Monday, October 29, 2012Red 5 Studios Lands $15M MoreAliso Viejo-based videogame developer Red 5 Studios has just raised $15M in a debt funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the company. Details on the funding have not yet been announced by the company. Red 5 develops massively multiplayer, online games, and was started by the former team that developed World of Warcraft. The firm's first MMO is called FireFall, a free-to-play MMO shooter game. Red 5 Studios has previously raised equity from Benchmark Capital, Sierra Ventures, and The (More info...)
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Unusual Perk For SoCal Technology Firm: Unlimited, Paid VacationIn what might be one of the more unusual perks for a Southern California high tech company, LRN, a developer of enterprise compliance and ethics software, has an unlimited, paid vacation policy. The firm's policy recently came to light in a WSJ article. The firm--which looks to be recruiting Java Developers, project managers, and UX/UI designers in its LA location--apparently lets employees take off as much time as they feel like they need, as one of the perks for working for the company. The be (More info...)
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The Resumator Gets $2.1M From RinconRincon Venture Partners, the Santa Barbara-based venture capital fund run by Jim Andelman, John Greathouse, and Brian Kelly, has led the investment in a developer of social recruiting software tools for companies, The Resumator. According to Resumator, the Series B round was led by Birchmere Ventures, Rincon Venture Partners and Salesforce.com, and also included Innovation Works and ff Venture Capital. Resumator develops social media recruiting tools, which helps startups find and recruit employ (More info...)
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Adhesive Games Gets $18M For Massively Multiplayer GameAdhesive Games, the Alhambra-based, independent game publishing studio which is part of Meteor Entertainment has just scored a big, $18M funding round from Rustic Canyon Partners, Chinese game publisher KongZhong, and others to help bring its first title to market, Hawken. Hawken is a first person shooter, combat-based massively multiplayer online game focused on mechanized combat. According to Meteor Entertainment, the funding included Rustic Canyon, KonZhong, FirstMark Capital, and Benchmark (More info...)
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FreedomPop Debuts 4G iPod Touch SleeveFreedomPop, the venture backed startup providing free, 4G wireless Internet service, launched its 4G iPOd touch sleeve today, saying that it is now shipping its device, which connects any fourth generation iPod touch to the Internet via 4G wireless. The firm said the sleeve lets iPod users connect to the Internet anywhere the company provides 4G coverage, without a monthly contract or fees. FreedomPop is providing free, 4G wireless data, with up to 500MB of free 4G wireless Internet every month, (More info...)
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Decoding The Science Behind The Laughs, With Daniel Altman of LaffsterOne of the major growth areas along Silicon Beach has been in the whole area of creating content for digital platforms. But, how do you figure out what actual content will resonate with online consumers? And in particular, if you're developing comedy and humor content -- which is a big segment of the content being created--how to do you help people find the content which will resonate with them. In the case of Los Angeles-based Laffster (www.laffster.com), you apply software algorithms, science, (More info...)
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SpaceX Dragon Returns Successfully From ISSThe SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully touched down at 12:22 p.m. on Sunday, landing off the coast of Baja California, in the first cargo delivery flight of the spacecraft to the International Space Station. According to NASA, the Dragon is now returning to a port near Los Angeles in preparation for being returned to NASA in the next 48 hours, to process research samples from the ISS. The successful return of the SpaceX Dragon is the first time since the retirement of the Space Shuttle that N (More info...)
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OpenX Buys JumpTimeLos Angeles-based OpenX announced this morning that it has acquired JumpTime, a developer of technology to help publishers calculate the value of their content assets. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. OpenX said that JumpTime's team will join the company as a part of the buy. JumpTime's products include Traffic Valuator, which suggests the placement of headlines, videos, and photos based on how well the content drives revenues for a publisher. OpenX is backed by Accel Partners, Ind (More info...)
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Kurion Names Board MemberIrvine-based nuclear and hazardous waste cleanup technology developer Kurion said today that it has named Dr. Aris S. Candris, the former President and CEO of Westinghouse Electric Co., to its board of directors. Candris previously headed up Westinghouse's nuclear fuel and culear services businesses, in addition to serving on a number of associations in the nuclear industry. Kurion is developing technology for nuclear waste cleanup, and is venture backed by Lux Capital, Firelake Capital Manageme (More info...)
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Qualcomm, IDT Link On Wireless Charging ChipsSan Diego-based Qualcomm and chip developer Integrated Device Technology (IDT) announced this morning that the two are working together to develop integrated receiver chips, based on Qualcomm's wireless power technology. Financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed. The two said the new IC will meet the requirements of Qualcomm's new WiPower Technology, a near-field, wireless power charging specification being developed by Qualcomm. The new chip will be aimed at wireless charing of (More info...)
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