Tuesday, February 8, 2011SharesPost Raising $3.3MSharesPost, the online marketplace for private company stock founded by Greg Brogger, has raised $3.3M in a funding round, but appears to also have moved its headquarters to Northern California. In a regulatory filing Wednesday, the company--which had been spawned out of the spawned out of Scott Painter's BrighHouse incubator--said it had raised $3.3M in an equity funding round. No details on that funding have been announced by the company. SharesPost had originally been based in Santa Monica. (More info...)
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Founder Insitute LA Gears Up For Spring SemesterThe Los Angeles chapter of the Founder Insitute, the startup incubation program run locally by Ken Rutkowski, is gearing up for its Spring Semester, saying that it has added a number of new mentors for the semester. The Founder Institute said that it has added Steve Lehman, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Premiere Radio Networks, and Cheryl Tiegs, the businesswoman and fashion model, as two of the mentors. Other mentors to the effort include Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX), Kelly Perdew (Fastpoint Games), (More info...)
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Mattel Partners With StardollEl Segundo-based toy maker Mattel has inked a licensing agreement with online fashion game maker Stardoll, Stardoll announced today. Stardoll runs an online fashion virtual world for teen and tween girls. Financial details of the licensing deal were not disclosed. Stardoll said that the deal will take the Stardoll brand from the virtual into the physical world, with first products to become available in autumn of this year. Stardoll is backed by Sequoia Capital and Index Ventures, and is based i (More info...)
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CrownPeak Rolls Out Major CMS Software UpgradeLos Angeles-based CrownPeak, the developer of software-as-a-service, web content management tools headed by Jim Howard, said today that it has rolled out a major upgrade to its platform. The firm said it spent nine months on a re-architecture and phased rollout of the platform, with new features such as availability of a REST API, a new C# API, connections into Microsoft Sharepoint, and more. CrownPeak also said the update includes marketing integration tools, which allow marketers to target con (More info...)
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AccessEN Adds WebVisible's Kirsten Mangers Costa Mesa-based Access Executive Network (AccessEN), the business networking and corporate advocacy group, said yesterday that WebVisible founder Kirsten Mangers has joined the group's board of directors. AccessEN runs monthly events which helps entrepreneurs and executives connect. The group also regularly works to support local charities through its events.
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Onebox Expands Into CanadaLos Angeles-based Onebox, the hosted PBX and phone service owned by j2 Global Communications, announced this morning that it has expanded its service into Canada. The service, which allows businesses to create a virtual phone system with voicemail, FAX, and other support, said the move would both allow Canadian and U.S. companies to set up local numbers in Canada. The service said numbers are available in 15 major Canadian cities, including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Calgary. j2 a (More info...)
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Interview with Tracy Trent, Proximetry
One of the growth spots for the wireless market is the use of wireless equipment to connect everything from smart meters to industrial equipment. One of the players in that market is San Diego-based Proximetry, which is a venture-backed company which develops software to control the quality of service in those outdoor networks. We talked with Tracy Trent, the CEO of the company to better understand how the firm fits into that market.
What's the idea behind Proximetry?
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OpenX Launches New Ad Platform, Powers GrouponPasadena-based OpenX, the Internet ad server developer, said today that it has launched a new version of its OpenX Enterprise software. The firm said that the new platform is being used by customers such as Groupon, Orange-France Telecom Group, and Excite Japan. OpenX said the updated software includes such features as real-time ad bidding, more control by publishers over ad quality and pricing, new APIs, and other features. OpenX is headed by Tim Cadogan.
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Active Networks Buys Church Management Software FirmSan Diego-based Active Network said today that it has expanded into the faith market, with the acquisition of church management software firm Fellowship Technologies. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Active Network, which is known for its online sports registration services and website management tools for sports teams and community groups, said the move will give it access to a market of more than 300,000 churches in North America. Fellowship Technologies provides its soft (More info...)
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Somaxon Pharmaceuticals Gets Line of Credit, Expands Sales ForceSan Diego-based Somaxon Pharmaceuticals said this morning tha tit has scored a $15M, revolving line of credit from Comerica Bank, and also engaged a contract sales force firm. Somaxon said it has tied with Publicis Touchpoint Solutions to recruit and deploy an additional 35 sales representatives for the firm. Somaxon develops a treatment for insomnia.
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