Thursday, July 7, 2011US Renewables Backs Biofuels FirmLos Angeles-based private equity investor US Renewables Group is the lead investor in a biofuels and renewable chemicals firm. According to Colorado-based OPX Biotechnologies, US Renewables led a $36.5M, Series C first close in the company, which also included DBL Investors, Mohr Davidow Ventures, Braemar Energy Ventures, Altira Group and X/SEED Capital. As part of the funding, USRG managing director Jonathan Koch has joined the company's board. The investment looks to be the first, new investme (More info...)
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Broke Girl's Guide Gets FundingSanta Monica-based Broke Girl's Guide, a startup focusing in on daily deals and information for women, has scored a small debt funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm this week. The firm--started by Erin Bunch, Michelle Vick, and Rita Ravindra--notably lists former MySpace SVP International Marketing and MySpace Music SVP Jamie Kantrowitz as an advisor. Broke Girl's Guide runs a daily deal newsletter with offers, online promos, and sales information. The company says its purp (More info...)
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Citrix GoToMeeting Heads To AndroidA new, Android app version of GoToMeeting, the online meeting service developed by Citrix Systems' Santa Barbara-based online service division, will be preloaded on Motorola DROID 3 phones, Citrix announced Thursday. The deal is the first availability of GoToMeeting as an Android app. According to Citrix, both Citrix GoToMeeting and Citrix Receiver will be pre-loaded on the Android-based, DROID 3 from Motorola, which is available through Verizon Wireless. Financial details of the deal were not n (More info...)
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Boingo Expands In ItalyLos Angeles-based Boingo Wireless, the Wi-Fi network operator, said Thursday that it has added two new airports to its network, this time in Italy. Boingo said it has launched its managed Wi-Fi service in Malpensa (MXP) and Linate (LIN) airports in Milan, Italy. The new airports come as a result of a deal with Societa per Azioni Esercizi Aeroportuali (SEA). Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Boingo said the hotspot deal also includes roaming access for partners iPass, KT, NTT Comm (More info...)
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Groupon Now Hits The OCDaily deals giant Groupon said Thursday that it has expanded its real-time, deal venture, Groupon Now, into Orange County. Groupon Now is Groupon's effort to allow real-time deals via a mobile app, on things like restaurants and retail stores. Unlike the firm's well known daily deals, the Groupon Now offers tied to last for a limited number of hours, and are being used by restaurants to drum up additional business during the day. The addition of Orange County came on the same day that Groupon No (More info...)
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Interview with Bryan Hertz, VoxOxWith the proliferation of social networks, communications clients and VoIP phone services, users often find they need to use multiple ways--Twitter, Facebook, phone, FAX, and more--to communicate with their contacts. In a bid to simplify that world, and going beyond the current idea of unified communications, VoxOx (www.voxox.com) is looking to create a "universal communicator" which supports the full range of those services through a single interface. To try to understand the service's strategy (More info...)
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ParAccel Finds New Funding, From Amazon.comSan Diego- and Campbell-based ParAccel, the developer of data warehouse and big data analytics software, reported this morning that it has scored a new round of funding, which includes Amazon.com as the lead investor. Financial terms of the new funding was not disclosed. ParAccel said the round also included prior investors Menlo Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures, Bay Partners, Walden International, Tao Venture Capital Partners and Silicon Valley Bank. ParAccel's CEO and Chairman is Chuck Berger.
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HitFix Adds $2MLos Angeles-based HitFix, an online entertainment news site, announced today that it has closed on a $2M investment round. The new round was led by Golden Seeds, and also included prior investors the Tech Coast Angels. The company said it will use the round to accelerate growth in its service. HitFix is headed by Jennifer Sargent. The Tech Coast Angels' lead investor in HitFix is Yuri Pickover, who has previously been involved in such firms as Access360 and Xylan. Golden Seeds is the New York-ba (More info...)
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YouMail Ups Funding To $12.5MIrvine-based YouMail, the provider of third party voicemail and other cloud-based communications services run by Alex Quilici, disclosed this morning that it has upped its total funding to $12.5M. The funding came from VantagePoint Capital Partners, Siemer Ventures, and the Tech Coast Angels. YouMail said it will use the new funding to roll out more mobile applications and services, expand its platform, and accelerate growth of its services. YouMail offers up a third party, enhanced voicemail se (More info...)
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TowerJazz Sells Stake in Chinese FirmNewport Beach-based TowerJazz, the semiconductor foundry, said today that it has agreed to sell its holdings in Chinese IC foundry service Hua Hong Semiconductor Limited (HHSL). The firm said the sale was worth $32M in cash. TowerJazz said the move will provide the firm with cash to fund its growth initiatives.
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RF Industries Names PresidentSan Diego-based RF Industries, a manufacturer and distributor of RF connectors, cable assemblies, medical cabling, and other products, said today that it has appointed James Doss to the additional position of President. Doss is currently CFO of the firm. Prior President Howard Hill continues as CEO. Doss has been at the firm since 2006, and has previously served at such firms as HomeRelay Communications, CliniComp, and Merrick & Company.
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