Thursday, June 23, 2011


CapLinked Grows Users, Tops $1.7B In Deals
Los Angeles-based CapLinked, which develops software-as-a-service for managing fundraising and venture investment, disclosed today that it has just passed 16,000 users using the site, and now has $1.7 billion in open deals on its platform. The firm explained that it also now has 4,200 companies who have created profiles on the site. CapLinked said the number of user accounts is up 700 percent since the start of the year. CapLinked was founded by Eric M. Jackson and Christopher Grey, and is backe (More info...)
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BetterWorks Expands To San Francisco Bay Area
Santa Monica-based BetterWorks said today that it has expanded its services into San Francisco and the Bay Area, and is planning on opening up in New York and Boston soon. The firm--headed by Paige Craig--helps provide employee benefits and perks using web-based software and technology. Craig's co-founders include Zao Yang, the creator of Farmville, and George Ishii, co-founder of Geni and Yammer. BetterWorks did not give a timetable for opening up in New York and Boston.
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Factual Links With Location API Firm SimpleGeo
Los Angeles-based Factual, the data startup headed by Gil Elbaz, said today that it has partnered with location information firm SimpleGeo. The two said they are in a strategic partnership, which will incorporate Factual's global places data into SimpleGeo's Places API. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed. The two said the link will provide information on more than 30 million businesses and points of interest across 45 countries. Factual is venture backed by Andreessen Horowi (More info...)
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Hulu Plus Hits Android
Los Angeles-based Hulu, the web video site, said Thursday that it has rolled out its Hulu Plus application on Android. Hulu said the Hulu Plus application will run on six phones, including the Nexus One, Nexus S, HTC Inspire 4G, Motorola Droid II, Motorola Droid X, and the Motorola Atrix. The application is available for free download, but requires smartphone users to have a Hulu Plus subscription.
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WiSpry Gets $3.5M In Bridge Funding
Irvine-based WiSpry, the developer of radio frequency (RF) semiconductors, has raised $3.5M in a bridge funding round, according to reports. The funding is apparently a bridge to the company's next round. WiSpry is venture backed by Acadia Woods Partners, American River Ventures, Arkian, Blueprint Ventures, Chart Venture Partners, DoCoMo Capital, Hotung Capital Management, In-Q-Tel, L Capital Partners, Murata Manufacturing, Paladin Capital Group, Shepherd Ventures, and the Tech Coast Angels. The (More info...)
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Transphorm Gets $25M From Soros
Santa Barbara-based Transphorm, a developer of high efficiency, power conversion technology, confirmed today that it has raised $25M in a Series D funding round. The firm said the round was led by Quantum Strategic Partners Ltd., a private investment fund managed by Soros Fund Management. Prior investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Google Ventures, Foundation Capital and Lux Capital also participated in the funding. The company said the new round brings its total raised to $63M. The firm i (More info...)
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Clovis Oncology, With SoCal Backers, Files For IPO
In another, Southern California linked IPO, a Colorado anti-cancer firm. Clovis Oncology, has filed for a debut on the NASDAQ Global Market. Clovis Oncology is backed by Southern California investors Domain Associates and Versant Ventures, in addition to New Enterprise Associates, Aberdare Ventures, Abingworth Bioventures, Frazier Healthcare Ventures, Pfizer, and ProQuest Investments. Clovis said it is looking to raised up to $149.5M on the public markets as CLVS. The IPO is being underwritten b (More info...)
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Interview with Ryan Scott, CauseCast
One trend in the Southern California high tech startup market has been an increasing number of startups--and executives--who have been looking to combine their interests in business with their enthusiasm for giving back through nonprofits and causes. One of the firms which has been active in that area is Los Angeles-based CauseCast (www.causecast.com), run by Ryan Scott, who talked us about the company's relationship with the Huffington Post, its new efforts to provide its technology to compan (More info...)
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Online Learning Company Ties With UCLA Extension, CAA
A new, venture backed online education company, Encore Career Institute, headed by Steve Poizner, said today that it has linked with the UCLA Extension to offer up professional certificates and career counseling online. The firm said it has raised $15M in a Series A venture capital funding from InterWest Partners and Granite Ventures. Encore explained that its offerings will be based on UCLA Extension's content and courses. In addition to UCLA, entertainment and sports agency CAA is intimately i (More info...)
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On-Ramp Wireless Gets Funding From GE
San Diego-based On-Ramp Wireless, a developer of sensor network communications technology, has raised funding from GE, as part of a home energy investment push by GE. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed. GE said the investment is part of a $63M investment effort with its venture capital partners as part of the $200 million "GE ecomagination Challenge". A recent regulatory filing from On-Ramp Wireless indicates the funding was worth between $4.5M and $18M, and was part of a Ser (More info...)
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Report: Hulu Retains Morgan Stanley, Guggenheim In Sale
Further details on the potential sale of Los Angeles-based video streaming site Hulu continue to emerge, with the firm reportedly retaining investment bankers Morgan Stanley and Guggenheim Partners to represent it in a sale. The names of the bankers was uncovered by the Los Angeles Times, citing "people familiar with the matter".
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TabJuice Takes On Facebook E-Commerce
San Diego-based TabJuice, a new startup aimed at social e-commerce, said today it has launched a new, Facebook e-commerce application. The firm said its application allows businesses to create their own storefronts within a Facebook page. The firm is backed by J. Christopher Capital, and headed by Dylan Whitman, who also heads up CheapSally.com and digital marketing agency Flank Digital.
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Emulex Adds Board Member
Costa Mesa-based Emulex, the developer of storage networking hardware, said this morning that it has named Nersi Nazari to its board of directors. Nazari is Executive Chairman of Vigilo Networks, Inc., and was founder of investment firm Pacific General Ventures. He also been CEO of Teranetics, and served at Marvell Semiconductor, GEC Plessey Semiconductor, Seagate Technology, and Digital Equipment Corp.
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