Thursday, January 20, 2011SoCal Venture Capital Investments Total $497.8M In Q4Southern California venture capital investments total $497.8M, according to the latest numbers from the MoneyTree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and the National Venture Capital Association, which were released this evening, based on data from Thomson Reuters. The investments totals were up from the $464M invested in Southern California in Q3, and increased more than the trend nationally, up 7 percent versus 2 percent nationally.
The biggest investments for the quarter went to Irvine-ba (More info...)
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Adconion Spins Out JoostAdconion Media Group, the Internet advertising firm which has been ramping up its operations in Santa Monica, said today that it is spinning out its video product, Joost Video Network, into a new, standalone business, also based in Santa Monica. Adconion acquired the assets of Joost from the founders of Skype in November of 2009. Joost offers up video advertising for brands, as well as related services such as site and inventory representation in addition to content production. Adconion said the (More info...)
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Demand Media Expected To Hit Market Next WeekSanta Monica-based Demand Media, the online publishing firm headed by Richard Rosenblatt, is expected to hit the public markets late next week, according to a report today from AllThingsD. Citing "numerous" sources, the report says that Demand will launch its public offering late in the week, as the firm completes its road show. Demand Media priced its IPO on January 12th, saying it hopes to debut on the NYSE at between $14.00 and $16.00 per share. The firm has been on a roadshow since then. Dem (More info...)
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J.D. Power Snags Digital Media Vet From ReachLocalWestlake Village-based J.D. Power and Associates, a market research firm, has snagged a ReachLocal veteran to establish a new, digital research team, the firm said today. According to J.D. Power, it has hired Fabien Reille as its Vice President of Digital Research, to lead efforts into research into digital media, including monitoring online, mobile and social media activity. Reille was most recently a Vice President at ReachLocal, and also served at ValueClick. He also co-founded companies Pure (More info...)
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Insights and Opinions: A VC's Comments On Investing and Startups in LAEarlier this week in our Insights and Opinions section, we had a post from Ryan Born, on 3 Things to Avoid When Fundraising in LA. That post ignited a firestorm of criticism and controversy among the technology community, both publicly and privately in emails, tweets, comments, and phone calls. Yesterday, Tom Tierney of the Tech Coast Angels responded with his own thoughts on the subject, and today, we have a few comments from Jim Armstrong, Managing Director at Clearstone Venture Partners.
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MaxLinear Gets Connected TV WinCarlsbad-based MaxLinear, the developer of analog and RF semiconductors, reported today that it has been selected by Spanish consumer electronics firm Bluesens, for a new connected TV device. MaxLinear said that Bluesens is using its DVB-T HDTV receiver ICs. Shipment volumes and expected financial impact of the design win was not announced. Bluesens is using MaxLinear's products as part of its web:tv connected home device, which provides time shift and PVR functionality combined with HDTV recept (More info...)
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TCA Funds Cognition TherapeuticsThe Tech Coast Angels, the largest angel investment group in Southern California, is part of a syndicate funding Pittsburgh-based Cognition Therapeutics, a drug discovery firm focused on Alzheimer's. According to Cognition, it raised $2.5M in a Series A funding, led by Golden Seeds and including the Tech Coast Angels. Other investors in the round included The Breedlove Limited Family Partnership and TMC Investment Company, Ogden CAP Associates, M5Invest, the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse a (More info...)
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Broadcom Settles With Wi-LANIrvine-based Broadcom has settled with patent licensing firm Wi-LAN, over WiLAN's patent portfolio. According to Canada-based Wi-LAN, Broadcom and the firm have signed a memorandum of understanding, where Broadcom will take a multi-year license to its patent portfolio and provide it with a series of payments. Financial details of the settlement were not disclosed. As part of the settlement, Wi-LAN said all litigation will be dismissed between the companies in the U.S. District Court for the East (More info...)
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RealD Deploys New 3D Projection SystemLos Angeles-based RealD, which develops 3D movie projection technology, said today that it has begun deploying a new cinema system called the XLW Cinema System. The firm said the new system is specifically designed for large stadium seating auditoriums, and screens up to 82 feet wide. RealD explained that the new system is designed for premium large screen motion picture auditoriums, theme parks, and specialty theaters. The firm claims the new system provides twice the light of competing 3D proj (More info...)
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Interview with Costin Tuculescu, FreebinarIn recent years, one of the more common ways to share information, conduct training, or pitch your company to other has been through online, web-based webinar and conferencing. However, those services can be expensive, particularly for individual users and small and medium sized businesses. To address the need for more affordable webinars, services like DimDim (acquired by Salesforce.com earlier this month), and Huntington Beach-based Freebinar (www.freebinar.com) have been offering up free webi (More info...)
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uSamp, Kiplinger Tie On Market Research PanelEncino-based uSamp, the online surveying, sample, and panel firm headed by Gregg Lavin and Matt Dusig, has scored a major win with Kiplinger, the firm revealed this morning. uSamp said the Kiplinger organization has chosen the firm to power a custom, online market research panel under the Kiplinger brand. Financial details of the win were not disclosed. Kiplinger is a publisher of financial advice. uSamp said the Kiplinger online research panel will be available to its clients for market researc (More info...)
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Quest Software Expands In IrelandAliso Viejo-based Quest Software, which develops IT management software, announced today that it is expanding its operations in Cork, Ireland. The firm said today that it is looking to grow its operations in Cork to 150 employees by 2013. The expansion, which was announced in conjunction with the Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Innovation, establishes a shared services center to support the firm's international operations. Employees in Cork will support finance, software renewals, insi (More info...)
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