Monday, August 20, 2012


SurfAir's Subscription Airline Flights Now Targeted By End of 2012
Santa Monica-based Surf Air, the startup airline which is looking to remake air travel with its unlimited, subscription-based air flights between Los Angeles, Palo Alto, and a few other select locations, told its supporters today that it is now readjusting its timeline for launch, and anticipates flying by the end of 2012. The startup airline--headed by Wade Eyerly and backed by such venture firms as Anthem Venture Partners, NEA, TriplePoint Capital, Siemer Ventures, Baroda Ventures, and a numbe (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

StackSocial Eyes Android Deals
Los Angeles-based StackSocial, the startup out of the Amplify accelerator offering up a way for web publishers to integrate e-commerce into their sites, is looking to expand its offerings into the world of Android smartphones, the firm said over the weekend. The firm--which currently powers a flash sales site focused on Mac software--said it is partnering with Cult of Android to take on Android phone apps and products. Details of that deal were not announced. StackSocial is venture backed by suc (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

Fisker Automotive: Cooling Fan To Blame In Fire, Recall Announced
Anaheim-based Fisker Automotive said over the weekend that it has completed a detailed investigation into the self-ignition of a Fisker Karma sedan in Woodside, California last week, saying that the fire was due to a low temperature cooling fan, which overheated and started a slow burning fire. As part of the announcement, Fisker said it has voluntarily elected to conduct a recall with respect to the cooling fan unit. Fisker said the move is not expected to have a material financial impact on th (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

CapLinked Adds Sharing Feature
CapLinked, the online, cloud-based service which helps startups and others manage their fundraising, has added a new sharing feature which makes it easier for users to share their information via email, Skype, and AngelList. The firm said its new sharing links, unique links which can be found on a user's workspace within the service, now allows users to provide secure access to accredite dinvestors and others. CapLinked operates an online service which helps entrepreneurs and startups organize d (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

CityGrid Buys Pay-Per-Phone Advertising Technology Firm
West Hollywood-based CityGrid, the unit of IAC which operates CitySearch, Insider Pages, and Urbanspoon, said this morning that it has acquired Felix, a performance-based, local advertising service for small and medium-sized businesses. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. According to CityGrid, Felix will operate as another independent business under CityGrid, reporting to CityGrid CEO Jason Finger. Felix provides pay-per-action phone advertising to local businesses, and has been work (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

Nirvanix Wins Fox Networks
San Diego-based cloud storage service provider Nirvanix has signed on Fox Networks Group, the television broadcaster, as a customer for its service, the company announced this morning. Size of the win was not announced. Nirvanix said Fox is using the firm's cloud to secure access and deploy key media assets, and to replace a multi-tier data and tape backup system. Nirvanix is a provider of cloud-based data storage, and is focused on the enterprise market.
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

Burn This Number After Calling: Greg Cohn on Burner
Almost everyone has had some situation where you wanted to give someone a phone number, but only temporarily--think Craigslist, or maybe at that bar or business conference, where you want to hand out a number, but only have it work for a short while. It turns you, you can actually do that, with Burner, a new iPhone app developed by Los Angeles startup Ad Hoc Labs. We caught up with serial entrepreneur Greg Cohn, who brought us up to speed on what Burner is about, and the story behind the app. (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

Rumor: Hulu's Kilar Set For $100M Payday
A report published Sunday by Variety says that Jason Kilar, the CEO of Los Angeles-based online video site Hulu, is set to cash out as much as $100M after the site's management buyout funded by Providence Equity Partners. The report also said that the company is now making plans in case Kilar decides to depart the firm after receiving that kind of windfall, citing an internal report cover the need to "outline transition plan for new CEO". The report is just the latest in a string of reports of K (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

Regulus Therapeutics Files For IPO
San Diego-based Regulus Therapeutics has filed for an IPO, saying that it is looking to raised up to $57.5M in an IPO on the NASDAQ Global Market. The developer of microDNA-based biopharmaceuticals said it hopes to trade as RGLS. The IPO is being underwritten by Lazard Capital Markets, Cowen and Company, BMO Capital Markets, Needham & Company and Wedbush PacGrow Life Sciences. Regulus Therapeutics is a spinout of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Isis Pharmaceuticals, which are the company's two large (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

Crackle Launches Windows Phone, NOOK Apps
Culver City-based Crackle, the online video streaming and entertainment site which features Sony Pictures library of television and film properties, announced Friday that it has launched both Windows Phone and NOOK Tablet apps. Crackle also said it will be releasing a Amazon Kindle Fire version of the app. The new app allows users to view ad-supported films and television series from the site. Crackle already offered up iPhone, iPad, and iPod versions of the app. Crackle said it app allows users (More info...)
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)

Teledyne Names DARPA Vet As New VP
Thousand Ooaks-based Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, the research arm of Teledyne Technologies, announced this morning that it has named Dr. Lisa Porter as a Senior Vice President, in charge of technology commercialization efforts, technical operations, and general management. Porter was the first director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and also served at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NAS (More info...)
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OptumRx Plans Hiring In Mission Valley
OptumRx, a pharmacy benefits management company which is a unit of UnitedHealth Group, said Friday that it has set up a new, pharmacy order processing facility in Mission Valley, and is expecting to hire 250 at the new location. The facility will handle mail order prescription processing for OptumRx. The company said the new jobs are part of more than 1,000 new jobs in the state.
posted on Monday, August 20, 2012(Full story)