Tuesday, May 25, 2010ReVision Optics Raises $35MLake Forest-based ReVision Optics, a firm developing implantable lenses for correcting vision, announced Tuesday that it has raised $35M. The round was led by ProQuest Investments, and also included Domain Associates, Canaan Partners, and InterWest Partners. ReVision Optics said the firm is in the midst of an in-depth trial of its PresbyLens corneal inlay, which corrects presbyopia. The funding had been disclosed via a regulatory filing earlier this month, without details.
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CODA Automotive Plans Factory In OhioSanta Monica-based electric car firm CODA Automotive said Tuesday that it has selected Ohio for the location for an automotive-grade, lithium ion battery system manufacturing facility. CODA said the new factory could employ more than 1,000 skilled manufacturing workers, and is contingent upon financing from the state of Ohio and the approval of an application for a Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan (ATVM), which it is planning to submit soon. CODA said th (More info...)
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AuctionPoint Gets Investment From MySpace Co-FounderMarina del Rey-based AuctionPoint, which operates an online auction service for commercial real estate, said today that it has received a strategic investment from Tom Anderson, co-founder of MySpace. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. AuctionPoint said that Anderson joins its board of advisors as part of the investment. The company said the new funding will go towards accelerating the firm's nationwide expansion. AuctionPoint operates an online site which helps commercial real esta (More info...)
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Transonic Combustion Adds GM's Lutz To BoardCamarillo-based Transonic Combustion, the fuel injection technology firm backed by Venrock, Khosla Ventures, Rustic Canyon, and Saints Capital, said Monday that it has added former General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz to the company's board of directors. Lutz was most recently Vice Chairman of General Motors, and also served at Exide Corp., Chrysler Corp, Ford Motor Co., and BMW in a variety of executive positions. Transonic Combustion said its high efficiency, fuel injection systems provide (More info...)
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Zumbox Gets Stay In Patent LawsuitWestlake Village-based Zumbox, a startup developing a system to allow for paperless delivery of mail based on physical postal addresses, said today that it has been granted a Motion to Stay in a patent infringement suit brought against the firm by Pitney Bowes. Zumbox said the stay came as a result of the start of a re-examination by the US Patent and Trademark Office of the patents cited by Pitney Bowes in the lawsuit. Zumbox was sued in October by Pitney Bowes, claiming the firm infringed upon (More info...)
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VCR Plus Codes To DisappearThe VCR Plus+ codes, originally developed by Pasadena-based Gemstar-TV Guide, are officially disappearing, according to numerous reports from newspapers, who say that Rovi--which now owns the VCR Plus+ technology--has stopped issuing the codes. The technology, which allowed VCR owners to easily program the times for recording their favorite television shows into their VCR, is no longer being supported by current technology and digital video recorders. VCR Plus was originally developed by Henry Y (More info...)
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Evertune Raises $800K For Guitar Tuning GadgetLos Angeles-based EverTune, which has developed technology to automatically keep guitars in tune, has raised $800,000 in a seed funding round, the firm said today. The firm said the funding came from William Quigley, Brock Pierce, Dave Weiderman, and Mark Chayet. Chayet is the founder of Evermark, a CD and DVD manufacturing and distribution firm, and becomes the CEo of the firm along with the funding. EverTune's product is a bridge for a guitar, which keeps strings in tune using a mechanical spr (More info...)
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FastSoft Targets Internet RetailersPasadena-based FastSoft, a developer of web acceleration technology, said today that it has rolled out a new product targeted at Internet retailers, web companies, and CDNs. According to the firm, its new Dynamic Site Acceleratoin (DSA) solution is aimed at speeding downloads for online retailers, and will be available as a standalone software appliance. Pricing on the new product was not announced. FastSoft said the product will speed dynamic Web page downloads by 30 percent or more, without re (More info...)
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Rubicon Project Buys SiteScoutLos Angeles-based Rubicon Project, the online advertising optimization firm backed by Clearstone, Mayfield, IDG, and Peacock Equity Fund, announced this morning that it has acquired SiteScout, a Seattle-based firm providing malware security technology. Financial terms of the buy were not announced. Rubicon said it would use the acquisiton to provide its premium publishers with protection against "malvertising"--the use of online ads to spread malware. Rubicon said that Rob Lipschutz, who was CEO (More info...)
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RealD Licenses 3D Technology To ZoranLos Angeles-based RealD, a developer of 3D movie technology, and consumer electronics semiconductor firm Zoran said today that Zoran has license RealD's stereoscopic format. Financial terms of the win were not disclosed. The two firms said that Zoran will use the technology to support 3D content delivery and display into TV, set-top box, and Blu-ray players, via Zoran's multimedia processors. RealD's steroscopic format encodes 3D images into a single data stream. RealD's technology is used in th (More info...)
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PowerGenix Hires Chinese DirectorSan Diego-based PowerGenix, a manufacturer of rechargeable, Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) batteries, said today that it has hired a managing director for its Asian operations. The firm said that Dr. Xu Gang, who the firm said is a leader in the Chinese Lithium-ion battery industry, will head up its Asian operations. Xu was most recently at Tianjin Lishen Battery. PowerGenix is venture backed by Advent International, Angeleno Investors, Bessemer Venture Partners, Braemar Energy Ventures, DFJ Element, GGV Ca (More info...)
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