Tuesday, December 8, 2015


Hyperloop Technologies In Deal For Test Site In Las Vegas, Eyes $80M round
Los Angeles-based Hyperloop Technologies, one of the startups looking to bring Elon Musk's grand idea for high speed transportation to life, has inked a deal for a test site in North Las Vegas, as it looks to complete an $80M, Series B funding round. Hyperloop--the one backed by Khosla Ventures, Formation 8, Sherpa Ventures, Caspian Venture Capital, Zhen Capital, David O. Sacks and others--said it has reached a deal to conduct open air testing on a 50 acre site in Las Vegas, and hopes to start c (More info...)
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Docstoc Quietly Shuts Doors
One, high flying online document sharing site Docstoc has quietly closed its doors, as of December 1st--and now only features a simple message saying that the service is closed for business. Docstoc--which was founded by Jason Nazar--had been acquired by Intuit in December of 2013. Docstoc had said earlier in September that it would be shutting down entirely. Nazar--who is now working on a new startup, Crew32--apparently had attempted to buy back Docstoc, but to no avail.
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Kurion Buys UK Robotics Firm
Irvine-based nuclear and hazardous waste treatment technology developer Kurion has acquired a UK-based robotics and remote systems company, Oxford Technologies, Ltd., the companies said this morning. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Oxford Technologies develops robotics and remote handling systems in the United Kingdom, and adds more than 60 engineers and project management to Kurion's team. Kurion said the transaction will help expand its existing Robotics Systems & Servic (More info...)
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Qualcomm Backs Maker Of Low Cost, Highly Accurate GPS Receivers
San Diego-based Qualcomm has made an investment in a developer of low cost, highly accurate GPS receivers, via its investment arm, Qualcomm Ventures. San Francisco-based Swift Navigation, which develops a low cost, highly accurate GPS receiver kit, said this moring that it has raised $11M in a Series A funding. Qualcomm joined such investors as Lior Susan and Pierre Lamond of Eclipse, New Enterprise Associates and Promus Ventures, First Round Capital, Felicis Ventures, Fall Line Capital, and Lem (More info...)
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Lenny Lands Funding For Microloans
Santa Monica-based Lenny, a startup which develops a mobile app and service which provides microloans to Millennial students, said today that it has raised a new round of funding. Size of the seed funding was not announced. According to Lenny, it is initially focusing on providing microloans to students, using such information as their GPA to qualify them for loans. The startup is led by Joe Bayen. Lenny says it makes loans of up to $500, based entirely on a student's GPA.
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Google Fiber Mulls Expansion Into Los Angeles
Is Google Fiber, the ultra-high-speed, gigabit Internet service, coming to Los Angeles? Google said this morning that it is exploring the possibility of bringing its high speed fiber network to both Los Angeles and Chicago, its first spread into two of the largest metro areas to date. Google said that---although it can't guarantee it will bring Google Fiber to LA--it is starting the process of working with city leaders to collect information on deployment.
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UviCube Rolls Out UV Light Sanitizer For Anxious New Parents
Irvine-based UviCube, a manufacturer of a ultraviolet, light sanitizing device aimed at the baby market, said today that it has rolled outs its device in the U.S. market. The company said its device allows parents to efficiently sanitize nearly every item that their babies use and touch everyday. UviCube said its UV light sanitizer eliminates 99.9 percent of the bacteria on such things as baby bottles, pacifiers, toys, remote controls, cell phones, and other objects. The device costs $299. UviCu (More info...)
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MD Revolution Finds $23M
San Diego-based MD Revolution, a developer of chronic care management and patient care software, has raised $23M in a funding round. The funding was led by Jump Capital. MD Revolution said it has now raised over $30M in funding. MD Revolution is led by Samir Damani. Dr. Garrett Vygantas of Jump Capital joins the company's board of directors, along with Dr. Jackie Kosecoff, the former CEO of Optum Rx and Senior Advisor at Warburg Pincus. The company said Kosecoff is also on the board of its partn (More info...)
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MRV Sells Tecnonet S.p.A. Unit
Chatsworth-based MRV Communications, which designs and manufactures optical networking equipment, said late Monday afternoon that it has closed its sale of Tecnonet S.p.A. to Maticmind S.p.A.. Its Italian subsidiary provided network integration services. MRV said it received approximately $21.5M ffor the business unit. MRV said the sale will let it focus all of its energy on its network equipment business.
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Guvera Expands Streaming Music Service To US, Sets Up Shop In LA
Guvera, an Australian music streaming service, said Monday that it has expanded into the U.S. market, and set up shop in downtown Los Angeles. According to Guvera, it has opened up a new, production studio it is calling the "House of Guvera" in downtown Los Angeles, in the arts district, as a part of that expansion. Guvera says it offers up free access to millions of tracks from both local and international artists. Guvera say it is using a "brand-funded" streaming model for its service.
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