Thursday, June 6, 2013NationBuilder Gets $8M MoreLos Angeles-based NationBuilder, the developer of tools to help manage political campaigns, nonprofits, government, and business outreach, has raised $8M more in a funding round, the company said Thursday. According to NationBuilder, the funding round was led by Omidyar Network, and also included Andreessen Horowitz. The company said that it has helped its community raise over $110M and recruit 280,000 volunteers, across a wide range of causes and organizations. The firm has now raised around $1 (More info...)
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Hulu Debuts Updated iPad AppHulu said Thursday that it has updated its iPad application, with better discoverability and user experience for users of the popular tablet. According to Hulu, it has added such features as providing summaries of shows for unfamiliar shows, movies, or episodes; saving where you are in videos you are watching if you exit to another app; better navigation of episodes in a season; and more. Los Angeles-based Hulu offers up video streaming of television shows and movies; the firm's Hulu Plus servic (More info...)
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Famous Birthdays Launches On iPhoneFans of Famous Birthdays, the online site which features a wealth of information on celebrities and famous people--in addition to letting you know who's having a birthday today--has launched a new iOS app, the firm said today. The new Famous Birthdays app, which is available on iTunes, shows off the profiles and information on over 30,000 famous people, sorted by date, birthplace, birth sign, and more. Famous Birthdays is the brainchild of Evan Britton. The company said the app came as it saw t (More info...)
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Insights: How to Survive the Series A Crunch--From Someone Who Didn't
For today's Insights and Opinions article, we share the cautionary advice of Sean Pervical, the former founder/CEO of WittleBee, in How to Survive the Series A Crunch--From Someone Who Didn't.
CEO/Founder's only jobs:1) Don't run out of $$2) Recruit AND retain best talent3) Set & spread the vision It's harder than you think.
— Jason Evanish (@Evanish) May 3, 2013
The above tweet really encapsulates what's required to lead an early-stage startup. If you're a fellow founder, you're l (More info...)
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iCrumz Launches Social Bookmarking ToolA new, Los Angeles-based startup, iCrumz, said today that it has launched a new, free social bookmarking tool aimed at helping users find their way back to websites and share content with others. The startup, headed by serial entrepreneur Matthew Graczyk, says its tool gives users access to all of the sites they've bookmarked on a single page, making it easier to save and navigate to a user's favorite sites. Graczyk was the founder of Zubican, which he sold to Inuvo a few years ago; the firm has (More info...)
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ClubLocal Debuts In Bay Area, As ReachLocal Ramps ServicesClubLocal, the home services booking company which is owned by ReachLocal, said today that it has launched its services in the Bay Area. According to ClubLocal, it allows users to book home services both through their mobile phone and online, and also handles payments and a guarantee for the work booked with service professionals through the service. ClubLocal is part of a strategic move by ReachLocal to get more involved in the transactions between consumers and small and medium sized businesse (More info...)
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Playsino Poker Hits FacebookSanta Monica-based Playsino, the social casino games developer, has released a new game, Playsino Poker, on Facebook, the firm said today. Playsino's free-to-play game lets users play poker games at multiple tables, chat with friends, and play alongside other players. Playsino develops a growing list of casino games that users can play on Facebook, and on their iPhone or iPad. Playsino says that users on its game can win and lose points with their playing, and also can access exclusive benefits (More info...)
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ReachLocal Opens Office In AustriaWoodland Hills-based ReachLocal is further expanding its European operations today, saying that it has opened up its first office in Austria. ReachLocal said the office brings its reach in Europe to seven European countries. Austria is the fourteenth country where ReachLocal has established a local presence. ReachLocal, which provides help to businesses to help them market themselves online, said it selected Austria because of the SMB market opportunity and use of mobile and web search in the co (More info...)
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RxVantage Buys RepAccessLos Angeles-based software-as-service provider RxVantage, which develops software to help manage the relationship between medical offices and pharmaceutical and medical sales representatives, has acquired RepAccess, one of its competitors. Financial terms of the buy were not announced. RxVantage said that RepAccessserved businesses in the Midwest. Both companies provide online appointment scheduling services to help connect medical offices and doctors with pharmaceuticals and medical sales repre (More info...)
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Zogenix Chops StaffSan Diego-based pharmaceutical firm Zogenix has made some big cuts, the firm said yesterday, after the FDA delayed approval for the company's lead product. Zogenix, which is commercializing products for treating central nervous system disorders and pain, said that it has laid of 55 full time employees from its workforce of 148, or approximately 37 percent of the company, in order to extend the company's cash runway. Zogenix blamed the cuts on lack of information from the FDA on approval efforts. (More info...)
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BlackLine Systems Opens Two European Data CentersLos Angeles-based accounting software provider BlackLine Systems, which offers up software-as-a-service for handling the financial close process, is in another big expansion today, saying that it has opened up two new data centers in Europe. The company said it has opened up two new centers, one in Amsterdam, and the other in London, to help support growth in the EMEA. The two centers are being housed at Verizon's Terremark subsidiary. BlackLine said the new data centers will help its clients in (More info...)
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Broadcom Gets Design Win With SharpIrvine-based Broadcom reports this morning that it has scored a design win with Sharp, and is powering a new new phone for NTT DOCOMO. Broadcom said that its chips are being used in the AQUOS PHONE ZETA SH-06E, a new phone being deployed in Japan. Sharp is using Broadcom's BCM4335 chip in the phone, to provide 802.11ac wireless (5G WiFi) connectivity. Shipment volumes for the phone were not announced.
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RFaxis Debuts New CMOS 802.11ac ChipsetsIrvine-based RFaxis, the upstart RF semiconductor developer, has rolled out a new set of 802.11ac Wi-Fi ICs, which it says are based on pure CMOS technology. The firm said its new RFX8050x and RFX8051x family of RFeICs will start shipping in volume in Q3, and provide support for the latest 802.11ac standard. The firm said its chips provide "significantly reduced" prices compared with alternative, 5GHz, 802.11ac chips. RFaxis is headed by Mike Neshat, and develps a wide range of wireless chips.
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