Tuesday, March 6, 2012LAUNCH Conference Tops $1M In PrizesThe LAUNCH Conference, the technology startup launch conference organized by Mahalo CEO Jason Calacanis, has just surpassed $1 million in prizes, Calacanis said Tuesday afternoon. The conference--which has been stacking up prizes all month--said that angel investor and entrepreneur Bill Lee has committed to invest $100,000 as part of the conference, bringing the total prizes to $1,039,000 in prizes and investments for companies presenting at the event. LAUNCH is an alternative startup launch eve (More info...)
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Dollar Shave Club's Secret Weapon: Snazzy Launch VideoNewly launched Dollar Shave Club, the Los Angeles startup which is looking to take down expensive razor blade industry, might have a lot of what the hottest startups have: backing from VCs such as Kleiner Perkins, Forerunner Ventures, Andreesen Horowitz, Shasta Ventures, and Felicis Ventures, plus the assistance of former MySpace CEO Mike Jones and his firm Science Inc. But, it has something most of those startups don't have: a snazzy launch video. The video, which was released this morning, fea (More info...)
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SignNow Raises $2M For iPad Signature AppNewport Beach-based SignNow, a developer of iPad applications which allows users to legally sign documents from the Apple device, said today that it has raised $2M in a Series A funding round. The round was led by Khosla Ventures. SignNow is headed by Chris Hawkes. The company said that Sean Ellis, who was involved in marketing for Dropbox, Eventbrite, Xobni, LogMeIn, and other companies, has joined the firm's board with the funding.
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Fetch Technologies Sold To ConnotateEl Segundo-based Fetch Technologies, the developer of data aggregation and analysis software which was a spinout of USC's Information Sciences Institute, has been sold to New Jersey-based Connotate. According to Connotate, former Fetch CEO Ryan Mullholland becomes President of the firm with the acquisition. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Fetch Technologies was advised by Siemer & Associates in the sale. Fetch Technologies had raised at least $5.7M in funding. The firm ori (More info...)
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Domain Associates Inks $760M Deal With Russian FundSan Diego-based life sciences investor Domain Associates has inked a unique lifeline for the later stage life sciences companies its its portfolio: it's brokered a deal worth more than $760M, to help fund its portfolio firms from the Russian government. According to Domain and Russian, government-backed venture capital firm RUSNANO, the two have inked a partnership where they will jointly invest in emerging life sciences technology companies, foster transfer of technology into Russia, and establ (More info...)
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Dollar Shave Club Gets $1M To Disrupt The Razor IndustryMichael Dubin and Mark Levine have just one goal with their new startup: to totally disrupt the razor blade industry. Los Angeles-based Dollar Shave Club said this morning that it has raised $1M in a funding round, led by Kleiner Perkins and Forerunner Ventures, and also including Andreesen Horowitz, Shasta Ventures, and Felicis Ventures, along with angels Shevin Pishevar, Dennis Phelps, and David Hornig. The new startup, which spawned out of the walls of Science Inc., the business incubator and (More info...)
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Aragon Pharmaceuticals Scores $42MSan Diego-based Aragon Pharmaceuticals reports this morning that the firm has raised $42M in a Series C, funding round. The firm, which is developing treatments targeting hormone-driven cancers, said the round was led by Topspin Fund, the investment group of James Simons, Leo A. Guthart and Steve Winick, and also included Aisling Capital, OrbiMed Advisors and The Column Group. The firm said the new round brings its total raised to $72M. Topspin Capital's Leo A. Guthart, and former Calistoga Pha (More info...)
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WD Ships 2.5-inch SAS Hard DrivesIrvine-based Western Digital announced today that it is shipping a third generation of 2.5 inch, SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) hard drives. The new hard drives are aimed at the enterprise server and storage market, and offer up 10,000 RPM performance and a 6 Gb/s SAS interface, and capacities of 300 GB, 450 GB, 600 GB, and 900 GB. WD said the new hard drives are aimed at use in multi-tiered network storage arrays, and applications like online transaction processing.
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MyLife.com Plans $35M Marketing PushLos Angeles-based MyLife, the online social networking search site run by Jeff Tinsley, reported Monday that it is planning to spend $35M on marketing this year, starting with a nationwide television campaign. The firm, which has been pushing a new offering to help people find and connect with friends, family, and work contacts across multiple social networks, said the spending will go to promote its new Personal Relationship Manager and search services. MyLife has recently been swizzling its su (More info...)
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