Wednesday, May 1, 2013Savings.com Revamps Homepage, Rolls Responsive DesignIn a move to better convert visitors to its site--and adapt to the increasingly mobile, tablet-centric world-- Los Angeles-based Savings.com said Wednesday that it has launched a brand new, homepage and responsive web design. According to the company, the new design and features are focused on providing higher conversion rates for its advertisers. The changes include better rendering for mobile devices and tablets, better search functionality, and new branding and design elements, according to t (More info...)
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Awesomeness.TV Among Fastest Exits, Best ROI Ever On Silicon BeachThe acquisition of Awesomeness.TV is the both fastest funding-to-exit in Silicon Beach, as well as one of the exits with best multiple on dollars invested, according to a new analysis of our extensive database of venture deals. In an analysis stretching back to all of the exits logged in our data since 1996, Awesomeness.TV had the shortest time between an initial funding and exit of any company, just short of nine months. It also had one of the best ratios on money invested in the company to po (More info...)
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Famous Birthdays Focuses On Finding Celebrity FactsWhat are the most searched for things on the Internet? From the annual search statistics from Google and Bing, it's clearly information about celebrities. A Santa Monica startup, Famous Birthdays, looks to have carved out quite a niche in the area, with its online list of (you guessed it), famous birthdays. The service says it has more than 30,000 profiles of famous people, with quick facts about them.
The startup--the brainchild of Evan Britton--has been ramping up its efforts recently, havi (More info...)
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Qualcomm Backs Photo Technology Firm Pelican ImagingSan Diego-based Qualcomm has backed a developer of advanced photo and camera array technology, Pelican Imaging, with a strategic investment today. Pelican Imaging, which develops camera array technology for mobile phones, said it raised $20M in a Series C funding, led by strategic investor Qualcomm, via Qualcomm Ventures. Other investors in the round included Nokia Growth Partners, Globespan Capital Partners, Granite Ventures, InterWest Partners and In-Q-Tel. Pelican's technology captures multip (More info...)
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Awesomeness TV Acquired By DreamWorks For As Much As $117M
In what looks to be a stunning quick exit for one of Southern California's new YouTube networks, Awesomeness TV has been acquired by DreamWorks, in a deal worth as much as $117M. DreamWorks said that it will pay $33M in cash, plus pay out up to $117M if Awesomeness TV meets certain earnings targets.
The acquisition is one of the fastest exits ever for a local, content-meets-online company--AwesomenessTV had only just raised $3.5M in a Series A in August of 2012, from such investors as MK Ca (More info...)
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SocialVibe Co-Founder Returns As CEOLos Angeles-based online advertising firm SocialVibe has a new CEO this morning: co-founder Joe Marchese. Marchese had been President of the company from 2006 until 2011, when he departed to become Senior Vice President of Marketing and Digital for Fuse Networks. Marchese takes the place of former CEO Todd Tappin--who joined SocialVibe last February--who left the company in January to become the COO and CFO at Rubicon Project. Tappin left just as rumors of an IPO at Rubicon have been swirling am (More info...)
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CODA Files For Bankruptcy, Abandons Automobile BusinessLos Angeles-based CODA Holdings, the parent firm of hybrid electric automotive maker CODA Automotive, is abandoning the automotive business, and has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. CODA Holdings said this morning that it will restructure its business around its energy storage technology, the segment of its business which has been taking the battery management and thermal management systems it developed in creating its cars and applying it to energy storage for the commercial, residential, and i (More info...)
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ACTIVE Network Loses CEO, ChairmanIn a big leadership executive shuffle over at San Diego-based ACTIVE Network, the company announced today that its current CEO, Matthew Landa, has resigned, as has its Executive Chairman and Chairman of the board, David Alberga. Reason for the big switchup at its executive ranks was not given. According to ACTIVE Network, it has appointed Jon Belmonte, former Chief Media Officer and Chief Operating Officer at the company as interim CEO, and has launched a search for a permanent CEO. At the same (More info...)
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The Trade Desk Debuts Real Time Bidding On Video AdsVentura-based advertising exchange The Trade Desk is moving into real time, video advertising, the company announced this morning. The Trade Desk said it has launched full RTB video advertising capabilities on its platform, so that it now supports display, video, and social advertising. The Trade Desk, headed by Jeff Green, said the new video support adds pre-, mid-, and post roll video, 15-, 30- and 60-second inventory, and companion banners. The Trade Desk develops a platform used by advertisi (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, May 1, 2013(Full story)