Friday, May 11, 2012Factual Connects Into Python, Clojure, HaskellSanta Monica-based Factual extended out its list of supported APIs this week, saying that it has added new drivers for the Python, Clojure, and Haskell development languages. The new drivers allow developers using those various programming languages to access data in Factual, including the company's massive database of location and place information. Factual already had support for more widespread languages like Java and PHP. Factual's database and APIs makes it easy for developers to create loc (More info...)
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Sonos Opens Up LA Listening RoomFans of the Sonos whole house, user-friendly music systems might want to head down to the La Brea Art and Design District sometime soon, to check out a new gallery and listening room opened up by the company this week. Sonos said its new Sonos Studio is an "acoustically-designed" gallery which will feature exhibits at the intersection of music, art and technology, including concerts, listening parties, film screenings, lectures, workshops and more. Sonos said the new 4,000 square foot studio inc (More info...)
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CapLinked Launches Activity TrackerManhattan Beach-based CapLinked, the online service which helps startups manage their fundraising efforts, share due diligence documents, and find investors, said this week that it has launched a new activity tracker on the site. CapLinked said the new feature--available on its new TEAM accounts--provides information on who has viewed a company's profile, downloaded files, and responded to information about a deal. CapLinked rolled out its TEAM accounts in April, providing a set of premium featu (More info...)
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ExpenseCloud Acquired By TriNetHuman resources service provider TriNet confirmed Thursday that it has acquired Los Angeles-based expense report management software provider ExpenseCloud. Financial terms of the sale have not been announced. According to TriNet, it will incorporate ExpenseCloud's offering into its client service platform later in 2012. ExpenseCloud's management team, including both co-founder and CEO Eric Sikola and co-founder and CTO Dan Fritcher, will join TriNet as part of the acquisition. Sikola founded Exp (More info...)
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LegalZoom Files For IPOGlendale-based online legal documents marketplace LegalZoom filed for an IPO Friday, saying that it is looking to raise up to $120M on the New York Stock Exchange as "LGZ". The firm's IPO is being underwritten by Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch, Stifel Nicolaus Weisel, RBC Capital Markets, William Blair, and Montgomery & Co. The firm is venture backed by Polaris Venture Partners (35.1 percent ownership), Insitutional Venture Partners (14.7 percent), and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (6.4 (More info...)
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Viddy Confirms $30M FundingLooking to become the next Instagram--but for video, instead--Los Angeles-based Viddy has just added $30M in funding to its warchest, confirming today reports that it has scored a huge new funding for the mobile video sharing site. Viddy said the Series B funding comes from New Enterprise Associates, Goldman Scahs, Khosla Ventures, and Battery Ventures. The round comes only four months after the firm close a $6M, Series A funding in February. Viddy is one of a number of contenders who provide sh (More info...)
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LA Demo Day Crowd: The Good Times Are BackAre the good times for startups back? That seemed to be the mood running through the cloud at the more-than-sellout crowd at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica Thursday at the first LA Demo Day, organized by Docstoc's Jason Nazar. At the event, the enthusiasm for startups was palpable. The crowd of more than 1,500 spilled out into hallways, and would-be investors were turned away from the doors, as a crush of entrepreneurs, investors, service providers, wanna-be entrepreneurs, and others look (More info...)
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University Students Get $200K For Clean Technology Startups
A group of university students from across the region were awarded a total of $200,000 in prize money via a business plan competition for clean technology businesses being driven by the California Institute of Technology and other local institutions, The First Look West regional business plan competition being run by the California Institute of Technology, and including efforts from the USC Stevens Institute of Technology and the LA Cleantech Incubator, said it has awarded $200,000 to three te (More info...)
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ParkMe Partners To Power Driving Assistance AppDo you ever wish your phone could help you navigate to an open parking space? A new partnership between Los Angeles-based ParkMe, the provider of parking information on your smartphone, and smartphone voice assistance developer Magnifis does just that. The two companies aid that they are partnering to add ParkMe's parking information to Magnifis' Android-based, voice driver assistance application. Business details between the firms were not announced, but the two said the deal will allow drivers (More info...)
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HomeMint, With Justin Timberlake, Opens DoorsHomeMint, the fifth celebrity-driven, fashion e-commerce site to launch out of Santa Monica-based BeachMint, launched this week with celebrity Justin Timberlake, offering up home goods and accessories. The new site combines the fashion sense of Timberlake and celebrity stylist and interior designer Estee Stanley, and pairs that with a membership-based e-commerce site which allows members to access home furnishings, home decor, and art all selected by Timberlake and Stanley. The first products to (More info...)
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Prime Focus World Names Entekhabi As CFOLos Angeles-based Prime Focus World, a provider of technical services to the film, broadcast, and advertising industry, said this week that it has named Massoud Entekhabi as its Global Chief Financial Officer. Entekhabi was previously founder of venture firm Zenith Equity Partners, and also was General Partner and Managing Director at TL Ventures. Entekhabi was also previously at Coopers & Lybrand LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Prime Focus World provides 2D to 3D conversion, special effects (More info...)
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