Monday, March 9, 2015


SlipChip Gets $26.5M For Microfluidics Technology
Pasadena-based SlipChip, a Caltech spinoff developing microfluidics technology, has raised $26.5M as part of an ongoing, $30M funding raising effort, according to a filing from the company. Details on the Series B funding have not yet been announced by the company, whic his a spinout of technology developed by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). SlipChip's technology was developed by researchers in the laboratory of Rustem Ismagilov, Ethel Wilson Bowles and Robert Bo (More info...)
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AltheaDx Drops IPO Plans
San Diego-based molecular diagnostics developer AltheaDX has dropped its plans for an IPO, saying in a SEC filing Monday that it is withdrawing its S-1 and does not plan to pursue its IPO. AltheaDx--which originally filed confidentially for an IPO in July of 2014, and revealed its plans in December, said in its filing that the terms on the public marketplace are "not sufficiently attractive" to the company. AltheaDx had originally planned to IPO on the NASDAQ Global Market as IDGX. The company i (More info...)
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Coverhound Raises $14M To Ramp Hiring In Westlake Village
CoverHound, a startup which offers up an online marketplace for auto, motorcycle, home, and renter's insurance, said this morning that it has doubled its space in Southern California, as part of a new funding round for the company. CoverHound--which is headquartered in San Francisco--said it has doubled its office space in Westlake Village, to accommodate growth of its service. The company said this morning that it has raised $14M in a Series B fun ding, with new funding from LA's Core Innovatio (More info...)
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Pervical: Why MySpace Was A Spaghetti-Ball Mess
Wonder why once dominant social networking site MySpace--once the poster child for the Los Angeles technology startup world---failed under News Corp? Former MySpace VP Sean Percival says it was a "spaghetti-ball mess". The Guardian shares Pervical's lessons drawn from his time at MySpace and talks about what went wrong. Percival--now in the Bay Area--also talks about MySpace's failed attempt to purchase Spotify, and why bureaucracy killed MySpace.
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Snapchat Courts Saudi Arabian Prince In New Funding
Venice, California-based Snapchat is in discussions with Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, over possible future funding for the company, according to the Prince's investment firm, Kingdom Holding Company. According to KHC, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal met with Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, along with Imran Khan, Chief Strategy Officer, Snapchat over the weekend, at the Prince's Kingdom Resort. Kingdom Holding Company did not reveal any other details of the possible investment. Prince Alwaleed b (More info...)
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3D Printing Redux: How Idealab's New Matter Wants To Bring 3D To The Masses
3D printing is all the rage in the maker and do-it-yourself hobbyist market, but how do you truly take 3D printing to the mass market? Pasadena-based New Matter (www.newmatter.com) is developing a 3D printer, the MOD-t, which it says will help bridge the world of 3D printing experimentation with the consumer. We spoke with CEO Steve Schell on how Idealab believes its past experience with starting up a 3D printing company--and some new ideas on how to create a marketplace of 3D designs--are the k (More info...)
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Intuit Faces Government Scrutiny In Tax Filings
Tax filing software maker Intuit said late Friday that it has been contacted by regulatory authorities, including Congress, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice, over iss with fraudulent income tax filings. The company--which develops and supports its TurboTax consumer tax filing software out of its San Diego offices--said it is looking forward to cooperating with all such inquiries, including formal requests for information it has already received from the DOJ. Intuit sus (More info...)
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Blizzard Entertainment, ESPN Partner On Gaming Competition
Irvine-based online, massively multiplayer online game maker Blizzard Entertainment said last week that it is launching a new, video game competition which will award more than $450,000 in tuition and other prizes to college students--not to mention coverage on ESPN. Blizzard Entertainment said its Heroes of the Dorm tournament will pit college student teams against each other on its Heroes of the Storm title, which will give free tuition for students for the rest of their college career. The to (More info...)
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Kofax Debuts New Mobile Identification Product
Irvine-based document capture and handling software developer Kofax launched a new product this morning, saying it has launched a mobile app to help its customer capture proof of identity documents such as driver's licenses and passports. The company's new Kofax Mobile ID product is aimed at account opening and other similar processes, to help capture identification information. Kofax said the mobile app lets its users take a picture of a driver license, passport or national identity card using (More info...)
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ConsumerTrack Expands in New York
Los Angeles-based ConsumerTrack, the digital and performance marketing provider led by Brett Rossman, said Friday that it has opened up a new office in New York City. ConsumerTrack said the new office is part of an expansion by the company on the East Coast. The company said the New York office will help it better serve its media partners and clients, including ad agencies, U.S. banks and financial groups based along the East Coast. ConsumerTrack runs such sites as GOBankingRates.com.
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