Monday, March 16, 2015


2pointb Takes On Uber, Lyft With On-Demand Ride App
San Diego-based 2pointb, a new startup aiming at the on-demand transportation market, said over the weekend that it has launched a new, mobile on-dnd ride and transportation app. The company said its first market will be Dallas, Texas, where it says it is looking to provide a "safer, more trustworthy" ride service for users. 2pointb is tapping existing, local, licensed transportation apps for its drivers, unlike Uber and Lyft. Like Uber, the company offers up luxury black cars and SUVs, along w (More info...)
posted on Monday, March 16, 2015(Full story)

Triton Digital Acquired By Vector Capital
Los Angeles-based Triton Digital, the provider of software for the digital audio streaming market, has been acquired by private equity firm Vector Capital, the companies said today. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Triton Digital was advised by Macquarie Capital in the deal. Triton Digital is led by Neil Schore, and was backed by Sean Moriarty, the current CEO of Demand Media.
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PCM Buys En Pointe Technologies Sales
El Segundo-based technology service provider PCM announced this morning that it has acquired En Pointe Technologies Sales, in ann asset acquisition deal. PCM said it acquired En Pointe Technologies Sales IT solutions provider business, excluding the firm's current tangible assets, accounts receivable and inventory. PCM said it will pay $15M in cash for the business, plus earnout. PCM said it will be offering positions at the company to nearly all of En Pointe's 240 employees. En Pointe was based (More info...)
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Core Innovation Capital Backs Honest Dollar
Los Angeles-based venture capital investor Core Innovation Capital is backing a new finance startup, Honest Dollar, which is looking to help small and medium sized businesses start and run retirement plans for their company. Honest Dollar--which is based in Austin, Texas--said it raised $3M in a seed financing round today, which came from Expansive Ventures, Formation 8 and Core Innovation Capital. The startup says it will charge only $10 per employee per month to set up retirement plans for SMB (More info...)
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FameBit: Connecting Brands With YouTubers
It's a new world out there for content creators on YouTube, who are now able to create their own--often substantial--following. But, how do you pay for that content and creativity? Los Angeles-based FameBit (www.famebit.com) has developed a new platform which lets any content creator connect with brands, without the need for an agency or MCN, to help them grow their content and network. We spoke with co-founder David Kierzkowski and Agnes Kozera about the company, and how its technology and mark (More info...)
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Kutcher, Oseary Launch New Venture Fund, Sound Ventures
Celebrity investor Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary, who have been making personal investments in technology companies via A-Grade Investments, said over the weekend as SXSW that they have launched a new, venture capital fund called Sound Ventures. The new fund--unliked A-Grade Investments--will be backed in institutional backers and limited partners. Size of the new fund has not been announced.
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Tinder Sued Over New Subscription Fees
Los Angeles-based Tinder has been sued over its move to charge users fees by a Florida man, who claims that Tinder offered up its service for free, then "deceptively and forcibly migrating" its user base to a paid subscription model. The lawsuit was filed by user Billy Warner, represented by the Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, and is seeking Class Action status; the lawsuit seeks statutory penalties and restitution of funds obtained by Tinder. For its part, Tinder called the new lawsuit "downri (More info...)
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Ceres Signs Ethanol Deal In Brazil
Thousand Oaks-based agricultural biotechnology developer Ceres said this morning that it has inked a deal with Brazilian energy company Raizen S.A., where the two will develop and produce sweet sorghum on an industrial scale. The sorghum will be used to complement existing feedstock at Raizen's sugarcane-to-ethanol mills. Financial impact of the deal was not announced, however, the two said that each of the companies will provide in-kind services and resources, and share revenue from the ethanol (More info...)
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Illumina Files Patent Suit Again UK Firm
San Diego-based lifesciences equipment developer Illumina has filed patent infringement suite against UK-based Premaitha Health plc, via its subsidiary, Verinata Health. The lawsuit was filed in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, Patents Court in the United Kingdom. Illumina claims that Premaitha is violating its European patents covering the use of cell-free fetal DNA for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT).
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XCOR Names New CEO
Mojave-based space vehicle developer XCOR Aerospace announced this morning that it has named John H. (Jay) Gibson II as its new CEO and President. Gibson takes over the position from Jeff Greason, who has become Chief Technology Officer of the company. Gibson was most recently at aircraft maker Beechcraft Corporation, and was also Assistant Secretary of the United States Air Force and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. XCOR is in the midst of developing (More info...)
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Rubicon Project Wins DigitasLBi
Los Angeles-based Rubicon Project, which provides advertising automation software, reported last week that marketing and technology company DigitaLBi has selected the company's technology. Financial impact of the win was not announced. Rubicon Project said its technology will be used to automate guaranteed media buys across the agency.
posted on Monday, March 16, 2015(Full story)