Tuesday, January 14, 2014


Washio Gets $2.25M For Laundry Pickup, Delivery
Los Angeles looks to be the center of the mobile-phone enabled, personal services market, as Wash.io--a new startup--announced today that it has raised $2.25M in a seed funding round. Wash.io offers up a smartphone app-driven service which schedules laundry pickup and delivery ala Uber. The funding came from Sherpa Ventures, AME Cloud Ventures, Three Six Zero Group, Ashton Kutcher, Guy Oseary, and a long list of other angel investors. The company is not the first smartphone-meets-laundry startup (More info...)
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Porch.com Gets Investment, Strategic Partnership With Lowe's
Porch.com, the online site focused on home improvement information which has operations and one of its founders in San Diego, has inked a big strategic deal today with Lowe's, the companies said today. According to the two, Lowe's will run a retail promotion to introduce Porch to customers, starting with 139 stores in North and South Carolina, and Seattle. As part of the deal, Lowe's is making an undisclosed strategic investment in Porch. Porch's website lets users look at home improvement and r (More info...)
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Chrome River Taps Into $17M For Expense Management, Invoice Processing
Los Angeles-based Chrome River, which develops expense management and invoice processing software for the law, accounting, and consulting market, has raised $17M in a Series C funding, the company said this morning. The company--led by Alan Rich--said the funding was led by Bain Capital Ventures and also included First Analysis and Argentum. According to Chrome River, it will use the funding to expand into new domestic and international markets, for its mobile efforts, and more. Chrome River's s (More info...)
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Invoca Gets $20 Million For Call Marketing Automation
Santa Barbara-based Invoca -- better known here by its prior name, RingRevenue -- said this morning that it has raised $20M in a Series C financing round. The startup, led by Jason Spievak, said the new funding was led by Accel Partners, and also included prior investors Upfront Ventures and Rincon Venture Partners. Invoca said the new funds will go towards scaling operations and increasing its revenue growth. Invoca provides call marketing software used for inbound sales call management and ana (More info...)
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NantHealth Partners With Clinton Foundation On Deployment
NantHealth, the healthcare technology company backed by billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, said this morning that it has partnered with the Clinton Foundation, on a new national healthcare initiative. According to the two, they will launch a new effort to improve domestic health nationwide, focusing on the standardization of digital medical records. The effort revolves around deploying NantHealth's technology in Central Arkansas and the Coachella Valley--two areas being targeted by the Clinton Fou (More info...)
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Local Corporation Loses CEO In Major Shakeup
Irvine-based Local Corporation announced late Monday afternoon that its CEO and Chairman, Heath Clarke, has resigned, and the company is now seeking a new CEO. According to the company, Clarke resigned for "personal reasons". Clarke had been CEO of Local.com since 2001, when it was known as Interchange. Local Corporation said it intends to appoint an interim CEO in the very near term, and that it has named Fred Thiel as Chairman of the company. Thiel has been on Local.com's board since January o (More info...)
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Autobytel Buys AutoUSA
Irvine-based online automotive information and lead generation site Autobytel said Monday afternoon that it has acquired AutoUSA, the web-based auto leads and service provider owned by AutoNation. According to Autobytel, it paid $10.0M in cash, plus $1M in a 6% convertible note for AutoUSA. Autobytel said the acquisition would help it expand its dealer network and increase revenue and cash flow. As part of the acquisition, AutoUSA President Phil DuPree has joined Autobytel as EVP and President o (More info...)
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Isis Pharmaceuticals Gets $7.5M From Alnylam
Carlsbad-based Isis Pharmaceuticals said late Monday that it has received $7.5M in a payment from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, as part of a recent alliance between Genzyme and Alnylam. According to the biotech marker, the deal also has the potential to give it royalties on products and a portion of future milestone payments. Isis said the latest deal brings its total generates from sales and licensing of its intellectual property to "well over" $400M. About $50M of that has been generated from Isis (More info...)
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