Monday, September 30, 2013


Nimble Cuts Pricing For Nonprofits
Santa Monica-based customer relationship management (CRM) software developer Nimble is looking to bolster its customer base in the nonprofit sector, saying that it has started to offer a 30 percent discount on its service to nonprofits, for life. Nimble develops software which allows professionals to track their relationships, last contacts, contact history, and more across email, social networking sites, phone, and much more.
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Invested.in Buys MyNewFinancialAdvisor, Launches New Service
Santa Monica-based crowdfunding site InvestedIn is announcing this morning that it has acquired Santa Barbara-based MyNewFinancialAdvisor, and is launching a new, invite-only site for premium investment opportunities. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. The new service, InvestedIn Alpha, is aimed at connecting alternative investment firms to accredited investors. The new site is launching today. InvestedIn said its new site has more than 70,000 accredited investors, and is looking to (More info...)
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Craton Equity Partners Acquired By TCW Group
Los Angeles-based socially responsible investment company Craton Equity Partners has been acquired by another, Los Angeles investment company, The TCW Group, TCW announced today. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Craton Equity Partners had $241.5M in assets under management, and was focused on providing growth capital to venture-backed companies within the sustainability, resource efficiency and carbon-reducing technology sectors. TCW said that Craton's managing partners, Bob Mac (More info...)
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Demand Media Names Head of Registrar Services
Santa Monica-based Demand Media has announced a new head of the company's domain name registration business this morning, saying it has named Steve Banfield as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the company's Registrar Services business. Banfield joins the company from Screenlife Games, and also had served at Sony Corporation, Microsoft, Paramount Pictures, and Real Networks. Demand Media is in the midst of spinning off its domain name registrar business. Banfield will head up Demand M (More info...)
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National Technical Systems Sets Expansion Plans In Texas
Calabasas-based National Technical Systems, which provides testing and engineering services, says it is expanding its facility in Plano, Texas, to add wireless, product safety and international product approvals. NTS says it maintains a 50,000 square feet of laboratory space plus a remote 44,000 square feet test site in Texas.
posted on Monday, September 30, 2013(Full story)

ACTIVE Network In $1.05 Billion Acquisition Deal With Vista Equity Partners
San Diego-based sports and activity registration service Active Network announced this morning that it has agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, in a deal valued at approximately $1.05 billion. Active Network said that Vista Equity Partners will pay $14.50 per share in cash for Active Network, in a deal which has been approved by Active's board of directors. The deal will remove Active Network from the public markets. ACTIVE Network said it is being advised by Citi (More info...)
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GenomeDX Gets New Funding
San Diego-based GenomeDX Biosciences said this morning that it has raised a Series B financing round, for the company's genomic tests for prostate cancer. The funding was led by Merck Global Health Innovation Fund (GHIF), and also included Baird Capital Partners, aeris CAPITAL AG and CD Ventures. Size of the funding was not announced. The company said it will use the funding to expand commercialization of its first product, a genomic test for predicts the risk of developing metastatic prostate c (More info...)
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SpaceX Successfully Launches Canadian Satellite
Hawthorne-based SpaceX successfully launched a satellite into space for a Canadian company, as part of a demonstration flight Sunday. SpaceX launched CASSIOPE, a small satellite for the Canadian company MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd (MDA), at 9:00 a.m. PDT Sunday morning. The mission launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, and is being used to demonstrate a new Canadian small satellite bus design. SpaceX said the payload included two payloads, including Canada's first space environm (More info...)
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EdgeCast Signs Deal in Singapore
Santa MOnica-based content delivery network operator EdgeCast Networks announced this morning that it has signed a partnership deal in Singapore, with Singapore cloud hosting provider Vodien. According to EdgeCast, Vodien will offer up EdgeCast's site acceleration services to its customers. Financial details of the win were not disclosed. EdgeCast is in the midst of a big global expansion, including recently opening an office in London. The expansion comes after a big investment round earlier th (More info...)
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Nirvanix Scrambles To Transfer Cloud Data Before Shutdown
San Diego-based cloud storage company Nirvanix has officially shut down its service, saying in a posting on its website that it is actively winding down its business, and is scrambling to transfer data on the cloud storage service to other providers. Nirvanix said it is providing "the resources we can" to assist its customers to return their data, or move their data to such services as IBM SoftLayer, Amazon S3, Google Storage or Microsoft Azure. The company also said it has established an agreem (More info...)
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SolarReserve Names VP
Santa Monica-based utility scale solar power developer SolarReserve has named a new Vice President of Communications. The company said it has appointed Mark Grikas to the position, hiring her away from Petra Solar, where she was Vice President of Marketing and Communications. She also previously had been VP of Product Management for Vonage, and also served at Globespan, among other experience.
posted on Monday, September 30, 2013(Full story)