Wednesday, June 8, 2016


Tinder To The Under 18 Set: Sorry, No Match For You
Los Angeles-based dating app Tinder is getting set to cut off access to the popular app to users under 18, according to reports on Wednesday. According to those reports, Tinder will discontinue use of the app for everyone under the age of 18 starting next week. Tinder had been allowing any user over the age of 13 to access the app, but had limited "matches" to only users in the same age group. Tinder has gained some notoriety for helping to sustain a "hookup" mentality among its users. The use o (More info...)
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Heal Names Former Dodgers Co-Owner Jamie McCourt To Board
Los Angeles-based Heal, which develops an on-demand app and service which connects users with doctors for house calls, has named former co-owner, CEO, and President of the LA Dodgers Jamie McCourt to its board of directors. The company--which is led Dr. Renee Dua--said McCourt was already a founding investor in the company, having invested in the company's seed funding via Jamie Enterprises. Dua--who is both a physician and working mother--told socaltech that "On the day after a woman won a majo (More info...)
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The Young Turks Gains Viewers From Election Interest
This political season is helping Los Angeles-based TYT Network win over a huge number of visitors and viewers of its content, with last night's primary coverage continuing a growth trend for the political content provider. According to TYT, it saw the largest, live audience in the history of its The Young Turks show, as it covered the primaries for California, New Jersey, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota last night. TYT said it had 458,404 views online over seven hours of live (More info...)
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Music Reports Inks Major Deal With Pandora
Woodland Hills-based Music Reports, which provides music rights administration services to the music industry, has inked a big deal with streaming music service Pandora. According to Pandora, it has tapped Music Reports to manage the mechanical licensing and royalty administration for its upcoming interactive streaming service. Financial details of the deal were not announced by the company. Pandora said the partnership is part of an effort to "substantially broaden" its subscription business.
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Cylance Raises $100M In Series D
Irvine-based cybersecurity software developer Cylance has raised $100M in a Series D funding, the company said this morning, in a round led by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities and Insight Venture Partners. The company, which develops artificial intelligence software which helps identify and stop malware and other threats, said the new funds will go towards sales, marketing, and engineering. Cylance, which is led by Stuart McClure, said the funding also included its other prior investors. Four y (More info...)
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SPACES Wins $30M Virtual Reality Deal In China, Raises $3M
Los Angeles-based SPACES, a developer of virtual reality content, said this morning that it has created a new, $30M joint venture with Chinese theme park operator Songcheng Performance Development Co. Ltd., and also raised a separate, $3M equity funding round. According to SPACES, the Chinese joint venture will bring virtual and mixed reality to Songcheng's theme parks and stage shows. Separately, SPACES said it has raised $3M in seed funding, in a round led by Comcast Ventures, and which also i (More info...)
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USC Students Aim To Launch Rocket Into Space, Promote STEM
Students at the University of Southern California, as well as fellow students from area community colleges, said they are looking to launch a rocket into space--and help further STEM education--through its USC Rocket Propulsion Lab (RPL). According to RPL, which is run by USC Viterbi School of Engineering students, it is working with the nonprofit Base 11, to be the first undergraduate team to launch a rocket into space. The new collaboration effort is being supported by philanthropist Foster St (More info...)
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Qualcomm Announces Connected Car Platform
San Diego-based Qualcomm has announced a new, reference platform, which it says is designed to help automotive manufacturers build their own, connected cars. According to Qualcomm, its new Qualcomm Connected Car Reference Platform is aimed at accelerating the adoption of advanced connectivity into connected cars, and includes the integration of wireless technology such as 3G/4G LTS, GNSS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other protocols with other features, and more. Qualcomm said it expects the reference (More info...)
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Sorrento Therapeutics Finds $150M In Private Placement
San Diego-based Sorrento Therapeutics, which is developing biopharmaceuticals aimed at cancer and other diseases, said this morning that it has closed on $140M in private placements. The company, which is publicly traded as SRNE on the NASDAQ, said the funding came from Ally Bridge Group, Beijing Shijilongxin Investment Co., Ltd., and FREJOY Investment Management Co. Sorrento said the companies purchased purchased 25,225,221 shares of common stock at $5.55 per share, and also received warrants (More info...)
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Cancer MoonShot 2020 Targets Head, Neck Cancers
Cancer MoonShot 2020, the cancer treatment and collaboration group being led by Culver City-based NantHealth, said this morning that it has created a new group specifically focused on head and neck cancer. The new Head and Neck Working Group will specifically focus on cancer-directed immunotherapy treatments for head and neck cancer, and includes scientists, physicians, and oncology professors. The group said the group will develop clinical trial protocols, carefully studying elements such as st (More info...)
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