Thursday, May 19, 2011Geni Bolsters Team, Names CTO, Engineering VPWest Hollywood-based Geni, the online family tree and family history service, said Thursday that it has promoted a number of employees, including naming two executives. Geni said it has named Justin Balthrop as its Chief Technology Officer, and named Michael Stangel as Vice President of Engineering. The firm also announced a number of other employee promotions and additions, saying it is continuing its "strong growth". Geni is venture backed by Charles River Ventures and Founders Fund. The firm (More info...)
posted on Thursday, May 19, 2011(Full story)
Google Enters Financial Products Comparisons MarketSearch engine giant Google has made its entree into an area long dominated by Southern California technology startups: financial products and leads generation. According to Google Thursday, it has launched Google Advisor, a new service to help users find mortgage, credit card, CD, or checking and savings account offers and rates. The new service puts Google into the same space as such local companies as LeadPoint, LowerMyBills, Oversee's Low.com, and others. According to Google's FAQ for Google (More info...)
posted on Thursday, May 19, 2011(Full story)
AVST Buys Application DeveloperFoothill Ranch-based Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, which develops unified communications applications product, said this week that it has acquired the assets of Beacon Solutions, a developer of an open development software framework which runs on its products. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. AVST explained that the assets acquired in the buy provide a Microsoft .NET development framework for its CallXpress 8 product.
posted on Thursday, May 19, 2011(Full story)
AutoGenomics Pulls IPOVista-based AutoGenomics, a developer of molecular diagnostics hardware, has pulled its IPO, the firm said in a filing Wednesday evening. The firm said it has "elected not to pursue the sale of securities" but did not give a reason for the withdrawal. The firm had file for an IPo in July of 2008, looking to list on the NASDAQ as AGMX. AutoGenomics had previously raised funding from Palomar Ventures, although it's unclear how much of a stake the venture firm now holds in the compay. Palomar's Ran (More info...)
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StyleMint Primes For Launch With RewardsStyleMint, the online celebrity-focused, social commerce site being prepped by Los Angeles-based BeachMint, the startup headed by ex-MySpace co-founder Josh Berman, looks to be priming for launch. The firm told its pre-launch users today that it is awarding gifts and rewards on the site for inviting other people to join the site. The rewards range from $10 in StyleMint credit to a free T-Shirt, depending on how many people a user invites to join the site. StyleMint is being developed in conjunct (More info...)
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Insights and Opinions: There are two kinds of people in the worldFor today's Insights and Opinions section, we have a article from Lee Weinberg, an angel investor and attorney, talking about how there are those who have started companies, and those who have not.
"There are two kinds of people in the world" is the title of a recent blog post by Chris Dixon that mirrors EXACTLY what I have been saying for quite a while:
"You've either started a company or you haven't. 'Started' doesn't mean joining as an early employee, or investing or advising or h (More info...)
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eHow Launches Beauty Video SeriesSanta Monica-based eHow, the online advice site owned by Demand Media, said this morning that it has further boosted its content efforts by launching a new video series. The site said its new "Beauty Lab" video series is being hosted by beauty industry figure Tracy O'Connor, and will offer beauty tips and other information. eHow said that a new episode of the series will be available every Thursday on the site. The new series is a part of a push at Demand Media to bolster its fashion and beauty (More info...)
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CitizenHawk Bolsters Online Brand Protection ServicesAliso Viejo-based Citizenhawk, the provider of online brand reputation and brand protection services headed by David Duckwitz, said this morning that it has expanded its services to domain management and online monitoring. The firm said the expansion goes beyond its initial focus of pursuing trademark infringement by websites, and reclaiming domains for those trademark owners. The firm said it will now offer up management of companies' domain names, and broader detection of brand reputation item (More info...)
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Boingo Wireless To Deploy At The Grove, The AmericanaLos Angeles-based Boingo Wireless, the operator of a network of Wi-Fi hotspots, said yesterday that it has inked a deal with Caruso Affiliated to provide Wi-Fi access at The Grove and The Americana at Brand. Financial details of the win were not disclosed. Boingo Wireless said service to the two Los Angeles shopping centers will roll out during June of this year. Boingo said the move by Caruso was aimed at providing services to Wi-Fi enabled smartphones. The firms pointed at the use of smartphon (More info...)
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Topanga Technologies Names Engineering VPLos Angeles-based Topanga Technologies, the developer of solid state, plasma lighting products, said Wednesday that it has added Gregg Hollingsworth as its Vice President of Engineering. Hollingsworth was previously VP of Product Development at Luxim Corporation, and also has served at Sirenza Microdevices, Xemod, Spectrian, and other firms. Topanga Technologies said that Hollingsworth holds 14 pending patents in the RF electrodeless plasma lamp area. Topanga's plasma lamps are aimed at the indu (More info...)
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ViaSat Gets $40M WinCarlsbad-based ViaSat said yesterday that it has scored a $40M contract win, to provider its Ka-band transmit-receive modules to Thales Alenia Space, for the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation. ViaSat, which develops satellite communications and other products, said its modules will be used in a set of 66 low earth orbit Iridium satellites, being set to launch in 2015. In addition to satellite communications modules, ViaSat operates the WildBblue Ka-band satellite broadband service.
posted on Thursday, May 19, 2011(Full story)