Wednesday, April 8, 2009TouchCommerce Confirms FundingAgoura Hills-based TouchCommerce, a provider of online chat to help ecommerce retailers convert customers, confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the firm has raised $10M in a funding round. The round was led by new investor Sierra Ventures, and also included participation from prior investors Emergence Capital, Hudson Ventures, Dolphin Equity, and Partech international.
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Websense Sees Strong Q1San Diego-based Websense, a developer of web filtering and security products, said yesterday afternoon that the firm has seen "strong cash flow" in the first quarter. Bucking the overall economy, the firm said that it is increasing its expected, full-year cash flow from operations. The firm said that the growth for the quarter came from its new Web security products, along with growth in the number of the firm's enterprise customers. The strong results came despite a soft information technology (More info...)
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Streetfire Merges With CarDomainMarina Del Rey-based Streetfire, which operates an online user-generated site focused on car and motorcycle enthusiasts, said Wednesday that it has merged with fellow social networking site CarDomain. Financial terms of the merger were not disclosed. Streetfire operates a site which allows users to upload videos and photos of their cars and motorcycles; CarDomain allows users to share information about their automobiles, including photos, comments, and more.
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TrueCar Targets DealersSanta Monica-based TrueCar, the automotive pricing spinout of Zag, said today that it is targeting dealers with a new web site, to help dealerships price vehicles based on market data. According to the firm, it will allow dealers to see price reports and window sticker data from its service, giving those dealers information on what consumers are actually paying for their vehicles. Pricing on the new dealer-centric offering was not disclosed. TrueCar said that the new service will help dealers to (More info...)
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Report: TouchCommerce Lands $10MAgoura Hills-based TouchCommerce, a provider of live chat services to help companies convert online customers, has reportedly raised $10M in a venture funding round. According to PEHub.com, the round included participation by existing investors Partech International, Emergence Capital, Dolphin Equity Partners and Hudson Ventures. Bernard Louvat, President and CEO of TouchCommerce, did not reply to emails requesting comment on the funding. TouchCommerce was formerly known as inQ.
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Ethertronics Gets $4MSan Diego-based Ethertronics, a developer of embedded antennas used for cellular, WiFi/WiMax, GPS, Bluetooth and other wireless devices, has raised $4.0M in a equity funding round, according to a recent regulatory filing by the firm. Details of the funding have not been released. However, according to the filing, representatives from prior investors Excelsior Venture Partners and Sevin Rosen Funds still sit on its board, as does a new representative from Ridgewood Venture Management, which lists (More info...)
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Lantronix Hires Sales VPIrvine-based Lantronix, a provider of networking and data center management software and services, reported Tuesday that it has hired Jeff Kost as senior vice president of worldwide sales. The firm described Kost as a sales veteran with nearly two decades of relevant experience, including 11 years at flash memory manufacturer SanDisk. Most recently, Lantronix noted, Kost was senior vice president and general manager of SanDisk's Mobile Consumer Solutions division. As general manager, Lantronix e (More info...)
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InTouch Technologies Settles Patent SuitSanta Barbara-based InTouch Technologies, which develops robotic telepresence sysetms for the health care industry, revealed this morning that it has settled a legal dispute with HeadThere Inc. over the firm's patents. According to InTouch Technologies, HeadThere has agreed to cease its alleged infringing activities--including promotion and sale of its products in the US--and both companies will release each other from liability related to the litigation. InTouch has also granted HeadThere a lim (More info...)
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Capstone Lays Off 22Chatsworth-based Capstone Turbine, a manufacturer of microturbine systems for the power generation market, announced this morning that the firm has laid off 22 positions at the firm. According to Capstone, the cuts came on March 23rd, and are on top of a February cut of 19 employees and 16 open positions at the company, bringing the firm's total employees to 212. The firm said the two cuts were made to lower the company's future operating expenses, and will save it approximately $3.7M in annual (More info...)
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AudioMicro Bolsters Sound Effects LibraryLos Angeles-based AudioMicro.com, which operates an online, stock audio web site used by content developers to license audio clips, said Tuesday that it has expanded its offerings. The firm said that it has added a library of sound effects from Blastwave FX to its archive. AudioMicro said the addition adds over 32,000 effects to the site. AudioMicro, which is funded by DFJ Frontier Fund, is developing an online site for users to download royalty-free music, sound effects, and other sound clips; (More info...)
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Interview with Eric Golden, EquipoisWe recently ran across Los Angeles-based Equipois (www.equipoisinc.com), which has created a device--almost out of science fiction--which takes heavy loads and essentially makes them weightless. Eric Golden, the firm's President and CEO, told us more about the company and its technology, and its fascinating beginnings from Hollywood's Steadicam.
Tell us about your technology?
Eric Golden: The technology---called Zero-G--essentially takes objects and lets you maneuver them as if they were (More info...)
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