Tuesday, May 20, 2014Tradesy Finds $13M for Fashion Marketplace From KPCB, OthersIn a significant vote of confidence for Santa Monica-based Tradesy, the peer-to-peer marketplace headed by Tracy DiNunzio, has raised a $13M funding round from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Sir Richard Branson, Rincon Venture Partners, Bee Partners, Northgate Capital, and others. The company announced the investment on Monday. According to the company, the Series B funding will go towards accelerating its growth and scaling its team. As part of the investment, KPCB's John Doerr and Stephanie (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
Three Day Rule Hooks Up With Match.comLos Angeles-based matchamking and dating site Three Day Rule, which is led by Talia Goldstein, said today that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Match.com. According to Three Day Rule, Match will use Three Day Rule to provide matchmaking services, and will support an expansion of Three Day Rule's team and markets covered. Financial details of the strategic partnership were not announced. Three Day Rule said the partnership will result in an expansion of its services beyond its cur (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
HitFix Launches Six Second Reviews With Moviefone's LeathermanToo busy to watch a long online video, or just have a really, really short attention span? The latest venture out of Los Angeles-based entertainment news site Hitfix is perfect for those with mere seconds to spend on figuring out if that latest movie is worth investing time into. Hitfix said it has partnered with Russ Leatherman, the co-founder of Moviefone, for a new feature called Six-Second Reviews. The new feature features--as advertised--six second reviews of current films in a very (very) (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
Wallaby, CreditCards.com Launch WalletUpEver wish you knew which of the thousands of credit cards out there make sense for you? Pasadena-based Wallaby Financial, the mobile- and web-based credit card app developer headed by Matthew Goldman, has tied with online credit card marketplace CreditCards.com to launch a new tool to help consumers sort through the myriad of credit card and offers out there to find the best for their spending habits.
According to the two, their new WalletUp tool will analyze a consumer's credit card spending, (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
Survios Scores $4MLos Angeles-based Survios, a developer of virtual reality technology, announced Monday that it has raised $4M in a Series A venture funding round. The round was led by Shasta Ventures, and also included Felicis Ventures and angel investor Gen Isayama (World Innovation Lab). Survios is developing an immersive, 360 degree, virtual reality system. The startup was spawned out of Project Holodeck, a demonstration effort at an Orange County virtual reality conference.
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 (More)(Full story)
Epoxy Looks To Help Online Video Creators With Social ToolsVenice, California-basd Epoxy--which was built by former executive from Team Downey--has launched a brand new set of tools aimed at helping online video creators use social media, and also disclosed a funding round. The startup, which is funded by Upfront Ventures, Greycroft Partners, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Downey Ventures, Advancit Capital and angels, said that it is aiming its tools at everyone from individual online video creators to studios, brands, and agencies. The startup (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
OpenX Launches SDK For Mobile Video AdsLos Angeles-based OpenX launched a new software development kit for the mobile video advertising market today, aimed at helping iOS and Android developers to add video ads to their apps. OpenX said the SDK offers up "plug-and-play" video advertising to help mobile app publishers and developers monetize their inventory. The new kit supports pre-, mid-, and post-roll video, click-to-play video ads, interstitials, and more. Mobile ads have been one of the recent expansion areas for OpenX, which pro (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
Kite Pharma Files For IPOSanta Monica-based Kite Pharma, a biopharmaceuticals firm focused on treating cancer, has filed for an IPO, saying in a filing Monday evening that it is looking to raised $115M in its offering. The company has applied to list on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol KITE. The IPO is being underwritten by Jefferies, Credit Suisse, Cowen and Company, and Stifel. Kite Pharma's indistutional backers include Pontifax, Alta Partners, and Commercial Street Capital.
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
Transphorm Extends In EuropeGoleta-based electric power conversion technology developer Transphorm is in an European expansion today, saying that it has tapped HY-LINE Power Components to offer up its devices in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The company--which is developing Gallium Nitride (GaN) power conversion devices--said HY-LINE will stock and distribute its products in Central Europe. Transphorm says its power conversion devices are far more efficient than existing technology. The company is targeting its device (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
EDF Renewable Energy Gets Investment From TIAA-CREFSan Diego-based EDF Renewable Energy, the developer of solar power projects, said Monday that TIAA-CREF has made an investment in the firm. EDF Renewable Energy said that TIAA-CREF is acquiring 50 percent of its equity interest in its Catalina Solar project, the 143 megawatt, photovoltaic power project the company is developing out in the Mojave desert. Financial terms of the sale were not announced. EDF Renewable Energy said it will continue to provide operations and maintenance services for th (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)
Teledyne Ties With German Company On Space ImagingThousand Oaks-based Teledyne Technologies reported a win with a German customers today, as part of a commercial space imaging deal. Teledyne Technologies said its subsidiary, Teledyne Brown Engineering has formalized a commercial space imaging partnership with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), which involves using the International Space Station (ISS) for Earth observation. Financial details of the partnership were not announced. Teledyne will help integrate an earth imaging sensor onto its pla (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2014(Full story)