Wednesday, April 21, 2010OpenCandy Raises $5M MoreSan Diego-based OpenCandy, a developer of products which software publishers can include to recommend other software products and services to their users---and which earns those software publishers advertising revenue, has raised $5M in a Series B funding round. The round was led by Google Ventures, and also included prior investors Bessemer Venture Partners and O'Reilly Alphatech Ventures. OpenCandy is headed by Darrius Thompson, one of the founders of DivX. According to Thompson, the firm is n (More info...)
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Confident Technologies Launches Web Application Security ToolsSan Diego-based Confident Technologies, a new startup led by former Websense President Curtis Staker, said today that it has launched a firm focused on developing image-based authentication and verification technology for web applications. The firm has acquired technology--originally developed at defunct security firm Vidoop--which uses images to authenticate users into web sites. Staker said that the firm is looking to bypass rampant security issues with current, password-based logins with its (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010(Full story)
Media Temple Raises $15MCulver City-based Media Temple, an online web hosting firm, said today that it has raised $15M in a new round of funding from Triangle Capital. Media Temple is headed by Demian Sellfors. The firm's clients include such companies as Sony, Toyota, NBC Universal, and TechCrunch.
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Tesla Shipment Sets Sail From Port HuenemeCasual visitors to the port of Port Hueneme, in Ventura County, might have noticed a slightly different shipment at the port today: electric cars from high profile electric car firm Tesla Motors, heading to Japan. According to Tesla, it shipped a dozen, right-hand drive Tesla Roadsters to Japan from Port Hueneme this morning, the first shipment of its vehicles to Asia. Tesla said the vehicles are headed to Yokahama, and will be delivered to customers in early May. Port Hueneme is a major import (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010(Full story)
Belkin Buys Energy Sensing Technology FirmPlaya Vista-based Belkin, a manufacturer of computer accessories, announced today that it has acquired Zensi, a developer of technology that senses and monitors energy use. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to Belkin, the acquisition moves the firm into the energy conservation market, and will help it expand its Conserve energy management product portfolio. Belkin said that Zensi's technology is based on IP licensed from the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia (More info...)
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CyberDefender Hires Ops VPLos Angeles-based CyberDefender, a developer of PC security, antispyware, and antivirus software, is expanding its management team today, saying it has hired on Neil Evans as Senior Vice President of Operations at the company. CyberDefender said that Evans reports directly to CEO Gary Guseinov. Evans was most recently at Product Partners, LLC/Beachbody, and also has served at LookSmart, where he was Director of eCommerce. Evans also previously held a position at Guthy-Renker, LLC--a major invest (More info...)
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AeroVironment Names VP, GMMonrovia-based AeroVironment announced today that it has named Roy Minson as Vice President of Business Development and Deputy General Manager of the firm's unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) segment. AeroVironment--which develops unmanned aircraft for the U.S. Department of Defense, in addition to businesses in the electrical energy systems area--said that Minson joins the firm from SAIC, where he was VP and Opeations Manager for a research and development business within the Tactical Systems and (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010(Full story)
Amonix Scores $129.4M From Kleiner Perkins, OthersSeal Beach-based Amonix, a designer and manufacturer of concentrated, photovoltaic solar power systems, announced today that it has raised $129.4M in a Series B funding round, led by Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers. According to Amonix, the funding round also included Adams Street Partners, Angeleno Group, PCG Clean Energy & Technology Fund, Vedanta Capital LP, New Silk Route, The Westly Group, and current investor MissionPoint Capital Partners. Amonix said the funding will go to accellerate (More info...)
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WD Rolls Out iPhone, iPod Photo ViewerLake Forest-based storage manufacturer WD has rolled out a new, iPhone/iPod Touch application which connects its My Book World Edition and WD ShareSpace network drives with the popular Apple devices. According to WD, its new WD Photos photo viewer application allows users to access up to 250,000 of their favorite photos from anywhere in the world, remotely logging users into their hard drives from anywhere. The new application is free for download from Apple's App store. According to WD, the app (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010(Full story)
TweetUp Inks Deals With TweetDeck, TechCrunchPasadena-based TweetUp, the Idealab-backed startup focused on monetizing Twitter messages, said today that it has inked two deals to display its search results, one with Twitter client TweetDeck, and another with popular technology blog TechCrunch. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed. TweetUp said the two will display its search results, which allow Twitter users to bid on keywords and bring their tweets to the top of search results. TweetDeck develops software which connects users t (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010(Full story)
TrueCar Links With DealersSanta Monica-based TrueCar, which provides real-life pricing data on new cars, based on actual dealer sales, said Tuesday that the firm has begun showing guaranteed upfront pricing from local dealers. TrueCar said that it will begin showing prices, and an option to connect to dealers directly to purchase vehicles at those prices. According to TrueCar, buyers who use the site to learn what people are paying for actual vehicles in their local area will not have the option of pulling up to three, g (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010(Full story)
Valeant Buys Brazilian Pharmaceuticals FirmAliso Viejo-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire a pharmaceuticals firm located in Brazil, in a deal worth approximately $56M (97 million Brazilian reals). According to Valeant, the un-named firm is focused on branded generics and over-the-counter products, and has annual sales of approximately 49 million Brazilian reals in 2009. Name of the Brazilian firm was not announced. The acquisition is the firm's second in Brazil in the la (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010(Full story)
Ixia Adds Fibre Channel SupportCalabasas-based network testing products firm Ixia has added the Fibre Channel protocol to its suite of network test lineup, the firm announced today, with a new set of products. According to Ixia, it has added a module which provides native Fibre Channel support at 2, 4, and 8 Gbps, with up to 96 ports per chassis. The firm said its IxANVL product now supports test of the Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) protocol; IxNetwork supplies performance testing of Ethernet, FCoE, and Fibre Channel con (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010(Full story)