Wednesday, July 11, 2012


StackSocial Gets Funding
Los Angeles-based StackSocial, which is developing and e-commerce platform focused on flash sales of software, apps, tutorials, and more--currently on a number of Mac software packages--has quietly raised a round of angel funding, socalTECH has learned. The funding amount has not been announced, but the startup, out of the Amplify.la accelerator, is now listed as a portfolio firm of Siemer Ventures. The startup, founded by Josh Payne and Stefan Wrobel, currently features a bundled software deal (More info...)
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Insights and Opinions: Social at Scale
What does the landscape of social media marketing look like, in the wake of Salesforce.com's acquisition of Buddy Media? In our Insights and Opinions section--where we feature various opinions, advice, and thoughts from our readers--we have an article from, Matt Fitz-Henry, who works at a competitor, prognosticates about the social media marketing world. In the past month alone, some of the world’s largest enterprise technology companies have acquired social media marketing start-ups accu (More info...)
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Virgin Galactic Looks Towards Satellite Launches
Virgin Galactic, the Mojave-based spaceflight firm which is developing spaceships to take people to space, has turned its eye towards satellite launches. According to the company on Wednesday, it has created a new, air-launch rocket called "LauncherOne", which was designed to deliver small satellites into orbit. Virgin Galactic said it has raised "substantial funding" from aabar Investments PJS for the effort, and has signed four private companies as future customers of the launch vehicle. The n (More info...)
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AeroVironment Deploys EV Chargers In Hawaii
Monrovia, California-based AeroVironment, which develops both electric vehicle charging stations as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, has deployed its EV chargers in Hawaii, as part of a deployment with Aloha Petroleum. According to Aloha Petroleum--which is the largest supplier of gasoline in Hawaii--AeroVironment's fast chargers have been installed at three gas stations on the island of Oahu. The DC fast chargers work with such vehicles as the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV, charging them i (More info...)
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PromoJam Expands Into Australia, New Zealand
Los Angeles-based PromoJam, the social marketing software and services firm founded by Matt and Amanda MacNaughton, said Wednesday that it has inked a deal to expand into Australia and New Zealand. PromoJam said the deal, with Inception Digital, a digital consultancy serving the region, to make PromoJam's tools available to clients in Australia and New Zealand. Inception Digital's clients include Samsung, Emirates, and HTC, along with others. No financial details of the link were announced by th (More info...)
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Pocket Change Finds More Funding
A virtual currently startup, Pocket Change, with links to Southern California has just raised $5M more in funding. The firm, which provides virtual currency handling for Android game makers, is the startup of Ari Mir, who formerly co-founded GumGum, and Amos Elliston, who served as CTO at Geni and SVP of Engineering at Yammer. The new round apparently was led by Google Ventures, and also included former investors First Round Capital, Baroda Ventures, and angels, including Los Angeles investors M (More info...)
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SteelHouse Adds $8.25M
Los Angeles-based SteelHouse, a startup developing e-commerce software to provide special offers and pricing to consumers based on their online behavior, has raised $8.25M more. The funding came from Qualcomm Ventures and Daher Capital. SteelHouse has previously raised funding from Baroda Ventures, Greycroft Partners, and Rincon Venture Partners.
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Media Temple Launches Website, Domain Migration Service
Los Angeles-based web hosting and cloud hosting provider Media Temple is looking to maker it easier for people to migrate their websites and domains to the service, through a new service called Otto. The company--which recently installed Russell Reeder as President and COO--said the new service costs as little as $150 per site and $25 per domain, helping to take care of the usual headaches of moving those domains, websites, and applications. The firm said the new effort is "people powered" and i (More info...)
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Interview with Vinny Jindal, Stockr
What does social networking have to do with the stock market? According to Vinny Jindal, the CEO of Los Angeles-based startup Stockr (www.stockr.com), everything. Vinny talked with us about his startup, which allows users to discuss and collaborate on their stocks and finances in a social way. What is Stockr all about? Vinny Jindal: Stockr's mission is to help people invest better. The two things that are mostly lacking from people's investment experience are the lack of a wide network o (More info...)
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Qualcomm Adds Former MIT President To Board
San Diego-based wireless technology firm Qualcomm said late Tuesday that it has added the former President of the Massachusetts Insitute of Technology, Dr. Susan Hockfield, to its board. Hockfield had been President of MIT from December of 2004 until this month, and continues to serve on the faculty at MIT. Her long career includes time at Yale, where she joined the faculty in 1985 and later served as provost of that school. She also sites on the board of the General Electric Company, among othe (More info...)
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WD Integrates With Dropbox
Irvine-based disk drive maker WD is tying its products into the popular Dropbox online storage service today, with the release of its latest WD 2go mobile app. According to WD, the newest version of its app allows customers to access and share content on their home network on their mobile devices, with ability to move, copy, and share content between mobile devices, Dropbox, and their own WD storage. The app works with WD's My Book Live, My Book Live Duo, and My Net N900 Centra HD routers with s (More info...)
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Break Media Launches iPad App
Los Angeles-based Break Media, the online content publisher focused on video for men, said this morning that it has launched a new Break.com iPad app. Break.com said it has revamped its application, and has specifically designed an app for the iPad's advanced features. Break had previously offered a generic, iOS application, which did not take advantage of the iPad's display and features.
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MiCardia Raises $4.4M, Spins Off Technology
Irvine-based Micardia, a developer of medical devices used for treating cardiovascular diseases, said Tuesday that it has raised a round of funding, which will provide it with $4.4M during 2012 and 2013. The firm said the round was an internal round. In addition to the funding, the firm said it is spinning off technology developed by the firm into a new company, ValCare, focused on a transcather mitral valve repair system. As part of that spinout, ValCare will receive $8.0M in funding from Israe (More info...)
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