Tuesday, August 6, 2013LAUNCH Fund Looks To Invest $200K In StartupsThe LAUNCH Fund, the angel investment fund of Los Angeles angel and entrepreneur Jason Calacanis, is looking to invest $200,000 in startups who present at two of the events being run by Calacanis over the next couple of months, according to an announcement by Calacanis Tuesday. According to Calacanis, his angel fund will be investing up to $100k in the winners of the LAUNCH Hackathon and up to $100k in one of the presenters at the LAUNCH Mobile & Wearables event, two events Calacanis is organizi (More info...)
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Music Publishers' Group Settles With Maker, Sues FullscreenA group which represents music publishers said today that it has negotiated a private settlement with LA's Maker Studios, and filed a copyright infingement suit against Los Angeles YouTube network Fullscreen, over the illegal use of unlicensed musical networks. The group, the National Music Publisher's Association (NMPA), said that unlicensed use of music and copyright infringement is "endemic" to the Youtube channel industry, and that it is "unacceptable" and "unfair" to profit from someone els (More info...)
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Tealium Claims Record GrowthSan Diego-based enterprise tag management software developer Tealium--whose software is used to manage the many marketing "tags" used on e-commerce and enterprise websites to track visits and marketing efforts--said today that it saw record growth in the first half of the year. The company said it had a 280 percent increase in revenue during its first six months of the year, compared to the same period last year, and signed up such clients as The Weather Channel, Vodafone, Travelocity, Petco, Lu (More info...)
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ReachLocal Partners With Yelp To Provide Home Service Bookings
Woodland Hills-based ReachLocal which provides online marketing services for small and medium sized businesses, has inked a major deal with Yelp, the two said Tuesday afternoon. According to the two, the deal calls for users of ReachLocal's online booking and buying system, ReachCommerce, to automatically include integrated booking in their Yelp profiles. Financial details of the link between the two companies was not announced. The move lets users who find businesses within Yelp directly boo (More info...)
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Donuts Names New CFODonuts Inc., the domain name registration firm targeting the new global top level domain (gTLD) market which has major operations in Los Angeles, has appointed a new CFO, the company said Tuesday. The firm announced that it has named Jeff deCillia as its Chief Financial Officer, located in the company's Bellevue, Washington office. Kevin Wilson, the company's former CFO, has become VP of Finance. deCillia was most recently CFO of INRIX, and also served as CFO of PivotLink, Captaris (acquired by (More info...)
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FreedomPop Expands Free Wireless Broadband On Sprint LTEFreedomPop, the provider of free, high speed wireless Internet, is in a major expansion today, saying it has tied with Sprint to include nationwide, LTE wireless Internet to its customers. According to FreedomPop, the expansion gives it users access to high speed LTE across the US. As part of the expansion, FreedomPop has launched a new, LTE mobile hotspot. Los Angeles-based FreedomPop offers up free access to high speed, wireless Internet. FreedomPop said the move will give FreedomPop customers (More info...)
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RF Industries Sells DivisionSan Diego-based RF Industries, a provider of wireless, fiber optic, and other interconnect products and cable assemblies, said this morning that it has sold one of its divisions. The company said it sold its RF Neulink division to Raveon Technologies Corporation. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed. RF Industries said the move would allow it to focus on its profitable, core operations. Raveon Technologies is based in Carlsbad, California, and is a manufacturer of VHF and UHF data radi (More info...)
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Boingo Combines Free Wi-Fi, App DownloadsLos Angeles-based Wi-fi network operator Boingo Wireless is looking to help advertisers attract Android and iOS users, with a new program which combines free Wi-Fi with app downloads. According to Boingo, it has launched a new advertising product which allows brands to reward users with free Wi-Fi access, in exchange for downloading an iOS or Android app. Boingo said the new App Download product is being offered through Boingo Media, its advertising and sponsorship services group. According to B (More info...)
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Demand Media Connects Users To Experts Via eHow Now
Wish you could find an expert to help you across any part of your life? Santa Monica-based Demand Media said this morning that it has launched a brand new effort on eHow, which will connect users with experts in one-on-one, online consultations. Demand Media said its new service, eHow Now, will let customers chat directly with experts online, across all kinds of categories, including technology, finance, fashion, and home decor. The new service will be available via a subscription package, as (More info...)
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OVGuide Enhances Android Movie AppLos Angeles-based OVGuide, which provides online video guides, said it has enhanced its Android-based movie application. The startup, which is backed by Baroda Ventures, said the new software adds new search tools, international availability, as well as other features. OVGuide said that users can watch more than 4,000 full movies through its apps, as well as access trailers and clips via their tablets and smartphones. OVGuide also provides iPhone and Roku versions of the app. OVGuide also said i (More info...)
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Freedom Meditech Raises $7M For Diabetes MonitoringSan Diego-based Freedom-Meditech, which is developing a medical device which measures blood sugar by monitoring a user's eyes, has raised $7M in a Series B funding round. The company said the funding comes from both new and returning investors, however, the firm did not name those investors. As part of the funding, the company said it has added former Fidelity Investments portfolio manager Andy Sassine to its board of directors. Freedom-Meditech is developing a non-invasive, blood glucose measur (More info...)
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Ambry Genetics Countersues Myriad GeneticsAliso Viejo-based cancer and genetics testing providre Ambry Genetics said this morning that it is suing Myriad Genetics, in a response to a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Myriad and others against the company last month. Ambry Genetics claimed Myriad's patent lawsuit against the company is a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, and that Myriad is looking to monopolize testing of human BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Ambry said that Myriad's "anticompetitive conduct" means consumers have to pay (More info...)
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DriveCam Signs Up Illinois DistributorSan Diego-based DriveCam, the developer of fleet monitoring and driving monitoring systems, reported a win today with an Illinois distribution company. DriveCam said it has signed a multi-year contract to provide its systems to KeHE Distributors, which operates 12 distribution centers throughout the U.S. Financial impact of the deal were not announced. DriveCam provides driver monitoring systems which include both video and driving sensor data, and are being used to both increase safety as well (More info...)
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