Wednesday, July 21, 2010


MySpace, MTV.com Team To Stream From Comic-Con
Los Angeles-based social networking site MySpace and MTV.com said Wednesday that the two are partnering to stream the Comic-Con International conference to their users. According to the companies, they will feature stars from upcoming films and television shows, interviews, sneak peeks, and more with daily live shows hosted by MTV Movies Editor Josh Horowitz, along with other material. The broadcasts will stream on both MTV's home page as well as a MySpace page devoted to comic con. MySpace is a (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010(Full story)

Murder Charges In Tech Coast Angel Death
The San Diego Police Department said Wednesday that murder charges have been filed in the death of John G. Watson, a member of the San Diego Tech Coast Angels, who was found dead in June. According to authorities, Kent Thomas Keigwin, age 59, has been charged by the San Diego County District Attorney's Office with the murder of Watson, who had been found by fellow angel investors when he failed to show for a meeting. Keigwin had originally been jailed on June 11th on fraud charges for stealing $ (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010(Full story)

SolarReserve Ups Funds To $110M
Santa Monica-based SolarReserve has now pulled in $110M of a committed, $140M Series B funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm today. SolarReserve, which is developing utility scale power plants, had announced in 2008 that it had received $140M in a Series B funding, however, according to regulatory filing appears to be drawing down those commitments piecemeal as it builds out its business. The firm is backed by Citi Alternative Investments, Sustainable Development Investment (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 (More)(Full story)

Four Firms Hoping To Tap Into Facebook's 500M Users
On the heels of the announcement this morning by Facebook that it has officially hit 500 million users, socalTECH has mined its database of high tech companies, and identified a few of the firms here in Southern California hoping to ride Facebook's coat-tails to success and fortune. RealGifts, San Diego - a facebook application which allows users to send both real and virtual gifts to their friends. Backed by Facebook's fbFund. [Profile] Friendgiftr, Hollywood - looking to allow Fa (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010(Full story)

Gaikai Gets Backing From Intel, Limelight
Los Angeles-based Gaikai, which is developing technology which allows computer gamers to play games through their web browser, said this week that it has added Intel Capital and Limelight Networks as investors in the firm. Additional investment in the firm was not disclosed. Gaikai said in May that it raised $10M in a Series B from TriplePoint Capital, Rustic Canyon partners, and Benchmark Capital. Gaikai is using both Intel's and Limelight's products as part of its service. Gaikai is headed by (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 (More)(Full story)

Group Looks To Attract Women To Technology, Science
A local technology group is hoping to support women supporting technology and science education, by tripling the size of its scholarship program. According to the Association for Women in Technology this week, it has tripled its scholarship awards to three, $2500 scholarships aimed at Southern California women pursuing technology and science related education. According to President Melissa Galassi, the awards help to support the group's mission to increase the number of careers for women in the (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010(Full story)

From Football, to Private Equity, and Back Again: Haden In At USC
Pat Haden, a member of private equity firm Riordan Lewis & Haden Equity Partners, has departed the private equity world to head up the University of Southern California's athletic direction, according to the school Tuesday. Haden was a former quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, and quarterback at USC, but since 1987 had been at RLH. Prior to RLH, Haden was an attorney at Lillick, McHose & Charles L.L.P. Along with is appointment as Athletic Director, USC said that Haden will receive a joint ap (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010(Full story)

CALIENT Technologies Lands $10M
Santa Barbara-based CALIENT Technologies, a developer of photonic switching products, said today that it has raised $10M in an expansion financing round. The firm said the funding was led by Arjun Gupta, who is a managing partner at Telesoft and a long time investor in the firm. Gupta becomes Chairman of the firm's board along with the funding. CALIENT also said it has named Gregory Koss as its new CEO; Koss was most recently at BTI Systems.
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 (More)(Full story)

ThisNext Gets New Funding
Los Angeles-based social shopping site ThisNext announced this morning that it has raised a new round of funding, and inked a partnership with online advertising firm Federated Media. Amount of the funding was not disclosed. ThisNext said the new funding came from individuals Gary Winnick, Chairman of Pacific Capital Group; Bob Pittman, Founding Member of Pilot Group, former COO of AOL and AOL Time Warner and former CEO and Founder of MTV Networks; as well as Stan Shuman, Managing Director of A (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 (More)(Full story)

Skinit Snags $60M
San Diego-based Skinit, a developer of customized "skins" for consumer electronics products, has raised $60M in a funding, the firm said Tuesday. Skinit said the investment was led by ABS Capital Partners and Norwest Equity Partners. The firm said the funding will go towards new products, sales and marketing, as well as to purchase a portion of the shares owned by its founding shareholders. Mark Anderson and Phil Clough of ABS Capital, and Tom Schauerman of Norwest Equity Partners all join the f (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 (More)(Full story)

Amonix Expands In North Las Vegas
Seal Beach-based Amonix, a designer and manufacturer of concentrated photovoltaic solar power systems, said today that it has signed a lease for 214,000 square feet in North Las Vegas. Amonix said the new manufacturing facility will have production capacity of 150MWs annually. Amonix said the new plant will bring 278 clean energy jobs to Las Vegas, where it said it is seeking local residents to fill management, technical, and production jobs. Amonix said the facility is being financed through a (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010(Full story)

Provide Commerce Buys Personal Creations
San Diego-based Provide Commerce, the parent firm of ProFlowers, RedEnvelope, Cherry Moon, and other ecommerce operations, announced this morning that it has acquired personalized gifts company Personal Creations. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Personal Creations is a provider of personalized gifts. Provide Commerce said the acquisition will help complement the firm's existing products, and also help it gain marketing and manufacturing capabilities in the personalized gifting spa (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2010(Full story)