Thursday, June 21, 2012Stockr Looks To Create New Stock Discussion SiteA new, Los Angeles startup, Stockr, is looking to connect the world of social networking with stock tips and trades, and recently has emerged in a private beta. The firm, headed by Vinny Jindal, provides a filtered stream of stock tips and disussions--tied into stock charts and quotes. Jindal was previously at Boston Millennia Partners and has also served at ThinkEquity Partners, Lehman Brothers, Wedbush Morgan Securities, and Origin Capital Management. Jindal's co-founder is Brendon Crawford, w (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
Savings.com Deal Worth $100M+The acquisition of Los Angeles-based Savings.com is apparently worth over $100M, plus an unspecified additional amount based on future performance of the firm, according to new numbers provided to the press by acquiring firm Cox Target Media. The acquisition price is a healthy return for the investors in Loren Bendele's company, which include U.S. Venture Partners and Rustic Canyon Venture Partners, which invested around a total of $12M in Savings.com. Savings.com is a provider of online coupons (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
Silicon Beach Hackathon Looks To Gather TechiesAmong a slew of events happening over the next few days at the Silicon Beach Fest is one aimed at bring out some of the technical talent in the area: the Silicon Beach Hackathon. The event--one of a number of events focused on LA tech, entertainment & startups tied into the Silicon Beach Fest--will award $20,000 in cash from StartEngine, $12,000 in cloud hosting services from Peak Hosting, and many other prizes to the top technical products cooked up at the event. The hackathon runs over 48 hour (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
Savings.com Acquired By Cox Target MediaLos Angeles-based online coupon and deal site Savings.com has been acuqired by Cox Target Media, Cox announced Thursday afternoon. The deal is worth $100M, plus additional earnout depending on hitting performance targets. The deal includes Savoo.co.uk, and will add Savings.com to Valpak, the provider of those ubiquitous blue coupon envelopes distributed to U.S. households by mail. Cox said the buy "substantially expands" its business across traditional, digital, social and mobile platforms. Cox (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
YouMail: Don't Trust Those Google Play ReviewsIrvine-based YouMail has a message for all of those browsers in the Google Play store, the place where Android users go to download apps: don't believe those reviews. In a blog post today, YouMail pointed out that there appears to be an issue with adequate policing of Google Play's reviews, showing a specific set of positive reviews for a competitor -- and a matched set of disparaging ones -- from the exact same users, in the same order, from what appears to be manufactured users created by a co (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
Adconion Seeks IPO, Says ReportIt appears that it's exit season in Southern California, as Internet advertising firm Adconion appears to be on the brink of an IPO filing. A report this morning says that Adconion's paperwork is ready, and that the firm is poised to file its S-1 any day now. Adconion, although based in London, has significant operations in Los Angeles, and the firm's founding investors include Los Angeles investors Tyler Moebius (founder and CEO), Clark Landry (chairman of GraphEffect), Fred Krueger and Evan Ri (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
Report: Gaikai On The Block, May Bring More Than $500MAliso Viejo-based Gaikai, the venture-backed developer of videogame streaming services, is looking for buyers for the firm, in what is expected to be a sale worth more than $500M, according to reports today. The reports--from FORTUNE's Dan Primack--said that the firm has already hired bankers to help it with a possible sale. If the sale does happen, it would be a very good return for the firm's backers, who have invested $45.0M in the company. Backers of Gaikai include Benchmark Capital, Intel C (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
MeFeedia Shifts To Software PlayLos Angeles-based MeFeedia, the online video discovery site headed by Frank Sinton, is shifting its focus to a new, software and platform play, with the launch of Beachfront Builder today. Beachfront Builder is a new platform which helps companies deliver video via apps to their customers. According to the firm, the platform will support iPhone, iPad, Android smartphones, and Android tablets. The shift comes four years after the initial launch of Mefeedia's video search site.
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
GameSalad Hits WindowsAre you interested in building your own, iPhone or Android game, but don't know how to develop mobile software? Los Angeles-based GameSalad has just made it easier for non-programmer to develop their own, fully functional games. GameSalad said its flagship title, GameSalad Creator, now runs on the Windows operating system, allowing users to build their own iPhone, Android, and web games. The firm, which has only offered its software until now on the Mac, said the software is now available for fr (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
Sonos Funding Pays Off For Early InvestorsWhen is a funding also an exit? When part of that funding is used to pay off early investors. The $135M funding for Santa Barbara-based wireless music system maker Sonos appears to be just that, rewarding such investors as Andreas von Blottnitz, and undoubtedly co-founders John MacFarlane, Craig Shelburne, Tom Cullen. Sonos had raised $41M in funding--mostly from BV Capital, the investment fund of Andreas von Blottnitz--before this late stage injection from Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Elevati (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
CapLinked Lands New Funding RoundLos Angeles-based CapLinked, the startup which provides an online site to help companies manage their fundraising process, is announcing this morning that it has raised $400,000 in a new funding round. The new round included Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Andrej Henkler (formerly of Bertelsman), and early
stage technology investor Joe Kalfa. The firm said the funding brings its total raised to $1.8M. CapLinked is headed by Eric M. Jackson, and allows companies to share due diligence docume (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)
SocialVibe Bolsters Exec TeamLos Angeles-based SocialVibe, the online advertising firm headed by Todd Tappin, has bolstered its exec team today, saying it has named three senior executives at the company. SocialVibe said it has named John Capano as CMO, Brett Lofgren as CRO, and Bob Lonigro as its VP of Sales. Capano was previously at Wunderman, serving as Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy; he also has served at RiechesBaird and Mead, Coen & Pure, LLC. Lofgren was previously at Epic Media Group, and also served at E (More info...)
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012(Full story)