Monday, July 11, 2011AmazonLocal Launches In Los AngelesAmazonLocal, the daily deals site run by Amazon.com, has quietly launched in the Los Angeles area, as the firm starts a national expansion of its daily deals effort. According to AmazonLocal's web site, it now is offering deals in Long Beach, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, and on the Westside/South Bay. AmazonLocal launched earlier in June, with Boise, Idaho, as well as Seattle and several of its suburbs. AmazonLocal's deals are being sourced through LivingSocial, the daily deals site which it hold (More info...)
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Punchd, Cal Poly SLO Startup, Acquired By GoogleSandwiched between the technology centers of the Bay Area and Southern California, San Luis Obispo is better known for its beaches and tourism than tech startups. However, one startup spawned out of the area, Punchd, has just successfully sold itself to tech powerhouse Google. Founded by a team of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo computer science students, Punchd announced Monday that it has become part of Google Monday afternoon. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Punchd--which is (More info...)
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Esri Buys 3D Software FirmRedlands-based Esri, the developer of geographical information mapping (GIS) software, said Monday that it has acquired a Swiss software firm, Procedural. Financial details of the buy were not disclosed. Procedural develops CityEngine, software used to create 3D, urban environments from 2D data. The firm's software is used by urban planners, architects, movie studios, video game developers, and others to create 3D cities. Esri said it will integrate CityEngine into its ArcGIS softwre, as well as (More info...)
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Break Media, Scripped.com Name Contest WinnerLos Angeles-based Break Media, the online digital video site run by Keith Richman, and Scripped.com, the online screenwriting site headed by Sunil Rajaraman, have named a winner in a contest sponsored by the two companies. According to the two, it has named a Boston comedian, Evan Kaufman, as the winnner of a screenwriting contest by the two, which resulted in the production of a video based on that script by Break's production arm, Creative Lab. The result of the contest--"The Cutest Website"-- (More info...)
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Internet Brands Buys Two Women's Sites From eHarmonyLos Angeles-based Internet Brands said Monday that it has acquired two web sites aimed at women, Weddingbee.com, and JustMommies.com from Pasadena-based eHarmony. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Weddingbee is an online blog focused on the wedding industry, brides, and wedding planning, and was launched in 2006. JustMommies.com offers up an online community aimed at mothers and mothers-to-be, with topics ranging from pregnancy to parenting, and was founded in 2000. Internet (More info...)
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Social Rewards Gets SeededLos Angeles-based Social Rewards, the operator of social, loyalty, and affiliate marketing services headed by Joseph Morin, has scored some angel funding, socalTECH has learned. The firm's advisors include Paige Craig, CEO of BetterWorks and well known angel investor; attorney Antone Johnson; Nathan Beckord on VentureArchetypes.com; Dan Boberg; and Brian Clark, according to the firm's profile on AngelList. Kelly Perdew, CEO of FastPoint Games, also lists himself as a new investor in the company. (More info...)
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AeroVironment Gets Another UL CertMonrovia-based AeroVironment has hit another milestone in its efforts to deliver electric vehicle charging systems, saying that one of its fast charging systems have just received UL certification. The firm said its certification and listing from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) brings the total number of its chargers to six certified by UL. UL certifies product safety in the US. AeroVironment said it provides it EV charging systems now to BMW, NRG Energy, Nissan, the State of Hawaii, and the Stat (More info...)
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Venture Fundraising Up, But Number of Funds DownA report this morning from Dow Jones says that venture capital fundraising in the first half of the year was up 19 percent, however, those funds went to a smaller number of name-brand venture firms. According to Dow Jones, fundraising was up 20 percent over the same period a year ago, reaching $8.1 billion, but with only 50 funds closing, down 38 percent in terms of the number of funds. That compares with 81 venture funds raising $6.8 billion in the first half of 2010. Dow Jones' VentureWire edi (More info...)
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GRP Partners Backs DataSiftLos Angeles-based venture capital firm GRP Partners said today that it has made another investment in the Twitter ecosystem, and has led a $6M, Series A investment in Datasift. Datasift is a provider of real-time, analytics and management tools for third party developers and companies. GRP was joined by IA Ventures in the investment. Datasift is based in the UK. Mark Suster, who led the investment for GRP Partners, explained that he is "doubling down" on the Twitter ecosystem via the investment. (More info...)
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ThisNext.com Partners With Lucky MagazineSanta Monica-based ThisNext, the social shopping and content site run by Matt Edelman, has scored a partnership with Lucky Magazine. According to ThisNext, the two have created a co-branded shopping site, which was launched Friday. The new e-commerce site is aimed at helping women decide what to buy by tapping ThisNext's social shopping features and guides. Financial deatils of the partnership were not disclosed.
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Daylight Solutions Snags $15M In Series CSan Diego-based Daylight Solutions, a developer of laser systems, molecular detection, and imaging systems, reports today that it has snagged $15M in a Series C funding round. The round was led by Northrop Grumman Corporation, along with existing investors. The firm said the funding will go towards growth and further its technology. Daylight Solutions develops both commercial products as well as defense products, including a infrared countermeasure against missile threats.
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Local.com Buys Screamin' Daily Deals For $32.5MIrvine-based Local.com, the online publisher of local business guides and advertising sites, has acquired San Juan Capistrano-based Screamin' Daily Deals, the local daily deals site. The deal was worth $12.5M in cash, stock, and debt, with possible earnout of an additional $20M, based on future financial performance. Local.com said that Screamin' Daily Deals had revenues of $4.4M during the first half of 2011, and revenues of $2.4M in 2010. The daily deals site apparently also had grown to appro (More info...)
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j2 Global Buys Two European FirmsLos Angeles-based j2 Global Communications, the operator of online communications and fax services, said today that it has acquired two European companies. j2 said it acquired Data Haven Limited, an online data backup service for businesses based in Ireland, and the virtual PBX business of Buzz Networks Limited, based in the UK. Financial terms of the acquisitions were not disclosed. j2 said the impact of the acquisitions on its finances was not expected to be material. The company explained tha (More info...)
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Kite Pharma Names Scientific OfficerLos Angeles-based Kite Pharma, a biopharmaceuticals firm focused on cancer treatments, announced this morning that it has appointed Adrian Bot, M.D., Ph.D., as its Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Bot joins the company from MannKind Corp., where he was Vice PResident of Research. He also has served at Allecure Corp. and Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp, and was a post-graduate at Scripps Research Institute. Kite Pharma recently raised $15M in a first round of venture funding from TPG Capital.
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