Wednesday, January 14, 2015Nativo Selected By New PublishersLos Angeles-based native advertising automation software developer Nativo reported Wednesday that it has been selected by five different publishers to power native advertising programs for their sites. Nativo said that Bonnier, Fodor's Travel, OnCampus, MetroUS, and TechnologyGuide (a division of TechTarget) have all selected its software. Financial impact of the sales were not disclosed. Nativo is led by Justin Choi.
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TVC Capital Raises $115M Software FundSan Diego-based TVC Capital, the software-focused, growth equity investment firm founded by Jeb Spencer and Steve Hamerslag has raised a big, $115M software fund, the company said Wednesday. The fund said that TVC Capital III was oversubscribed, and closed in only 90 days. TVC said that the investors included fund of funds managers and a university endowment. The new fund will remain focused on investments and acquisition of software companies, who are generating more than $2.5 million in revenu (More info...)
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LA's Newest Startup Gets $20M To Help You Skip Eating AltogetherLos Angeles has long been known as a foodie sort of town--however, LA's newest startup in town is, surprisingly, on quite the opposite side of the scale, hoping to help its customers completely bypass having to eat meals. Soylent, which recently moved from San Francisco to downtown Los Angeles, said today that it has raised $20M in a Series A funding round to scale up production of the company's powdered replacement for eating--intended to eliminate the hassle of having to eat a meal, and instea (More info...)
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Obalon Therapeutics Pumps Up With $20MSan Diego-based Obalon Therapeutics, a developer of a medical device to help with weight loss, said today that it has raised $20M in a Series D financing. The funding came from Axon Ventures, Bader Sultan & Bros. Co. W.L.L., Mirae Asset Venture Investment, NeoPlux Co., Ltd. and Striker Asia Opportunities Fund, along with Domain Associates, InterWest Partners and Okapi Venture Capital. The company said the new funding will go towards U.S. clinical trials. Obalon said it has now raised $65M in tot (More info...)
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Latisys Acquired By Zayo GroupLatisys, a colocation and infrastructure provider which operates a big data center in Irvine, has been acquired by another colocation and bandwidth provider, Zayo Group. Zayo said it would pay $675M for Latisys. Latisys has five data centers nationwide, with a big data center complex in Irvine on Van Karman with two separate data centers, totaling 138,000 square feet. Latisys has had operations in that location since 1994.
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TapZen, Magic Pixel Acquired By Kabam For LA Game StudioTwo, Los Angeles-based game studios, TapZen and Magic Pixel Games, have been acquired by San Francisco-based game maker Kabam, to help Kabam establish a studio in Los Angeles. Financial details of the deal, which was announced Tuesday, were not disclosed. Kabam said that TapZen and Magic Pixel will merge into a new, Kabam-branded Los Angeles studio near Culver City, which will be led by Mike Verdu. Kabam said the deal will strengthen its relationship with Hollywood partners. Verdu is the founder (More info...)
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lynda.com Raises $186M For Growth EffortsCarpinteria-based lynda.com, which is led by Eric Robison, has raised a huge, $186M funding round, led by TPG. According to lynda.com, the round also included investments by existing investors Accel Partners, Spectrum Equity, and Meritech. The company said it will use the new funding for accelerating acquisitions, growth, and new content intiatives. As part of the funding, TPG's David Trujillo will join the company's board of directors. lynda.com said it was advised by Allen & Co. in the deal. l (More info...)
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Kurion Scores Robot Win At FukushimaIrvine-based Kurion has scored another win at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, saying today that it has been awarded a contract to develop an advanced, robotic arm, to help repair the damaged reactor. Kurion said its robotic arm system is targeted for deployment in mid-2016, within the Unit 2 Reactor at Fukushima. Kurion--which has been providing water cleanup technology at the site--said the development of the arm follows an earlier win during the summer, when it deve (More info...)
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NantWorks Launches New Company, NantCellLos Angeles-based NantWorks, the umbrella technology development organization run by billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, said today that it has launched a new immuno-oncology company called NantCell. NantWorks said that, as part of the launch, it has entered into a licensing agreement with Thousand Oaks-based Amgen for its AMG 479 (ganitumab) compound. Financial details of the deal with Amgen were not disclosed. AMG 479 had been in Phase 3 development, aimed at treating pancreatic cancer. NantW (More info...)
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Sensory NeuroStimulation Gets $1.5M in Credit LineSan Clemente-based Sensory NeuroStimulation, which makes a device for treating Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), said it has established a $1.5M credit facility with Silicon Valley Bank. Terms of that new credit facility were not announced. Sensory NeuroStimulation said it will use the credit facility to support its ongoing operations. The company develops Relaxis, a device used to improve the quality of sleep in patients with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)--or more accurately, Willis-Ekbom Disease (W (More info...)
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TruMed Systems Raises $5.5MSan Diego-based TruMed Systems, a developer of automated, vaccine dispensing systems for physician's offices, has raised $5.5M in a Series B funding, according to the EvoNexus incubator. Other details on the funding were not announced. TruMed develops temperature controlled, vaccine storage and delivery systems which also keep tracks of stock, ordering, and real time inventory. TruMed Systems has now raised a total of $8.7M.
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