Friday, April 5, 2013Friday Tech Video Roundup for April 5, 2013What's going with Southern California's technology world? Some of the highlights from this week from socalTECH's video section, where we're currently featuring community videos from and about local startups:
Silicon Beach at SXSW
Silicon Beach now has made a name for itself--and showcased the region at SXSW in Austin.
What Bill Gross Has Learned Starting More Than 100 Companies
Idealab's Bill Gross talks about what he's learned from starting over 100 companies--with over 200 funding r (More info...)
posted on Friday, April 5, 2013(Full story)
Fisker Automotive Lays Off 160In what will not come as much of a surprise to those following Anaheim-based electric car maker Fisker Automotive, the firm has laid off 160 employees--or most of its staff--as it has so far failed to find a financing partner or acquirer to keep the company in operation. Fisker had already furloughed its workers last month for a week to extend its runway. Fisker--which has raised over $1.2 billion from its investors--has been struggling for the last year to right its operation, including the los (More info...)
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Amylin Pharmaceuticals To Shut San Diego OperationsUsually, when a company is acquired, it's great news for investors--and employees. However, it looks like the acquisition of San Diego's Amylin Pharmaceuticals by Bristol-Myers Squibb is turning out not-so-great for employees in the location, after news that Bristol-Myers Squibb plans to close its San Diego operations, resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs. The move was first reported by the U-T San Diego. Amylin Pharmaceuticals as a developer of diabetes drugs.
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Fullscreen Grabs $30M More For YouTube NetworkCulver City-based Fullscreen, which operates a multi-channel youTube network, and is led by George Strompolos (formerly of YouTube/Google), has raised $30M in a new round of funding, according to reports today. The funding round reportedly values the company at $110M pre-money. The funding comes from The Chernin Group and Comcast. Chernin Group was already and investor in Fullscreen. Los Angeles area YouTube and content startups have seen a significant amount of investment from the media industr (More info...)
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Alorica In Major Employee ExpansionIrvine-based business process outsourcing firm Alorica said today that it is in a big expansion, and plans to hire 200 new team members in the next two months. The firm--which already has 20,000 employees--said that most of those positions are located at its Colorado Springs, Colorado site. Alorica offers up BPO services across a number of industries, and says it serves the Fortune 1000 market. The firm did not say if it plans any expansion at its Irvine headquarters, although it had many engine (More info...)
posted on Friday, April 5, 2013(Full story)
VisibleBrands Scores $4.6M For In-Store, Digital Coupon SystemsVisibleBrands, a startup developing an in-store, digital promotions network which presents consumers with coupons which automatically show up at the checkout line, has raised $4.6M. The firm--which is based in Kirkland, Washington but also has a San Diego office--did not disclose investors in the company. The firm said it is also in the midst of a convertible, Series B financing. The firm's systems revolve around digital display screens where consumers can click on digital coupons, and which su (More info...)
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Mobile Roadie Queues Up Major ReleaseLos Angeles-based mobile application platform developer Mobile Roadie has a big release up its sleeve, according to the company Thursday. Mobile Roadie said that it is getting to set to release Mobile Roadie v5, a brand new version of its platform, which enhances the software for iOS6 and the iPhone 5, one-tap Facebook signin, polling features, promotional features, personalized event schedules, and much more. The firm did not say when it expects to roll out the updates. Mobile Roadie's software (More info...)
posted on Friday, April 5, 2013(Full story)
Qualcomm Technologies Ties Into Facebook HomeSan Diego-based Qualcomm Incorporated jumped on the Facebook Home bandwagon yesterday, saying that it has been working with Facebook to optimize its new Facebook Home and Facebook for Android on Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. Facebook's new offering, Facebook Home, is a a set of Android apps which replace the normal Android home and screensavers with social updates from Facebook, including providing notifications, photos, status updates, and more throughout Android. Facebook Home is initially r (More info...)
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Receptos Files For IPOSan Diego-based biopharmaceuticals firm Receptos has filed for an IPO, saying in a filing that it is looking to raise up to $86.3M in an offering on the NASDAQ Global Market. The firm said it intends to list as "RCPT". The firm's IPO is being underwritten by Credit Suisse, Leerink Swann, BMO Capital Markets, and Wedbush PacGrow Life Sciences. The firm is venture backed by ARCH Venture Partners, Flagship Ventures, Lilly Ventures Fund, Polaris Ventures, and Venrock Associates. Receptos is a biopha (More info...)
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Althea Technologies Acquisition CompletesSan Diego-based biopharmaceuticals contract manufacturer Althea Technologies is now officially part of Japanese conglomerate Ajinomoto Co., Inc., the firms said late Thursday, as the acquisition of Althea completed. The firms said that Ajinomoto paid approximately $175M for Althea Technologies. Althea has been renamed Ajinomoto Althea, Inc. Althea was a provider of contract manufacturing services, and provided both clinical and commercial product development services. The two had originally anno (More info...)
posted on Friday, April 5, 2013(Full story)