Thursday, November 6, 2014LivingSocial Shuts Torrance Facility, Cuts 400In a major Los Angeles area layoff, daily deals and offers service LivingSocial is closing a sales facility in Torrance, and cutting 400 employees throughout the company, as part of a restructuring. LivingSocial did not say how many employees cut were specifically in Torrance, but said the move cuts the company's total workforce by approximately 20 percent. The company said the moves comes as it shifts away from a daily deal towards an online marketplace.
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014(Full story)
3BLACKDOT Launches New MCN, JETPAKLos Angeles-based entertainment company 3BLACKDOT, which was co-founded by former Machinima executives Angelo Pullen and Luke Stepleton, along with Adam Montoya and Tom Cassell, said today that it has launched a new, Multi-channel Network MCN) on YouTube called JETPAK. The company said the new MCN will develop "influencer driven" entertainment properties, using month-to-month subscription channels from such influencers as Adam Montoya (SeaNanners), Tom Cassell (TheSyndicateProject) and Scott Rob (More info...)
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014(Full story)
Fisker Automotive Planning RelaunchFisker Automotive, one of Southern California's biggest technology startup flameouts in the past decade, appears to getting set to be relaunched as a brand by Chinese automotive maker Wanxiang. Wanxiang has launched a new website featuring the Fisker auto brand, and Lake Forest-based Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies said earlier this week that it has entered into an agreement with Fisker Automotive and Technologies Group LLC--the new owner of Fisker--to provide its plug-in hybrid control softwa (More info...)
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014(Full story)
FloQast Gets $1.3M For Financial SoftwareLos Angeles-based FloQast has raised $1.3M in a funding round, according to the company. Source of the funding was not disclosed. According to FloQast, it is developing closing software aimed at helping accountants close their books faster, and which integrates with Intacct and NetSuite. The company was founded by Michael Whitmire, Cullen Zandstra and Chris Sluty. The company said their tool automates reconciliations for accountants.
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014 (More)(Full story)
Zuma Ventures: Creating A New Technology Startup ModelDavid Carter and Allen Hurff are two startup veterans, who believe they have a new formula to help create early stage, technology companies, through their new "startup studio", Zuma Ventures (www.zumavc.com). Carter was a co-founder/partner at Amplify.LA, and also was founder of Vertical Technologies, Thoughtstar, and S5 Wireless' Hurff was formerly the EVP of Engineering at MySpace, and also was an EIR at Science Inc. We sat down with David and Allen to learn more about how the company wants t (More info...)
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014(Full story)
Curvature Buys CSU IndustriesSanta Barbara-based Curvature--better known under its prior name, Network Hardware Resale--said this morning that it has acquired CSU Industries, a provider of third party maintenance and support services. Financial details of the buy were not disclosed. Curvature said the buy will help it offer more IT services, support, and equipment procurement options to its customers. Curvature, which is led by Mike Sheldon, changed its name in July saying it was focusing on providing independent IT infrast (More info...)
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014(Full story)
Diapers.com, Soap.com, Wag.com Offer Up Free Overnight Shipping In LA AreaQuidsi, the unit of Amazon.com which owns Diapers.com, Soap.com, and Wag.com, said Wednesday that it will start offering up free, overnight delivery in Los Angeles. The three e-commerce sites will provide free overnight delivery on orders of $49 or more, as Amazon.com appears to be ramping up its efforts to own the holiday shopping market. Amazon.com already kicked off its holiday sales and promotions earlier this week, well ahead of the traditional Black Friday holiday shopping season. Quidsi s (More info...)
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014(Full story)
CrowdStrike Snags Marketing Chief From WebsenseIrvine-based security software firm CrowdStrike has named a new marketing chief Wednesday, saying that it has appointed Johanna Flower as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Flower had previously been at Websense for more than 14 years, serving in a number of roles, including Chief Marketing Officer, Vice President of SMB sales and Vice President of International Marketing and Channel Programs. Prior to that, she had served at Wick Hill. CrowdStrike is developing endpoint threat detection and prote (More info...)
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014(Full story)
ShipHawk Rolls Out APISanta Barbara-based ShipHawk, which offers up an online service and marketplace to help businesses and individuals to arrange for packing and shipping of items via shipping carriers, has rolled out a new API to let users tap into real time status of their shipments. The startup, led by Jeremy Bodenhamer, said the API offers up pickup notifications, weather updates, and other shipping data. ShipHawk's service helps connects customers with logistics and shipping companies.
posted on Thursday, November 6, 2014(Full story)