Monday, March 24, 2014Maker Studios Acquired By Disney For $500MCulver City-based YouTube network Maker Studios has been acquired by Burbank-based Walt Disney Company, in a deal worth $500M, plus up to $450M in performance earn out. According to The Walt Disney Company, the deal will provide it with "advanced technology and business intelligence" around consumers' interaction with short form, online videos. Maker operates a network of YouTube content channels--over 55,000--which gets 5.5 billion views per month, according to Disney. Disney said Maker Studios (More info...)
posted on Monday, March 24, 2014(Full story)
Sonendo Finds $10M In Venture Debt FundingLaguna Hills-based Sonendo, a developer of a cleaning system aimed at improving root canals, said today that it has raised $10M in venture debt. The company said the funding came from Oxford Finance LLC. Terms of the debt were not announced. Sonendo said the funding will be used--along with an earlier, $27M raised in an equity funding last summer--to help commercialize its Multisonic Ultracleaning System. Sonendo is led by Bjarne Bergheim, and is backed by OrbiMed Advisors, Themes Investment Par (More info...)
posted on Monday, March 24, 2014(Full story)
eHarmony Adds Windows Phone AppSanta Monica-based eHarmony is extending out its mobile support today, saying it has launched a Windows Phone app for its matchmaking service. The company already offers up apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android. eHarmony says that 45 percent of users are now registering for eHarmony via mobile devices. The new app handles sign up, creating profiles, communications, photos, acitivity feed, among other features. The company has been in a major push to adapt to an evolving online and mobile dating mar (More info...)
posted on Monday, March 24, 2014(Full story)
Fandango Gets Renewal With CinemarkLos Angeles-based online and mobile movie ticketing service Fandango reports this morning that it has signed a multi-year, contract extension with Cinemark USA. Financial details of the renewal were not disclosed. According to Fandango, it will continue to serve as the exclusive third-party online and mobile ticketing partner for Cinemark and it's 4,400 U.S. screens. The companies did not say how long the contract runs. Fandango offers up movie information and tickets via both its online website (More info...)
posted on Monday, March 24, 2014(Full story)
T+ink Gets Funding From Gary Winnick For Conductive InkLos Angeles-based T+ink announced this morning that it has scored an investment from Winnick & Company, the investment company of investment mogul Gary Winnick. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. The company said that Gary Winnick has been named Chairman and CEO of the company along with the funding, which makes Winnick & Company the company's largest shareholder. Winnick was the founder of Global Crossing. T+ink also said it has added Kent Kresa, former CEO and Chairman of No (More info...)
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ReachLocal Acquires Division of New Zealand CompanyWoodland Hills-based ReachLocal, which helps run local, online marketing efforts for small and medium sized businesses, said today that it has acquired a divisio of a New Zealand company, the SME division of SureFire Search Limied. Financial terms of the acquisition deal were not announced. ReachLocal says it has been working with SureFire since 2011, when SureFire launched ReachLocal's online marketing product to the local market. ReachLocal said the move will help supports its growing internat (More info...)
posted on Monday, March 24, 2014(Full story)
Lytx Targets Trucking With New ProductSan Diego-based fleet driver safety product developer Lytx announced Friday that it has launched a new product specifically for the trucking industry. The company--which until recently was known as DriveCam--said it has launched a new DriveCam Powered by Lytx Program to specifically address truckload carriers. Pricing on the new product was not announced. DriveCam's systems combine video and sensors to help monitor driver safety and behavior, including monitoring speeding.
posted on Monday, March 24, 2014(Full story)
MRV Names New VP SalesChatsworth-based MRV Communications, which develops optical communications and packet communications hardware, announced this morning that it has named Scott St. John as its new Senior Vice President of Sales for its Optical Communications System division. St. John joins the company from OVerture Networks, and also had served at Saisei, Larscom, VINA Technologies, Lucent Technologies and AT&T. The company said St. Johns has over 20 years in the network industry. St. Johns will head up sales oper (More info...)
posted on Monday, March 24, 2014(Full story)
Local Upgrades Local Shopping AppIrvine-based Local Corporation, which provides online, local advertising technology, said today that it has upgraded its local shopping app, Havvit. According to Local, the new app supports iOS 7 enabled devices, and helps provide local shopping search to users, including real time inventory availability an mapping. Local's app helps consumers find products and compare prices of products nearby at retail stores. The company said the new version is 1.5 of its app.
posted on Monday, March 24, 2014(Full story)