Wednesday, September 21, 2011


Chill Launches Livestreaming Lounge
Los Angeles-based Chill, the social video streaming service created by Brian Norgard and Dan Gould, said Wednesday afternoon that it has launched a new feature around its "Chill Lounge". The firm said that anyone can now create a "Chill lounge"--essentially, a place to view a live stream of video and chat and interact with other users--around any live stream from Ustream, Justin.tv, Livestream.com, YouTube Live, or Twitch.tv. Chill also said it would be creating branded versions of the lounge fe (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

Bard, Lindzon Get Exit At Assistly
Alex Bard, the San Diego-based CEO of customer support software firm Assistly, has sold his second company, as online CRM software giant Salesforce.com said today that it was paying $50M for Assistly. Salesforce.com said that Assistly, which provides an easy to set up customer support system for small and medium sized businesses, would go towards bolstering its product lineup. Assistly is the second successful exit for Bard, who sold his last startup, Goowy, to AOL in 2008. Assistly is also bac (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

Hulu Extends Android Rollout
Los Angeles-based streaming media site Hulu said last night that it has extended its Hulu Plus Android app to run on nine more devices. The firm said its app now runs on eight more Android phones, including the Motorola Droid Bionic, Motorola Droid 3, Motorola Droid X2, LG Revolution, LG G2x, HTC Incredible 2, HTC Evo 3D, HTC Sensation, and HTC Flyer tablet. Hulu, like many other app makers, has had to contend with qualifying and ensuring its Android app runs on the many varied implementations o (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

JustFabulous Lands $33M
El Segundo-based Just Fabulous, a new startup spun out of Intelligent Beauty, the e-commerce firm headed by Don Ressler and Adam Goldenberg, said this morning that it has raised $33M in a Series A funding round, for its "fashion styling" and fashion site. The investment was led by Matrix Partners, and also included Technology Crossover Ventures and fashion TV star Kimora Lee Simmons. Josh Hannah of Matrix Partners has joined the company's board as part of the funding. Simmons also has been appoi (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

LA To San Francisco Ridesharing Firm Gets Funding
Zimride, a startup which recently launched an online service to promote ridesharing between Los Angeles and San Francisco, said today that it has scored funding. The firm said it raised $6M from Mayfield Fund for its efforts to connect ride sharers with others. The firm recently started promoting public ridesharing between the Bay Area and Los Angeles, with its "Sunshine Route". Zimride said in August that it has been using the route to expand sharing of rides between the two cities, in a shift (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 (More)(Full story)

Independa Raises $1.6M
San Diego-based Independa, which operates a service to help family and professional caregivers monitor loved ones, has raised $1.6M in a seed funding round, the firm said today. The funding came from Miramar Venture Partners and CityHill Ventures. The firm also said it has received $200,000 in debt from Silicon Valley Bank. The funding will go towards development of its product line, distribution, and go-to-market and pilot programs. Independa provides a product to help family members and other (More info...)
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Idealab Backs Top10
Pasadena-based Idealab, the startup incubator run by Bill Gross, has made another external investment in a company, funding London-based Top10. Top10 operates a service which allows users to create their own "best of" lists in a social way. Top10 said today that it raised $3.5M, in a round led by Accel Partners, which also included Idealab, Founder Collective, Forward Venture Partners, and Shakil Khan. The investment looks to be the farthest venture, geographically, for Idealab, which recently b (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

Elevance Renewable Sciences Files For IPO
Woodridge, Illinois-based Elevance Renewable Sciences, a developer of renewable chemicals technology which was spun off from Pasadena-based Materia, has filed for an IPO. Elevance said it is looking to raise up to $100M on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol ERSI. The IPO is being underwritten by Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Jeffries, Piper Jaffray, and Raymond James. Elevance was spun out of Materia in 2008, in a partnership with Cargill, Incorporated. The technology being used at both Ma (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

Kelley Blue Book Battles Online Scammers
Yet another, local online car buying site is warning consumers of online car buying scams using its brand name. Irvine-based Kelley Blue Book warns that scammers have been using a fake, Kelley Blue Book website is being used as part of a car buying scam, where scammers convince unsuspecting buyers to buy via a non-existent, escrow-based guaranteed buyer protection program from Kelley Blue Book. The firm does not offer such a service. Kelley Blue Book said it has seen a "small but increasing numb (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

Honest Label Foods Launches iPhone, Android Apps
San Luis Obispo-based Honest Label Foods, a new startup, said today that it has launched both iPhone and Android apps to help consumers sort out food labels. The firm's new app allows users to scan barcodes on food products, and receive more accurate food labeling information on products. According to the firm, its free app will help users flag foods containing ingredients users are looking to avoid; will recalculate daily values based on a person's specific dietary needs and calories, and more. (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

The Gores Group Buys Alpheus Communications
Los Angeles-based private equity firm The Gores Group announced this morning that it has agreed to acquire Alpheus Communications, a fiber network and data center operator in Texas. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Gores Group said it will combine Alpheus with its existing portfolio firm, First Communications. Gores is acquiring Alpheus from Genesis Park, L.P. and El Paso Corporation. Gores explained that Alpheus Communications is one of the largest fiber network and data cent (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

CitizenHawk Signs MonaVie
Aliso Viejo-based CitizenHawk, the provider of online brand protection and reputation services, reports this morning that it has signed nutritional products firm MonaVie as a client. CitizenHawk said it will provide comprehensive management and protection of MonaVie's 600 domain names, including Uniform Domain-Name Resolution Policy (UDRP) domain recovery services. Financial details of the win were not disclosed. MonaVie is apparently using CitizenHawk to shut down unauthorized domain names infr (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)

MeLLmo Launches New Roambi iPad App
San Diego-based MeLLmo, the developer of the Roambi mobile business apps, said today that it has launched a new iPad App, Roambi Flow. The firm--which is fresh off a $30M funding from Sequoia Capital--said the new software allows users to view "magazine-style" reports and publications on the iPad. The app is free, but requires MeLLmo's Roambi Analytics ES. Roambi's software is used to access business data, reports, research, and other information. MeLLmo just announced the big investment round f (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, September 21, 2011(Full story)