Thursday, February 24, 2011AudioMicro Launches New Stock Content SitesSherman Oaks-based AudioMicro.com, the stock audio site run by Ryan Born, debuted four new content sites Thursday at the Launch Conference. Born showed off ChooseTattoos, ImageCollect, InfographicStock, and Cartoonsy at the conference. ChooseTattoos sells stock tattoo designs; ImageCollect celebrity images; InfographicStock includes infographics; and Cartoonsy various cartoon images.
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Catch Media Lands Investment From MotorolaBeverly Hills-based Catch Media, a provider of software used for digital rights management, has scored a strategic funding from Motorola Mobility Ventures, the strategic investment arm of Motorola, the firms said Thursday. Size of the funding was not disclosed. Catch Media provides rights registry, tracking, routing, and other technology for digital content. Other investors in Catch Media include Ari Emanuel, Co-CEO of WME Entertainment. Catch said its digital rights locker can be used on smart (More info...)
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Graphight Launches Contact Tracking ServicePasadena-based Graphight launched itself today, saying that it has developed a service which tracks who you know, and how well you know them, to make it easier for professionals to manage their business network. The new venture is the brainchild of Andy Wilson, who was formerly at Momentum Venture Management. According to Wilson, the new company is currently taking signups for private beta, and will be out with a public beta in a few weeks. Wilson described the service as "mint.com meets eHarmon (More info...)
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Savings.com Launching Daily Deals AggregatorLos Angeles-based Savings.com, the online coupon site run by Loren Bendele, said today at a presentation at the Launch conference that it is launching a closed beta of its daily deals aggregation service. The firm is looking to include daily deals from such sites as Groupon, LivingSocial, and others onto a single page. The move is part of an effort to provide better personalization of daily deals offers. Bendele told socalTECH in January that the firm was working on better personalization of off (More info...)
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MediaTrust Gets $3MLos Angeles-based MediaTrust, which develops an online advertising and marketing platform, announced Thursday that it has raised $3M in a new funding round. According to the firm, the round was led by Ropart Asset Management Funds. The funding will go towards its Performance Exchange (MPTX) product, a real-time, CPC advertising exchange. MediaTurst is headed by Peter Bordes. The firm also has offices in New York City.
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Four Local Firms Make Technology Review ListThe MIT Technology Review has published its 50 most innovative companies for this year, including at least four Southern California technology firms. The list this year includes Hawthorne-based SpaceX, the commercial spaceflight firm headed by Elon Musk; Pasadena-based eSolar, the solar thermal power plant developer run by Idealab's Bill Gross; Carlsbad-based Life Technologies, the developer of gene sequencing machines; and La Jolla-based Synthetic Genomics, which is developing biofuels technolo (More info...)
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LaughStub Takes On Comedy Ticket Sales, With Angel BackingIn a long tradition of local companies tying the business of ticketing for various events into the online world, a new startup, LaughStub has quietly been establishing its place providing tickets for comedy clubs locally and nationwide. The firm--which the Tech Coast Angels revealed last week that it had funded in 2010--also has the backing of well known angel investor Paige Craig, who also sits on the firms advisory board. LaughStub has inked deals with The Improv Comedy Club chain, The Second (More info...)
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GOGII Raises $15MMarina del Rey-based GOGII, the social messaging firm headed by former JAMDAT founders Scott Lahman, Austin Murray, and Zack Norman, announced this morning that it has raised an additional $15M in a third round of funding. The funding was led by GRP Partners and Mark Suster, and also included Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Matrix Partners. GOGII develops textPlus, a social messaging application which allows users to text others in community chat groups, share photos, and more. The app runs (More info...)
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XCOR Lands Flight ContractMojave-based XCOR Aerospace, which is developing technology and vehicles for suborbital flight, said today that it has inked a deal with Southwest Research Insitute (SWRI) for six, suborbital flights. XCOR said the contract is the first ever, commercial reusable suborbital vehicle scientific flight contract. XCOR said the flights will perform research on biomedical, microgravity, and astronomy imaging. XCOR is in the midst of developing rocket-powered, suborbital vehicles. The firm is backed by (More info...)
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THQ, Twentieth Century Fox Tie On RIOAgoura Hills-based videogame maker THQ said today along with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products that they are releasing a new set of games based on the recent RIO movie. RIO is set to debut on April 15th. THQ said it will ship the RIO video game on the Xbox 360 video game, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS. Business details of the arrangement between THQ and Twentieth Century Fox were not announced. The firm said the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii games allow four players to compete tog (More info...)
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Autobytel Launches Web Chat ServiceIrvine-based Autobytel announced this morning that it has launched a new, live web chat service aimed at auto dealers and manufacturers. The firm, which operates a number of websites connecting consumers with auto dealers, said its new service, Live Chat by ActivEngage, will allow car dealers and manufacturers to help engage with web visitors, act as an online sales force, and increase purchase request generation. The firm said the services are aimed at increasing the close ratio for auto dealer (More info...)
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