Tuesday, March 27, 2012TeleSign Partners For Improved SecurityLos Angeles-based TeleSign, the developer of two-factor, phone authentication services which are used by Internet retailers and web sites to protect against online fraud, has linked with a provider of device identification and fraud prevention serviecs. According to TeleSign and fellow security firm iovation, the two are offering up a combined solution which uses a service from iovation to trigger verification phone calls and SMS messages from TeleSign, when iovation detects that a device being (More info...)
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PowerGenix In Technology Licensing Deal With EnerSysSan Diego-based PowerGenix, which is developing a Nickel-Zinc battery used for hybrid electric vehicles and other applications, said Tuesday that it has signed a licensing and product development agreement with EnerSys. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. According to the firms, EnerSys has selected batteries developed by PowerGenix for inclusion in its product line and global sales channels. EnerSys is a large, publicly held manufacturer of power systems used for power equipment, (More info...)
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Startup Founded By UCLA Students Offers ScholarshipA startup, Sparefoot, headed by two former UCLA students who founded the company out of their experiences at the school, said today that it is offering up a $5,000 scholarship to students who use its service. The venture backed startup--which runs an online marketplace for storage units--said this morning that it will award $5,000, plus free storage space, to students who use the online service to book their own storage, and apply to the firm. The company said it specifically launched the schola (More info...)
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StockTwits In Deal With MSN MoneySan Diego-based StockTwits, the stock-focused, micro-messaging site headed by Howard Lindzon, has inked another distribution deal, this time with MSN Money. The two said today that users visiting MSN Money's ticker pages can see conversations about those specific stocks from the StockTwits network. Financial details of the deal were not announced. StockTwits is already providing its streams to Bing Finance, Yahoo Finance, CNN Money, TheStreet, and other sites. StockTwits says it is now reaching (More info...)
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Mogreet Ramps Sales, Marketing TeamLos Angeles-based Mogreet, the provider of video-based, mobile marketing services, is in the midst of and expansion, including the hiring of two executives to its sales and marketing team. The company, which is headed by James Citron, said today that it has hired Serena Ehrlich as Director of Marketing, and Anthony Ward as Director of Sales for the firm. Ehrlich was formerly Executive Director at Attention, and also is well known for her role working with the Social Media Club and other tech org (More info...)
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eHow Launches Technology ChannelLooking to attract more consumers interested in learning more about technology, Santa Monica-based eHow, the online how-to site run by Demand Media, said today that it has launched a new Tech Channel as part of the site. eHow said the new channel will provide user-friendly, reliable advice about consumer technology and tech-related tasks and projects. The site said it launched the channel after figuring out that around 10 million consumers, out of the 71 million visiting eHow each month, are loo (More info...)
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Mob Science Raises $1M For Social GamingSan Diego-based Mob Science, a developer of social Facebook games, said this morning that it has raised $1M in a seed funding round. The round came from David Young, the CEO of Joyent, Mark Surfas of GameSpy Industries, along with other angels. Mob Science is the developer of inFamous Anarchy, Coffee Bar, Snowball Fight, Willy's Sweet Shop and other Facebook games. The firm said it will use the funding to invest aggressively in product development, including hiring game designers, product manage (More info...)
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Insights and Opinions: Five by Five Considerations for Raising Capital
For today's Insights and Opinions section, where we feature contributions, opinions, and editorials from members of the Southern California technology community, we have an advice piece from venture capital veteran Jon Funk, who gives five things entrepreneurs ought to think about before raising capital. Funk- has plenty of experience on the other side of the table as a venture capitalist, having funded such successful SoCal firms as Sandpiper Networks, Rent.com and Shopzilla.
In the 1986 (More info...)
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ImaginAb Raises $12.5MLos Angeles-based ImaginAb, a UCLA spinout which is developing antibody fragments for use in the diagnostic imaging market, said late last night that it has raised $12.5M in a Series A financing round. The round was led by Novartis Venture Funds, and also included Merieux Developpement, Nextech Invest, Cycad Group and Momentum Biosciences. ImaginAb is using biotechnology to develop engineered antibody fragments for diagnostic imaging, particularly for imaging metastatic prostate and pancreatic c (More info...)
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Row 44 Gets Investment, Inks Deal With MLB Advanced MediaWestlake Village-based Row 44, the provider of in-flight broadband equipment, announced today that it has linked with MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM) in an in-flight live streaming television and on-demand video entertainment effort. The two said that Row 44 will use MLBAM's technology to provide live streaming IPTV service for news, entertainment, and on-demand movie and television content. As part of the deal, the two said that MLB Advanced Media will take an equity stake in Row 44. Financial detai (More info...)
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ISTA Pharmaceuticals Acquired For $500MIrvine-based ISTA Pharmaceuticals, a manufacturer of products to treat ocular inflammation and pain post-cataract surgery, glaucoma and ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis, has been acquired by Bausche + Lomb in a $500M deal. The firms said that Bausch + Lomb will pay $9.10 per share in cash for publicly held ISTA. ISTA had revenues of $160 million in 2011. Bausch + Lomb was advised by Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP in the deal; ISTA was advised (More info...)
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Esri Powers Local Food Maps For USDARedlands-based Esri, the developer of mapping and geospatial information systems technology, reported today that it is powering a new local foo dmap effort by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA). Esri said its software is being used as part of the USDA's KYF2 Compass Map, an interactive, web-based map for learning about local and regional food systems. Financial impact of the win was not disclosed. Esri said that the USDA is using its Esri Managed Services for the service.
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Sorenson Media Signs Flash NetworksSan Diego-based Sorenson Media, the developer of video encoding and decoding software, reported today that mobile Internet gateway firm Flash Networks has licensed its video decoder. Financial details of the win were not announced. Flash Networks will provide Sorenson's video deocder for use with its mobile Internet services gateway, which adjusts video quality to mobile users based on real-time network conditions.
posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2012(Full story)