Tuesday, November 16, 2010Amazon.com Takes On the Movie BusinessAmazon.com said Tuesday evening that it is launching a new online business, which looks to help find new talent and develop motion pictures from online submissions. According to Amazon.com, its new business--Amazon Studios--will award a total of $2.7 million in awards through monthly and annual prizes to top scripts and test movies submitted to the company's new online business. In addition, the firm said it has a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures on projects submitted to the site. Judg (More info...)
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Ortiva Wireless Raises $8MLa Jolla-based Ortiva Wireless, a developer of mobile video optimization technology, confirmed Tuesday afternoon that it has raised $8M in its Series C funding. The round was led by Intel Capital, and also included current investors Comcast Interactive Capital, Artiman Ventures, and Mission Ventures. Ortiva's technology is used to optimize the delivery rate of video to mobile phones, based on network conditions and available bandwidth. Ortiva said the new funding will go towards expanding sales, (More info...)
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Intel Boosts Ortiva Wireless, FonalityTwo Southern California startups, Ortiva Wireless and Fonality, are among 18 companies which Intel said it has funded, to the tune of $77M in total venture investments. Exact investments in Ortiva, a developer of mobile video management and optimization products, and PBX software maker Fonality, were not announced by Intel. The investment in Ortiva is a new one for Intel, and the investment in Fonality is a follow-on investment. Ortiva Wireless is based in La Jolla, and recently indicated in a r (More info...)
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BridgeSTOR Takes On VMware, BackupPoway-based BridgeSTOR, a new data backup and storage appliance firm headed by storage veteran John Matze, has emerged from stealth today, saying that it is offering products aimed at advanced data reduction for VMware and backup. Matze, who was involved in developing the iSCSI protocol, was the founder of both Siafu and Okapi Software. Matze sold Okapi in 2003 to Overland, and Siafu to Hifn in 2007, and was most recently VP of Storage Systems Products at Exar, Inc. BridgeSTOR said it has develo (More info...)
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Contour Energy Systems Names New Sales, Marketing HeadAzusa-based Contour Energy, the developer of advanced battery technology, said today that it has named Joe Carcone as Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and also promoted Dr. Simon Jones to Vice President of Technology. Carcone joins the firm from PowerGenix, where he was Vice president of Marketing and Sales. Carone has also served at SANYON Energy USA, GE, and Bell Labs. Jones was most recently director of research and development at the firm, supervising research and development efforts f (More info...)
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BeneChill Finds $600KSan Diego-based BeneChill, a firm developing medical devices for treatment of cerebral ischemia, has raised $600,000 as part of $1.2M in debt funding, according to a regulatory filing by the firm this week. Source of the new funding was not announced. BeneChill has previously raised funding from Healthcap Venture Capital, Medventure Associates, NGN Capital, and the Solon Foundation, most recently $13.5M in a Series C in July of 2009. BeneChill is headed by Alan Raffensperger, who was most recent (More info...)
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BUZZMEDIA Partners With Photo Sharing Site PlixiHollywood-based BUZZMEDIA, the online publisher of entertainment focused blogs and web sites, said today that it has linked with photo sharing site Plixi, which until recently was known as TweetPhoto. According to the two, they are in an exclusive, multi-year partnership where they will create content offerings, marketing programs and branded entertainment campaigns. Financial details of the effort were not announced.
The two said the joint efforts including publishing entertainment news stor (More info...)
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Fulcrum Ties With Aquantia On Reference DesignCalabasas-based Fulcrum Microsystems, a provider of high speed Ethernet switching chips, and Aquantia, which develops 10GBASE-T PHY semiconductors, said this morning that the two have tied together in releasing a new, 48-port 10GBASE-T Ethernet Switch reference design. The two said the reference design is aimed at helping customers develop high-density top-of-rack and end-of-row switches. Fulcrum's high speed switching chips are used for developing Ethernet switches. Fulcrum is venture backed by (More info...)
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Google Goggles In Marketing ExperimentGoogle Goggles, the mobile visual recognition application being developed by search giant Google, said today that it has launched a new "marketing experiment" around Buick, Disney, Diageo, T-Mobile, and Delta Airlines. According to Google's Goggles team, those five brands have created "Goggles-enabled" print ads, movie posters, and other media which will allow users to take a picture of those ads, and be able to click through to special mobile destinations for those brands. The new feature is a (More info...)
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RealD Inks Deal With Chinese Movie Theatre ChainLos Angeles-based RealD, the developer of 3D movie projection technology, reports today that it has inked a deal with Chinese movie theater chain Wanda Cinema, to deploy up to 500 screens with its technology. Financial impact of the deal was not disclosed. RealD said the firm has already begun installing its technology in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Xian. The companies said that Wanda is the largest cinema chain in China. The deal brings RealD's total deployed screen (More info...)
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Quest Software Names Japanese HeadAliso Viejo-based Quest Software, a developer of IT management software, said today that it has appointed Joe Signorelli as its Managing Director for Japan. Signorelli was most recently at F5, and has also served in similar roles at Symantec Japan and EMC. Signorelli will lead the firm's sales efforts in Japan.
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Uptake Medical Names CFOIrvine-based Uptake Medical, which develops treatments for emphysema, said this morning that it has named J.C. MacRae as a Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. MacRae joins the firm from CoreValve, where he had most recently served as CFO and Managing Director of CoreValve Europe. Uptake is developing a minimally invasive method for treating emphysema. The firm is venture backed by Maverick Capital, GBS Venture Partners, Onset Ventures, WRF Capital, Arboretum Ventures and Affinity Capital (More info...)
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