Thursday, September 12, 2013Spokeo Optimizes People Search For Your SmartphoneSpokeo, the people search site co-founded by Mike Daly, Harrison Tang, Ray Chen, and Eric Liang, has revamped its mobile web product, saying today that it has launched a brand new interface which lets users access the site with less typing and tapping. The Pasadena-based company said the update is part of an overall effort to refresh the look and feel of its search product, which lets people find people by name, email, and phone. Spokeo said that the update also includes changes to make the expe (More info...)
posted on Thursday, September 12, 2013(Full story)
BlackLine Discloses Revenues: $10M to $30MLos Angeles-based BlackLine Systems, the fast growing developer of financial software for enterprises, looks to be generating between $10M to $30M, based on a recent ranking of the company by an indutsry magazine. BlackLine said it took the No. 4 spot for fastest growing companies in a ranking from Software Magazine, under the category of companies in the $10M to $30M revenue range. Privately held BlackLine hasn't publicly disclosed any revenue numbers. The company recently took a majority inves (More info...)
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MySpace Designer's Next Project: The Cord TacoMike Macadaan, the designer behind MySpace's redesign in 2009, has a new project: a Kickstarter effort to fund the design of a line of electronics accessories to organize your pile of electronic charging and accessory cords. Macadaan--who also is well known for his work at Science, AOL, plus organizing the popular Twiistup technology conference in Los Angeles a few years ago, is in the midst of raising $15,000 through Kickstarter for the project. Macadaan is currently Chief Creative Officer at L (More info...)
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OneRoof Energy Debuts Mobile AppSan Diego-based OneRoof Energy, the provider of solar financing for residential solar projects, has rolled out a new mobile app for solar monitoring. The company said its new mORE Power app, which runs on iOS, lets its customer remotely monitor their solar system's production in real time. The new app is free. OneRoof Energy said it plans to release an Android version on Google Play later in the year. OneRoof Energy provides solar financing, helping homeowners install solar power on their homes (More info...)
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Aptera Founder's Vision For the Future of AgricultureSteve Fambro, the former founder of electric car startup Aptera Motors, has a new mission: use cutting edge technology to grow organic produce, more efficiently, using "farm pods". According to a report this week from GigaOm, Fambro's latest venture, Famgro Farms, has created stackable "farm units" that use LEDs to optimize the amount of light in hydroponic farms, which can be grown in urban areas.
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Maker Studios Raises $26M MoreCulver City-based Maker Studios confirmed today that it has raised $26M in additional funding in its Series C funding. According to the company, the new round was led by Time Warner Investments, along with Canal+, Astor, Singtel Innov8, Upfront Ventures, Greycroft Partners, and Downey Ventures. The second tranche in its Series C brings the amount raised in that round to $62M. The new investment comes only a week after Maker announced it was buying Blip.
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How More Women Are Becoming Angel Investors, with Eva Yazhari
Venture and angel investing has long been considered a man's world--with domination of the industry, executives, financiers, and others by men, with only a few exceptions. In a bid to change that, there are a few groups working on helping women entrepreneurs, investors, and others, including the Pipeline Fellowship (www.pipelinefellowship.com), which recently launched itself into the Los Angeles market. The Pipeline Fellowship--founded by Natalia Oberti Noguera--says it has been running angel (More info...)
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Upfront Ventures Adds Hamet Watt As Venture PartnerLos Angeles-based venture capitalk investor Upfront Ventures is expanding its Los Angeles firepower this morning, adding longtime digital media veteran Hamet Watt as a venture partner. According to Upfront Ventures, it is adding Watt to bolster its operational weight. Hamet Watt is co-founder and chairman of bLife, and was co-founder and Chairman of MoviePass, among other companies. Upfront says Watt will focus on startup companies in digital media and health sectors including the quantified sel (More info...)
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Teradek Aims At UAVs With Video EncoderIrvine-based Teradek, which develops wireless video devices, is aiming at the unmanned aerial vehicle market with a new product it launched today. According to Teradek it has launched the Teradek Clip, a video encoder which specifically is aimed at UAV operators to monitor live, HD video feeds via their iPhone or iPad. The new device--which is about the size of a matchbox--connects to an on-board, UAV camera and encodes video using H.264, and broadcasts that video over 2.4/6GHz MIMO WiFi. The co (More info...)
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Semtech Wins Broadcast Equipment MakerCamarillo-based analog and mixed signal semiconductor manufacturer Semtech is reporting a design win this morning, with a manufacturer of broadcast and post production equipment. Semtech said that Blackmagic Design is using its 6G UHD-SDI components as part of a its broadcast equipment, including a solid state disk-based video recorder, an audio monitor, and other products. Shipment volumes and financial impact of the win was not announced. UHD is the next generation, high resolution video stand (More info...)
posted on Thursday, September 12, 2013(Full story)