Tuesday, May 24, 2011Insights and Opinions: If It Walks Like An Entrepreneur...
What is an entrepreneur? Gil Elbaz, founder of Los Angeles-based Factual, talks about entrepeneurship for our Insights and Opinions section.
One summer after my freshman year in college, I took a job selling high-end Kirby vacuum cleaners door-to-door. I thought it might be a good experience.
It was. I learned that based on my selling statistics (which were good, but not great), every non-sale got me 1/15th of the way toward a sale.
To stay super-motivated, I had to train myself (More info...)
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Ebyline Signs Scripps TV, Adds Audio/VideoLos Angeles-based Ebyline, a startup which helps publishers find and manage freelancers, said today that it has added Scripps Television Station group as a customer, and the addition of audio/video capabilities to the service. The firm said the new video and audio allows publishers to find freelancers to produce multimedia content. The new effort is aimed at reaching TV and radio stations. Ebyline was co-founded by former newspaper execs Bill Momary and Allen Narcisse. Momary was at the Ventura (More info...)
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AeroVironment Scores $8.4M OrderMonrovia-based AeroVironment, the developer of unmanned aerial vehicles, said Tuesday that it has scored a $8.4M order. The order is part of a follow-on contract with the U.S. Army. The firm said the order came for its Raven small unmanned aerial aircraft and spares. AeroVironment's Raven is being used by the military for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition.
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Activision Sets Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 ReleaseSanta Monica-based game publisher Activision said Tuesday that it has set the worldwide release date for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for November 8th. The new title is being developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games.
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Sonos Ties Into MOGSanta Barbara-based Sonos, the wireless music system developer, has linked into another streaming music service, MOG. The firms said today that they have added the MOG service to the list of streaming audio services supported through the Sonos music system. The service is available as of today on Sonos systems. As part of the move, the two said they will offer up a 14 day free trial to Sonos users of the MOG service. Sonos already offers similar streaming from such services as Last.fm, Napster, (More info...)
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Solarflare Gets $20.5M MoreIrvine-based Solarflare, the developer of high speed, low latency 10GbE server adapters, has raised $20.5M, according to a regulatory filing from the firm today. Details on the funding--part of an ongoing, $24.1M fundraising effort--have not been announced by the company. The funding follows the exit of Solarflare from the 10Gbps Copper PHY market earlier this month. Solarflare sold those assets to an un-named semiconductor vendor--believed to be Marvell--and shifted its business away to the ser (More info...)
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Marriage.com Launches Bridal CommunityLos Angeles-based Marriage.com said today that it has launched its online bridal and marriage community. The firm, which was co-founded by Katrina Razavi, Justin Fredericks, and Vinod Sodha, says it is creating a "conversation and content" for the bridal and marriage community. The site includes answers to questions from brides about weddings, wedding planning, fashion, and more. Razavi and Fredericks were both previously at Shopflick. Marriage.com says it is looking to provide platform for coup (More info...)
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AboutAirportParking.com Launches iPhone AppLos Angeles-based AboutAirportParking.com, which is run by Oversee.net, said today that it has launched a new, iPhone travel app. The firm said its new "AirportParking" app makes it easy to find discounted parking at more than 100 airports nationwide. AboutAirportParking.com is a part of Oversee.net's travel vertical, which also includes LowFares.com. The new app is free. Oversee.net operates a portfolio of domain parking services, domain monetization services, as well as marketing and leads sit (More info...)
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Google Invests In Tehachapi Wind ProjectSearch engine giant Google is making more investments in Southern California energy, saying this morning that it has made a $55M investment to finance a wind project supplying power to Southern California Edison. Google said the investment will go to finance the Alta IV project at the Alta Wind Energy Center. The firm said the funding brings its total invested in energy to more than $400M. Citibank is also investing in the Alta IV project, which will add 102 megawatts of power to the 1,550 MW of (More info...)
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Interview with Vic Caretti, LoudvineSouthern California--and particularly, Los Angeles--has always been a center of the music business, which makes it unsurprising that there are many, music-focused startups which end up starting here. One of them is online music events site Loudvine (www.loudvine.com), which was co-founded by Vic Caretti, who gave us the scoop on what the site is all about.
What is Loudvine?
Vic Caretti: It's pretty simple. The genesis of this, is it's all about the music. We're creating a platform that hi (More info...)
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Insights: Ten reasons to start a company; ten reasons not toToday's Insights and Opinions article comes from Megan Lisa Jones, an investment banker and investor, who says: yes, it's a bubble, and gives her top ten reason to start a company, and ten reasons not to.
LinkedIn valued at over $8 billion; Facebook at over $70 billion and star of a movie. Start up conferences and competitions. Rich valuations and venture capitalists throwing money at early stage companies. So not 2009. And, as I've argued before, not 1999.
Are we seeing a bubble? Sure (More info...)
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Music Mastermind Gains $10.8MCalabasas-based Music Mastermind, which is developing a music creation platform, said Monday that it has raised $10.8M in a Series B funding round. The round came from Intel Capital and Liberty Global, along with angel investors. Intel and Liberty contributed $6.8M to the Series B, with the remainder coming from the angels. Music Mastermind was founded by Matt Serletic, former Virgin Records Chairman and CEO. Music Mastermind said the funding comes on top of an earlier, $5M in funding it receive (More info...)
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mobileStorm Adds New ExecsLos Angeles-based mobilStorm, the provider of mobile and email messaging services, announced today that it has added three new executives. The firm said it has added Gary Holderby as Vice President of Client Services, Joseph Shavit, as Vice President of Product Development, and promoted Beth Spiegel to Vice President of Sales. Holderby was previously at The CMI Group and Qualcomm; Shavit founded Canadian Apartments for Rent Online; and Spiegel has previously served at Starwood Hotel and Resorts (More info...)
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BUMP.com Buys BumpChatLa Jolla-based BUMP.com, the social networking and mobile app firm which allows people to send messages to others based on their license plate, said today thati thas acquired BumpChat, a provider of location-based communication and dating apps. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced. BumpChat develops a communications and dating app which works on the iPhone and iPod touch. BUMP.com is headed by Mitch Thrower, and is backed by $2.2M in funding. The firm said it is in the midst o (More info...)
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Prometheus Laboratories Acquired by NestleSan Diego-based Prometheus Laboratories, a specialty pharmaceuticals and diagnostics firm, has been acquired by Nestle Health Sciences S.A., a subsidiary of Nestle S.A. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The firms said that the buy will support Nestle's efforts to provide science-based nutritional solutions. Prometheus was founded in 1995, and was venture backed by DLJ Merchant Bacnking Partners, SPVC (managed by Split Rock), Sprout Group/New Leaf, Apax Partners, Pamlico Capital, an (More info...)
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EQAL Raising $3.5MSanta Monica-based EQAL, the producer of online content known for LonelyGirl15 and KateModern, is in the midst of raising $3.5M in a funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm Monday. The filing indicates the firm has so far raised $650K of the round from eight investors. The firm has previously raised funding from such firms and angels as Spark Capital, Conrad Riggs, Ron Conway, Marc Andreessen, and Georges Harik. The firm was founded by Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried. The fi (More info...)
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Accelrys Buys Contur SoftwareSan Diego-based Accelrys, a developer of enterprise R&D software, said yesterday that it has acquierd Contur Software AB, a developer of electronic notebook software. Contur is based in Stockholm, Sweden. Accelrys said it paid approximately $13.1M in cash, including $0.5M in earn out, for Contur. Contur's products are used to replace paper notebooks in research and development laboratories.
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Zumbox Rolls Out ApplianceLos Angeles-based Zumbox, the provider of Internet-based mail and bill delivery software and services, said Monday that it has rolled out a new, appliance based version of its service. The firm said its Zumbox Digital Postal Mail Gateway (DPM Gateway) will allow large organizations to sent materials to consumer households. Zumbox did not release pricing on the new appliance. Zumbox is headed by John Payne, the former CEO of Stamps.com. The firm has recently been focusing in on delivering bills a (More info...)
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Broadcom Completes SC Square AcqusitionIrvine-based Broadcom said Monday afternoon that it has completed its acquisition of SC Square Ltd., the Israeli-based security software firm. Broadcom said it paid $41.9M net of cash assumed for SC Square Ltd. Broadcom said it would by SC Square on May 9th.
posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2011(Full story)