Tuesday, June 30, 2009Report: Green Technology Deals Up In Q2A report released Tuesday afternoon by publisher Greentech Media says that green technology investments hits $1.2 billion in Q2, up from $836M in the first quarter of the year. According to the report, there were 85 deals in Q2 versus 59 deals in Q1. Among other numbers tallied by Greentech: solar power deals led in terms of investment category, with $33.4M in 17 deals; automotive and transportation was next with $202.5M and 8 deals; and biofuels/gasification/cleaner coal was third in terms of i (More info...)
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Pyron Solar Acquired By Ellis Energy InvestmentsSan Diego-based Pyron Solar, a manufacturer of solar concentrators for the utility scale solar market, has been acquired. According to Ellis Energy Investments, it acquired the assets of Pyron, and will be adding the firm to its portfolio of companies. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Pyron Solar develops a solar concentrator which was being applied to solar plants for utilities; the firm had scored an undisclosed amount of venture capital from investment firm New Energies (More info...)
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Metaplace Embeds Virtual WorldsSan Diego-based Metaplace, the online virtual world startup headed by Raph Koster, disclosed today that the firm is now allowing users to easily embed virtual worlds into any web page. Metaplace said that web users can now embed the firm's Flash-based virtual worlds into blogs or webpages. The firm has been working towards allowing anyone to build their own virtual world and place it on their own web page since 2008, when it scored a funding round from Charles River Ventures, Crescendo Ventures, (More info...)
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Ortiva Wireless Boosts Sales Efforts With New HireLa Jolla-based Ortiva Wireless, which develops technology to stream video to mobile devices, reports today that it has hired on a new, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales, James D. Edson. According to the firm, Edson will help manage and grow the firm's domestic and international carrier business. Edson was most recently at Scanbuy, and has also previously served at Motorola, Qualcomm, Ericsson, PacketVideo, and Littlefeet. Ortiva is backed by Comcast, Artiman Ventures, Mission Ventures, an (More info...)
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Everbridge, NC4 In PartnershipEl Segundo-based NC4, a provider of emergency management and situational awareness services, said today that it has partnered with Glendale-based Everbridge in a deal which will help NC4 provide mass notification to its customers. According to NC4, the partnership will allow the company to distribute alert information to employees and stakeholders. NC4 is using Everbridge's mass notification product, Everbridge Aware. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed. Everbridge was former (More info...)
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Stamps.com Updates PC SoftwareLos Angeles-based Stamps.com, a provider of PC and online postage software, has updated the firm's software, saying today that it has redesigned its user interface, along with other improvements. Stamps.com, which allows anyone with a PC to print their own, legal U.S. postage, said that version 8.0 of its product is available for download from its site; among other features are the ability to print smaller certified mail labels; printing of pre-paid return shipping labels as PDF documents, and b (More info...)
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Spark Networks Pumps Christian Dating SiteBeverly Hills-based Spark Networks, which operates a number of vertically focused, online dating sites, is claiming today that the firm has now reached two million members for the firm's Christian focused dating site, ChristianMingle.com. The firm said the site--which has been around since 2001--is now the "leading" online network for Christian singles. Spark also operates AmericanSingles.com, BlackSingles.com, SingleParentsMingle.com, and PrimeSingles.net.
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Mushroom Networks Targets Wireless MarketSan Diego-based Mushroom Networks, a spinout of the University of California San Diego, said today that the firm is now applying its technology to the wireless market. The firm, which develops technology which combines multiple Internet connections into one, faster broadband connection, said its product PortaBella takes up to four cellular data cards and creates a single, high-speed shared connection from those four cards. The company is targeting mobile TV, enterprise markets, the military, new (More info...)
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MojoPages Gets $5MSan Diego-based MojoPages, which operates a white-label, online directory of local businesses, said today that it has raised $5M in a Series A funding round. The round was led by Austin Ventures. According to MojoPages, the funding will go towards expanding its local search solution for media properties. MojoPages operates a site which allows users to review and rate local companies, which it makes available to newspaper, TV, and radio station web sites. Austin Ventures' Mike Dodd sits on the fi (More info...)
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Interview with Jason Kiesel and Kurt Daradics, FreedomSpeaksAhead of this week's Fourth of July holiday, we thought it would be appropriate to run our interview is with Jason Kiesel and Kurt Daradics of FreedomSpeaks (www.freedomspeaks.com). FreedomSpeaks is a startup developing a business around connecting people with information about their political representatives, and also enabling organizations and others to do the same. We caught up with Jason and Kurt to hear more about the company.
What's the story behind the company and how it started?
Ja (More info...)
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Life Technologies To Sell Business UnitCarlsbad-based Life Technologies, a developer of biotechnology tools and products, reported today that it is selling its SQL*LIMS laboratory information management software business to LabVantage Solutions, Inc. Financial terms of the divestiture were not disclosed. SQL*LIMS, part of Life Technologies' Applied Biosystems unit, provides software for managing laboratory process lifecycles, including data collection, laboratory workflow, and sample analysis. Life Technologies said the sale came bec (More info...)
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Local.com Gets $10M In Credit FacilityIrvine-based local search site Local.com reports this morning that the firm has scored a $10M, revolving line of credit from Square 1 Bank. According to Local.com, it will use the funding for potential acquisitions and to fund strategic growth initiatives. Local.com operates a local search site and network of site providing information about local businesses.
posted on Tuesday, June 30, 2009(Full story)
Panda Security Links With Conservation GroupGlendale-based Panda Security, a maker of antivirus and other security software, said Monday that it has inked a deal with conservation organization the WWF. According to Panda, it will dedicate part of its revenue to actively support different WWF environmental protection initiatives around the world. Amount of revenue or numbers involved were not disclosed by either the WWF or Panda Security.
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MRV Selected By Spirent On Lab Testing ProductChatsworth-based MRV Communications said yesterday that it has been selected by Calabasas-based Spirent Communications as part of a testing product. MRV said that its power control products are being used as part of Spirent's xDSL Automated Regression Test offering, which is used by equipment manufacturers to test their networking equipment. Financial impact of the win was not disclosed.
posted on Tuesday, June 30, 2009(Full story)