Wednesday, December 12, 2012BeyondTrust Buys Blackbird GroupCarlsbad-based security software developer BeyondTrust said Wednesday that it has acquired Blackbird Group, a developer of Windows system management products. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced. BeyondTrust said the acquisition will help it add to its product portfolio, specifically around Active Directory. Blackbird's products will help BeyondTrust increase real-time auditing capabilities for Active Directory, Microsoft's unified identity software.
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Koupon Kitty Launches Coupon Code SoftwareA new, online coupon software "bookmarklet" called Koupon Kitty--backed by Juvo Capital, the investment firm of Talmadge O'Neill and Harry Tsao--said it launched Wednesday, to help consumers find the best coupon codes for various e-commerce sites. The service said it was created by Juvo Capital to simplify and streamline getting online savings. The software bookmarklet works within a web browser, and lets users click on a button to get all of the available coupons for a specific website before t (More info...)
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Boingo Expands Deal With NTT DOCOMOLos Angeles-based Boingo Wireless, the Wi-Fi network operator, said Wednesday that it has expanded a deal it has with Japanese carrier NTT DOCOMO, and will provide Wi-Fi roaming and data offload services for NTT DOCOMO. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. As part of that deal, NTT DOCOMO's customers will gain access to Boingo's network of 600,000 hotspots. The two said they've also inked a separate agreement where Boingo customers and partners can access NTT DOCOMO's 55,000 ho (More info...)
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LA Group Launches Effort To Promote Technology Corridor In Los AngelesWhat's the best way to encourage development of the technology industry in Los Angeles? A new group, headed by Major Villaraigosa and including a notable list of local entrepreneurs, investors, and others in the technology industry, announced today that it has presented the idea for a "(t)expo Line" Technology Corridor, centered around the new Expo Line light rail, which currently runs from Downtown to Culver City, and eventually will extend all the way to Santa Monica. The group includes such n (More info...)
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EvoNexus Opens Up New Applications For IncubatorEvoNexus, the San Diego-based startup incubator, has opened up application for its next program, with a deadline of January 23rd. EvoNexus, which is run by CommNexus, said it will provide fully furnished open space, mentorship, and access to startup programming to companies accepted to the incubator--and will also consider those same companies for QualcommLabs@EvoNexus, the business acceleration and funding program being run by EvoNexus for Qualcomm. CommNexus, which is led by Rory Moore, said t (More info...)
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FreedomPop Takes On Home BroadbandLos Angeles-based free, broadband access firm FreedomPop--which is backed by the founders of Skype--said today that it is expanding into the home broadband market. The company said it will begin accepting preorders for a home modem which will provide free, high speed Internet in homes and small offices. FreedomPop said its new Hub Burst home modems are scheduled to ship next month, and will allow users to access up to 1GB of free data a month. The firm will also offer up premium bandwidth starti (More info...)
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Viddy Hits AndroidLos Angeles-based mobile video sharing application Viddy has just debuted on Android, the company said this morning, making the Viddy experience available to a host of new smartphones. The app--previously only available on iPhone--lets users capture video and share that video with others. Viddy--which has been billed the Instagram of video--allows users to capture, share, and comment on videos. Viddy said that the software works for both Android Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean operating system (More info...)
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Scopely Debuts Developer ProgramLos Angeles-based social game developer Scopely announced today that it has launched a new, developer program called LeveUp, which looks to help top independent game studios co-develop titles with Scopely. The firm said it will tape a small group of partners to help develop, design, distribute, scale, and monetize their mobile games. Scopely, which was founded by Eytan Elbaz, Walter Driver, and Ankur Bulsara, said it will provide all the server-side infrastructure for multiplayer mobile games, a (More info...)
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MiTu Network Finds Funding For Latino YouTube NetworkMiTu, a Los Angeles-based YouTube network focused on Latino content, said today that it has closed a round of funding. The funding was led by The Chernin Group, and also included Allen DeBevoise of Machinima, Juan Cristobal Ferrer of Ferrer Comunicacion, Advancit Capital, and CODE Advisors. The firm, which is led by Doug Greiff, Beatriz Acevedo, and Roy Burstin, said it has a network of more than 350 channels reaching a subscriber base exceeding 2.3 million. TCG adds a board member as part of th (More info...)
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ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Gets $86.4M In PIPESan Diego-based biopharmaceuticals firm ACADIA Pharmaceuticals said today that it has raised $86.4M in a private placement. Source of the new funding was not announced. The firm said the new funds will go towards completing its Phase III program aimed at treating Parkinson's disease. ACADIA said Jefferies & Company, Inc. and Cowen and Company, LLC acted as join lead placement agents for the funding, with JMP Securities LLC as co-placement agent.
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Capturing Music, Life, and More With Vyclone, with David King LassmanWhat's the best way to capture the important things in your life on video, and share them with friends? Los Angeles-based Vyclone (www.vyclone.com) has created a mobile application which lets users capture videos, and automatically edits and combines multiple points of view from people nearby, and remixes it into an even more compelling video. The startup--which has the backing of such high profile investors as Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary's A-Grade Investments, Dreamworks, and Live Nation--als (More info...)
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Coda Automotive Lays Off 50It looks like Southern California's emerging electric automobile industry has definitively hit the skids, as Santa Monica-based electric auto developer Coda Automotive laid off 50 employees Tuesday. The layoffs--first reported by PlugInCars--apprently included a "substantial part" of its sales and marketing staff. The layoffs impact approximately 15 percent of Coda's workforce. The layoffs apparently come as the company has sold less than 100 of its automobiles since launching in March, accordin (More info...)
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Enevate Gets $24M For Battery TechnologyIrvine-based Enevate, a developer of rechargeable lithium ion batteries, has raised $24M in a Series B funding, the company said this morning. The round came from CEC Capital, Tsing Capital, and Presidio Ventures, along with prior investors Mission Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Enevate is developing next generation Li-ion batteries aimed at smartphones, tablets, and notebook PCs. The firm says its technology "dramatically" increase energy density over conventional battery technology. The (More info...)
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Cadence Pharmaceuticals Terminates Buyout Option For Incline TherapeuticsSan Diego-based Cadence Pharmaceuticals said this morning that it has entered into an agreement to terminate an option it has to acquire Incline Therapeutics. Cadence said it will receive approximately $13M from The Medicines Company to terminate the option, plus approximately $1.5M related to the purchase of Incline by The Medicines Company. Cadence said the move would provide it with non-dilutive capital and a "solid return" on its original investment in Incline.
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Evolve Media Launches New Ad ProductLos Angeles-based Evolve Media Corp, which operates such sites as CraveOnline, totallyher Media, GameRevolution, and LiveOutdoors, said today that it has launched a new online advertising product. The company said its INgage product semantically maps site content and helps online advertisers reach site visitors. The firm said that the new ad product helps avoid "banner blindness" by surfacing sponsored, custom content from advertisers that it says feel organic to a site.
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DTS Powers Huawei Ascend SmartphoneCalabasas-based audio processing technology provider DTS reported a win today with Huawei, and its new Ascend G600 smartphone. DTS said its DTS Sound audio enhancement products are shipping with the new device. Financial impact of the win was not announced. DTS is a provider of audio processing, surround sound, and other technology used to enhance audio on a wide range of electronics devices. Huawei's phone is shipping in China and New Zealand, and will be available in Europe later this month.
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