Tuesday, May 4, 2010Insights and Opinions: Angels Behaving BadlyFor our Insights and Opinions section today, we're sharing a piece from Joe Platnick, a member of the Pasadena Angels, who addresses the issue of those--ahem--as***le angels.
In my original Top 10 list of criteria for selecting an angel investor, there were two items that aren't often discussed, but are worth scrutinizing during the fundraising process:
- Honesty and integrity
- Are they respectful of entrepreneurs
If you talk to founders and CEOs that have gone through early-stage fun (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2010(Full story)
Conexant's Decker Retires From Board SeatNewport Beach-based Conexant Systems said today that Dwight Decker--who led the firm's spinoff from Rockwell in 1999--is retiring from the company's board of directors. Decker, who retired from Conexant in July of 2007, has been serving as a director since 2008, after stepping down from his Chairman role in 2008. Decker was Chairman and CEO during Conexant's spinoff from Rockwell, until February 2004, when he gave up his CEO post. Decker later returned as CEO in when the company hit a rough patc (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2010(Full story)
Siimpel Acquired By TesseraArcadia-based Siimpel, a developer of micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) based cameras, has been acquired by Tessera Technologies, Tessera announced Tuesday afternoon. The deal was worth $15M in cash. Siimpel was founded in 2000, and had 42 employees, as well as a stable of 65 patents and patent applications. The firm was venture backed by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, DoCoMo Capital, LG Innotek, Zone Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, Qualcomm Ventures, Motorola, Micron, Portage Ventures, and Su (More info...)
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Oversee.net Sues Former Employee of SnapNamesLos Angeles-based Oversee.net said Tuesday afternoon that it has filed a lawsuit against a former employee of its SnapNames subsidiary, Nelson Brady, related to the shill bidding scandal at SnapNames. According to Oversee.net, it is seeking over $33 million in damages, including punitive damages, from Nelson Brady. Brady was formerly VP of Engineering at SnapNames. Oversee.net was rocked by a scandal in November, after the firm discovered that Brady had been automatically placing shill bids unde (More info...)
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RealGifts Wins TelefloraSan Diego-based RealGifts, which develops a Facebook application which ties virtual gifts with real, physical gifts, has signed floral delivery firm Teleflora as a partner. According to Teleflora, it will allow its customers to send flowers to Facebook users via a partnership with RealGifts. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Teleflora said that the deal will allow users to pick one of 15 bouquets, which can be delivered to any Facebook user. The application includes a feature to (More info...)
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Central Desktop Links To Microsoft OfficePasadena-based Central Desktop, the software-as-a-service project management startup headed by Isaac Garcia, announced a new tool aimed at Microsoft Office users today. According to the firm, its new Central Desktop for Office software allows users of Microsoft tools to simultaneously co-author Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents in real time, and also supports opening and saving files directly from the cloud. The firm said it has tapped technology from OffiSync for the feature, which links dir (More info...)
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Zumbox Eyes LicensingWestlake Village-based Zumbox, a developer of a digital mailbox intended to replace delivery of mail by the post office, said today that it is now licensing its technology as a white label software offering. The firm said it has created a new subsidiary, Zumbox Software, Inc., which will look to license its paperless mail technology. Zumbox has a service which assigns a digital mailbox to street addresses, allowing marketers, governments, and others to electronically "deliver" mail to those stre (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2010(Full story)
Novatel Trademarks MiFiSan Diego-based Novatel Wireless, which makes wireless broadband cards and the MiFi line of portable Wi-Fi hotspots, announced today that it has officially registered MiFi as a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. The firm's MiFi device takes a call phone connection and creates a personal hotspot for up to five WiFi devices. The firm said the move will help it "protect the brand identity" of the firm and its MiFi line.
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Finder Technologies Names Former Wal-Mart CEO As AdvisorPoway-based Finder Technologies, a firm developing hand-held, key fobs for locating vehicles in parking lots, said today that Bill Fields, former President and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, has joined the firm as an advisor. Field also served as Chairman and CEO of Blockbuster Entertainment Group, and also served as President and CEO of Hudson's Bay Company. Finder said it is developing a hand-held device to help consumers locate vehicles in parking lots, up to a half mile away.
posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2010(Full story)
Ixia Expands Mobile Backhaul TestingCalabasas-based IXia, a developer of IP network test equipment, said today that it has expanded its line of products to cover the full scope of mobile backhaul networks. According to the firm, it now has a complete, end-to-end testing solution for measuring conformance validation, interoperability, precision and performance for IEEE 1588v2 and ITU-T Sync-E-based time synchronization standards used on those mobile backhaul networks.
posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2010(Full story)
Livestrong Looks To USC For Chief Medical AdvisorSanta Monica-based LIVESTRONG.COM, the online health information site run by Demand Media and the Lance Armstrong Foundation, said today that it has named Dr. Leslie Anne Saxon as its Chief Medical Advisor. Saxon is Professor of Medicine, Clinical Scholar, and Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine. Livestrong said that Dr. Saxon will provide feedback on video and articles, help build and endorse the site's MyPlate functions, atten (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2010(Full story)