Monday, January 6, 2014SpaceX Successfully Launches THAICOM MissionHawthore-based SpaceX successfully launched its mission for THAICOM Monday afternoon, to put the THAICOM 6 communications satellite into geosynchronous orbit. The launch occurred at 17:06 Eastern Time on Monday from Cape Canaveral. The mission is the second GTO orbit mission for SpaceX. The first, GTO orbit mission for SpaceX came in December, and is another new chapter in the remarkable success SpaceX has had in developing a commercial rocket firm from scratch. The company--backed by tech mogu (More info...)
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
Oversee.net Buys Crash City GuidesLos Angeles-based Oversee.net has acquired Pasadena-based Crashworks, the developer of the photo-based city guides. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. The company was founded by Erick Laubach, and was backed by Idealab, which had invested in the company back in February of last year. The LABJ reports the acquisition price was "below $1 million". Laubach had hoped to make Crash into the definitive place to find photo-worthy, tourist attractions close to you.
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
SpaceX Plans Second Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit Mission TodayHawthorne-based SpaceX announced this morning that it is planning it second, geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) mission today, to launch at 1:25pm PST for satellite provider THAICOM. SpaceX said that it is targeting the launch of the THAICOM 6 telecommunications satellite, weighing 3,016 kg (6,649 lbs), from its launch complex in Cape Canaveral; the company said its launch window for the mission is January 7-12, 2014 if it does not launch today. The mission is the second GTO mission for SpaceX. (More info...)
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
Ranker Hits 11.5M Uniques In DecemberLos Angeles-based ranking and polling website Ranker, the startup led by Clark Benson and backed by Draper Associates, Rincon Venture Partners, Siemer Ventures, Lowercase Capital, BullPen Capital, Data Collective, TenOneTen Ventures, Tech Coast Angels, and Pasadena Angels, said today that it hit 11.5 million unique visitors in December. According to Ranker, it generated over 150 million pageviews on the site, which lets users create and browse rankings of all kinds of things, vote on polls, and (More info...)
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
Yowza Acquired By SpindleLos Angeles-based Yowza, the developer of a mobile coupon and deals app, which was backed by comedian Wayne Brady, the Tech Coast Angels, the Pasadena Angels, and others, has been acqurieed by mobile commerce software provider Spindle, Spindle said today. Spindle said it acquired substantially all of Los Angeles-based Yowza, and will integrate Yowza's mobile coupon product into its mobile marketing services. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced.
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
YP Buys Sense NetworksYP, the local search, media, and advertising firm spun out of AT&T which has significant operations in Glendale, said today that it has acquired venture-backed Sense Networks, a provider of mobile advertising and location-based services. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Sense Networks was venture backed by Intel Capital, Javelin Venture Partners and others. YP said the acquisition is its first since its spinout and funding by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
LegalZoom Sells $200M In Majority Stake To PermiraGlendale-based online legal documents provider LegalZoom has sold $200M in equity to private equity firm Permira Funds, in a secondary stock purchase deal, the companies said this morning. According to LegalZoom, the new funding will go towards its launch of new products and services. As part of the deal, LegalZoom said that Permira will be the largest shareholder in the company, and will have the right to appoint a majority of the company's board.
LegalZoom said its management team will main (More info...)
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
BlackBerry Files Patent Lawsuit Against LA Startup TypoPhone maker BlackBerry filed a lawsuit over its keyboard patents last week, suing a Los Angeles startup, Typo, over its add-on keyboards for the iPhone 5 and 5s. According to BlackBerry, Typo copied its BlackBerry keyboard with its add-on-keyboard case for the iPhone, which violates its intellectual property rights. BlackBerry filed the lawsuit in the Northern District of California. Typo is backed by celebrity Ryan Seacrest, and was found by Laurence Hallier.
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
Clearlake Capital Buys Tolt Services GroupSanta Monica-based private equity investor Clearlake Capital said this morning that it has acquired Tolt Services Group, an outsource, IT services company, and merged it with Kyrus Solutions, to form a new company called Tolt Solutions. Financial details of the deal were not announced. According to Clearlake Capital, the deal will create a new company with approximately 900 retail IT consultants, who provide retail point-of-sale, self-service and wireless mobility development and solutions along (More info...)
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United Online Sets New EVP, General CounselWoodland Hills-based United Online, which runs the Classmates, StayFriends, MyPoints, NetZero, and Juno services, said late Friday that it has named Gale Shulman as its new Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Shulman had most recently been General Counsel at MIPS Technologies. Shulman had been at MIPS since 1999, but also has worked at Axil Computer/Hyundai Electronics, as well as Thelen, Reid, Brown, Raysman & Steiner.
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)
Ignyta Gets $10M In Term LoanSan Diego-based Ignyta, a developer of biotechnology for the oncology market, said this morning that it has received a $10M, expanded capital term loan from Silicon Valley Bank. Financial terms of that new term loan were not announced. Ignyta said the new term loan facility replaces an earlier, $1.5M term loan it received from SVB. Ignyta is led by JOnathan Lim.
posted on Monday, January 6, 2014(Full story)