Wednesday, July 27, 2011TroopSwap.com Gets Boost From SoCal Angels, Expands In San DiegoWashington, DC-based TroopSwap.com, an online site offering daily deals to military families, has scored a new round of funding from a number of Southern California investors, the firm said this week. According to TroopSwap--which is led by two Airborne Rangers who met at Harvard Business School--it received $925,000 in a new round of funding from such investors as Frank Monestere, President/COO of Los Angeles-based LegalZoom.com; Paige Craig, Founder and CEO of BetterWorks.com; and Kelly Perdew (More info...)
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Topspin Powers Sundance Institute EffortLos Angeles-based TopSpin Media, the provider of tools for helping musicians market themselves online, has scored a win with the Sundance Institute, the nonprofit which runs the Sundance Film Festival. According to the Sundance Institute, it is tapping Topspin Media for its direct-to-fan marketing tools, as part of an expansion of its Artist Services program. The Institute said the program will make it easier for filmmakers to make their films online, via iTunes, Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, SundanceN (More info...)
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Fisker Automotive Delivers First Production VehicleIrvine-based Fisker Automotive said this week that it has delivered one of the first, initial batch of production cars from the electric car startup, to venture capitalist Ray Lane. Lane, Managing Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, is Chairman of the firm's board of directors. Lane took deliver of a Silver Mirage colored Fisker Karma Tuesday.
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GoPollGo, With Idealab Backing, Launches Twitter Polling ServicePasadena-based Idealab has made another investment in a Twitter-related service, in GoPollGo, which said today that it has launched an online polling service based on Twitter. GoPollGo, which is based in Palo Alto, said it is bringing online polling with real-time analytics, all based on posting polls to Twitter followers and gathering real-time statistics, geolocated responses, and more. The firm said it recently closed a seed funding from Idealab. Financial details of that funding were not dis (More info...)
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Activision Awards Prizes To Two Games DevelopersSanta Monica-based Activision, the computer games publisher, said today that it has awarded two winners in the first round of its Activisoin Independent Games Competition. The firm said it has awarded $175,000 to Peter Angstadt for his game, Dstroyd, and $75,000 to Engient, for the game Rigonauts: Broadside. Activision says it is offering up $500,000 in prizes as part of the competition, which is aimed at independent game developers in the US.
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Lieberman Adds YubiKey SupportLos Angeles-based Lieberman Software said this week that it has added support for the YubiKey multi-factor authentication device to its software. According to Lieberman, it has upgraded its Enterprise Random Password Manager (EPRM) and Random Password Manager (RPM) to support the YubiKey token, a hardware device sold by Yubico. The USB device is a multi-factor authentication device, used in addition to a password, to prevent security breaches. The firm previously only supported RSA SecureID, an (More info...)
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ResumeBucket Nears 1 Million UsersLos Angeles-based ResumeBucket, the online resume site co-founded by Ted Hekman and Josh Stomel, said today that it is approaching the one millionth user of its website. ResumeBucket operates an online site which makes it easy for job seekers to create an online resume, publish that resume and different versions to employers, and more. The firm said that it will be awarding a prize to celebrate its millionth user, as part of a celebration of the milestone, including a new suit or professional ou (More info...)
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Night Tap Takes On Nightlife DealsIn the second, nightlife-focused deals site to launch this week, Los Angeles-based Night Tap said Tuesday afternoon that it has launched an online, daily deals site focused on drinks, dining, and nightlife in LA. The firm--headed by Kenny Kadar--said it will focus on providing discounts at clubs, bars, bottle service, restaurants, concerts, shows, special events, and more. The service is currently only available in LA, but has plans to reach five more cities by the end of the year. It's been a b (More info...)
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FundaGeek Set For Launch Into CrowdfundingA new, Los Angeles-based startup FundaGeek, focused on the crowdsourced funding market, is getting set to launch in the next few weeks, hoping to tap into the crowd to help get technology-based projects off the ground. The new company--headed by Dan D. Gutierrez and co-founded by Cary Harwin--said it is looking to help techies with great ideas who need funding. The site looks to get "micro-pledges" from backers, using social networks, to help support technology projects like video games, smart p (More info...)
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Smith Micro Names New Board MemberAliso Viejo-based Smith Micro, the developer of mobile applications software, said today that it has appointed Andy Arno to its board of directors. Arno is co-founder and Senior Advisor of Unterberg Capital. Arno has also served at Meeriman Capital, Collins Stewart LLC, C.E. Unterberg, Towbin and Lehman Brothers.
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