Wednesday, December 16, 2009Geni Creates Lab Effort, Translation SupportWest Hollywood-based Geni.com, the online family tree and genealogy site backed by the Founders Fund and Charles River Ventures, told its users today that it has created a new "Geni Lab" for experimental features from the firm. As part of the lab, the company said it has created a new feature to enable translation of pages on the site, tapping Google Translate for the translations. Geni said its Geni Labs effort will allow users to experiment with features that the company is working on, with no (More info...)
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PowerGenix In Canadian Distribution DealSan Diego-based PowerGenix, a venture-backed developer of Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) rechargeable batteries, announced Wednesday afternoon that the firm has signed a deal with technology distributor Ingram Micro, to distribute the firm's products in Canada. PowerGenix said that Ingram Micro will stock its AA rechargeable batteries in Canada, starting in January, for distribution to major retail chains and online outlets. PowerGenix said its new rechargeables provide the power equivalent to disposable al (More info...)
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Riot Games Snags Mohn For BoardLos Angeles-based Riot Games, a venture backed developer of online games, said Wednesday that it has added Jarl Mohn to its board of directors. Mohn is an investor in the firm. Mohn was the founder of E! Entertainment Television, and was also founding president and CEO of Liberty Digital. He has also served at MTV, VH-1, and on the board of Scripps Networks Interactive. Riot Games is backed by online Chinese services firm Tencent, Firstmark Capital, Benchmark Capital, as well as angels Mitch Las (More info...)
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Mavent Acquired By Ellie MaeIrvine-based Mavent, a developer of mortgage compliance software, has been acquired by Ellie Mae, a provider of software and services for the banking and mortgage industry, Ellie Mae announced Wednesday. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. According to Ellie Mae, it will make Mavent's automated compliance solutions as part of an integrated service for users of its own Encompass360 Mortgage Management Systems. Ellie Mae said that it will retain Mavent's personnel handling operations, p (More info...)
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SmartDrive Systems Gets $25MSan Diego-based SmartDrive Systems, a developer of video-based, fleet safety management systems, announced today that it has raised $25M in an additional venture funding round. The round came from existing investors Oak Investment Partners and New Enterprise Associates. As part of the funding, the firm said it has named Dave Vucina, former CEO of Wayport, as Chairman of the board. SmartDrive said the new funding will provide it with working capital.
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DivX Links With Sonic SolutionsSan Diego-based DivX, a provider of video encoding and decoding technology, said today that it has partnered with Sonic Solutions, a developer of digital media software. According to the two firms, Sonic Solutions will make movies available for download in the DivX format, as part of its Roxio CinemaNow service. Sonic Solutions is providing its Roxio CinemaNow, video-on-demand service to such firms as Best Buy and Blockbuster. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed. Sonic Soluti (More info...)
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Xencor Gets Milestone PaymentMonrovia-based Xencor, a developer of antibody engineering technology, reported today that the firm has received a milestone payment from Pfizer, as part of the firm's antibody technology license agreement with Pfizer. Amount of the payment was not disclosed. According to Xencor, the payment came because of the initiation of human clinical trials of a novel monoclonal antibody therapeutic which uses Xencor's technologies. Xencor and Pfizer entered into a deal in March of 2009, to use Xencor's an (More info...)
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Interview with Sean Rad, Founder, Ad.lyOne of the perpetual themes of the technology news sites and blogs this year has been fairly nonstop coverage of Twitter, the microblogging site. Aside from constant coverage of whether the service is up, or down, or somewhere in between, there's also been a lot of attention given to how the service plans to make money. So, it was interesting to speak with Sean Rad, founder of Twitter advertising firm Ad.ly (www.ad.ly), on how his firm is looking to help users make money from the service, even i (More info...)
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eSolar Names New CEOPasadena-based eSolar, a developer of concentrating solar thermal power technology, said today that it has appointed John Van Scoter as its new Chief Executive Officer. Van Scoter was most recently at Texas Instruments Alternative Energy Strategy, and has a 25-year career at Texas Instruments. eSolar also said that Van Scoter will join the firm's board of directors. eSolar is venture backed by Google, Idealab, and Oak Investment Partners.
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Ace Metrix Gains $6.0MLos Angeles-based Ace Metrix, which operates an online service which provides analytics for television ads, announced today that it has raised $6.0M in a Series B funding round. The round was led by Leapfrog Ventures, and also included prior investors Hummer Winblad Venture Partners and Palomar Ventures. Pete Sinclair of Leapfrog will join the firm's board along with the funding. The company said the new funding will go toward sales and marketing of its service. Ace Metrix provides panel-based a (More info...)
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