sites include 6SpeedOnline.com and Rennlist.com, focused on Porsche enthusiasts; G35Driver.com and MyG37.com, focused on the Infiniti; My350z.com, for Nizzan 350z owners; ZDriver.com for the Nissan Z; NorthAmericanMotoring.com, focused on the Mini Cooper; and ScoobyNet.com, focu (More info...)
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Dakim Pulls In $10.6M For Brain Fitness
Santa Monica-based Dakim, a firm developing brain fitness hardware and software for seniors, said Thursday that it has raised $10.6M in a Series C funding round. The funding came from Galen Partners, and is the first institutional investment round for the firm. Dakim said it will use the funding to expand its mPower Cognitive Fitness Systems product line, which is used to improve brain function in both healthy seniors and those with Alzheimer's or dementia. David W. Jahns and William D. Williams (More info...)
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Boom! Studios Gets Funding
Los Angeles-based Boom! Studios, a firm which publishes comic books, graphic novels, and also develops other media, has raised a round of funding. Amount of the funding was not disclosed. According to David Cremin at venture capital firm DFJ Frontier, the firm invested in Boom! alongside Gideon Hixon. Tim Draper, of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, also participated in the funding. According to Cremin, Boom is a very high growth, stand alone "trans-media" media company, which is creating comic books, wh (More info...)
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Google Launches AdSense For Video
Search engine giant Google said this morning that it has launched a beta of a version of the firm's AdSense advertising technology for video. The new advertising program allows video publishers to include non-intrusive advertising in their video streams. Among the companies participating in the beta of the Adsense for Video program are Los Angeles-based MyDamnChannel and Revver, and San Diego's Eyespot Network, in addition to Demand Media's eHow.com web site.
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Accumetrics Raises $28.8M
San Diego-based Accumetrics, which is developing diagnostic tests for measuring response of patients to anti-platelet drugs, said today that it has raised $28.8M in a Series D funding round. The round was led by Arnerich Massena & Associates, and BBT Fund. The round also included prior investors Essex Woodland Health Ventures, RiverVest, PTV Sciences, KB Partners and Kaiser Permanente Ventures. Accumetrics' diagnostic test are used by physicians to improve the outcome of treatments for coronary (More info...)
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Occam Networks Loses CFO
Santa Barbara-based Occam Networks said late Wednesday that the firm's CFO, Christopher B. Farrell, is resigning. Occam did not give a reason for Farrell's departure. According to Occam, Farrell will resign as the firm's CFO on or about May 15th; the firm has begun an executive search to find a new CFO. In the meantime, Occam said that it has hired Stephen Cordial, who the company characterized as a veteran Silicon Valley CFO, as an advisor to the firm during the transition period. Cordial has p (More info...)
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Kotura Partners With Optical Component Provider
Monterey Park-based Kotura, a manufacturer and designer of photonics products, said today that it has partnered with Oki Optical Components. The two firms said they will bring new products to the marketplace using Kotura's photonics platform. Financial impact of the deal wasnot disclosed. Oki Optical Components designs 40G and 10G optical coponents for the telecommunications and Ethernet equipment market. Kotura is a manufacturer of CMOS-based, optical components.
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