Wednesday, October 8, 2014Evolve Media Buys AfterEllen.comLos Angeles-based online publisher Evolve Media said yesterday that it has acquired AfterEllen.com, a lesbian-focused community website, from Viacom Media Networks. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced. AfterEllen.com covers television, movies, celebrities, lifestyle, pop culture and other topics of interest to the lesbian community. AfterEllen.com said that current Editor in Chief Karman Kregloe will step down to "embark on some new adventures", with the top editing role to b (More info...)
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AeroVironment Wins New $19M DARPA ContractMonrovia, California-based unmanned aircraft maker AeroVironment reported today that it has scored another contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The company said the new contract is worth $19M, and covers the development of a maritime, unmanned aircraft system called the Tern (short for Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node). The company had earlier worked on a Phase I concept design for the effort; the new contract covers Phase II design efforts, to reach subs (More info...)
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HireRight Aims At Uber, Airbnb, Others With New ProductAre you a new startup looking to tap into the "sharing economy", ala Uber or Airbnb? Irvine-based background check services provider HireRight is hoping to smooth the way for peer-to-peer marketplaces with a brand new product, aimed specifically at helping those companies to screen people in their marketplaces. According to HireRight, its new "Sharing Economy Pratice" will provide technology-enabled, background screening services to sharing economy marketplaces, specifically to help those compan (More info...)
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Crowdfunder Raises $3.5MLos Angeles-based crowdfunding site Crowdfunder.com, the equity crowdfunding site led by Chance Barnett, has raised $3.5M in a Series A funding, the company said late Tuesday evening. The funding came from Tim Draper (DFJ), Bill Quigley (Clearstone, Crypto Currency Partners), Bridge 37 Ventures, Ideas & Capital Venture Capital, Maura O'Neill, Capital Nuts, Marcus Segal (Zynga), Mark Rampolla (ZICO Coconut Water), David Wilner (Windriver Systems), and others. Crowdfunder said its equity crowdfund (More info...)
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AutoGenomics Files For IPOVista-based AutoGenomics, which develops molecular diagnostics systems, is taking another gander at the public markets, and has filed for an IPO. The company said in a filing Tuesday that it is hoping to raise up to $60M on the NASDAQ Global Market as AGMX. The IPO is being underwritten by Stifel, Canaccord Genuity, and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. The company had made two prior IPO attempts, the last in November of last year; the company withdrew that IPO without citing reasons; the company had als (More info...)
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Avidity NanoMedicines Raises $6MLa Jolla-based Avidity NanoMedicines, which is developing nanoparticle technology aimed at the drug development area, has raised $6M in a convertible note financing. The company said the round was co-led by Fidelity Biosciences and TPG Biotech, and also included Brace Pharmaceuticals, Partner Fund Management LP and Alethea Capital Management. TPG's Ben Auspitz and Eran Nadav both join the company's board as observors. Avidity said the new funds go towards advancing new cancer therapies using its (More info...)
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SolarReserve Names New General CounselSanta Monica-based SolarReserve, the large scale solar power project developer, has named Pauline Doohan as its new Vice President and General Counsel, the company said Tuesday. Doohan was previously at Baker & McKenzie, where the company said she was a partner negotiating infrastructure and renewable energy transactions. She also has served at MCN Energy. SolarReserve said that Doohan has a specialty in energy and infrastructure-related transactions. SolarReserve is a developer of large, utilit (More info...)
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CytRx Chairman Passes AwayLos Angeles-based biopharmaceuticals research and development firm CytRx said late Tuesday that its Chairman of its Board of Directors, Dr. Max E. Link, has unexpectedly passed away. Link was 74. Link had been Chairman of the company's board since 2002, and had served on its board of directors since 1996. CytRx develops compounds being aimed at use in chemotherapy.
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