Tuesday, August 16, 2016Gawker Goes To UnivisionLos Angeles-based broadcaster and media company Univision has reportedly won the deal for bankrupt online publisher Gawker, and will pay $135M for the company, according to reports on Tuesday afternoon. Gawker had gone up for bankruptcy auction on Tuesday morning, with such Los Angeles companise as J2 Global / Ziff Davis, Univision, and Penske Media all reportedly submitting bids for the Silicon Valley publication. Gawker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year, after it lost a lawsuit (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2016(Full story)
ChowNow Links Restaurant Orders Into Google SearchLos Angeles-based online restaurant ordering and marketing software developer ChowNow says it has connected its software directly into Google search, allowing users to place their food orders directly from a restaurant's Google Business profile. According to ChowNow, the new integration with Google lets users click a "place an order" button on those profiles, which directs users to a food ordering page powered by ChowNow. The company said that it already has seen more than 50,000 customers click (More info...)
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Susa Ventures Closes $50M Second Fund, But Leaves LASan Francisco-based venture investor Susa Ventures said this morning that it has raised $50M in its second fund, Susa Ventures II--but no longer has a presence in Los Angeles. The investor, which for its first fund had enlisted Eva Ho to find investments in the LA region, has parted ways with Ho. Ho told the LA Times she is raising her own fund to focus on investments in the Los Angeles area. Susa Ventures invests in seed stage deals, and, despite its earlier fund's desire to have companies in L (More info...)
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Baswood Finds Funding RoundSanta Barbara-based Baswood, a developer of wastewater treatment technology, says it has received a new round of funding. Size of the funding was not announced. The funding came from Inherent Group, and will go towards growth in North America and expansion in the Asia Pacific region, according to the company. Baswood is led by CEO Michael Walker. The company targets the industrial, municipal, and other wastewater treatment markets.
posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2016(Full story)
inVia Robotics Launches Robotics System Aimed At E-Commerce WarehousesA new, Los Angeles startup, inVia Robotics, said today that it has launched a brand new robotics system, specifically aimed at fulfillment and material handling operations of e-commerce providers and warehouses. According to inVia, it has created a system which integrates with warehouse management system and enterprise resource planning systems, and automatically navigates across a warehouse to local, find, and move items. The startup, led by Lior Elazary, said those robots can lift items up to (More info...)
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Google Fiber May Shift To Using Wireless For Los AngelesThe cost and difficulty of deploying fiber for its high speed, Gigabit networking efforts in such cities as Los Angeles has Google Fiber considering a move to wireless, according to a report. The WSJ said on Monday that Google's parent company, Alphabet, is looking to use wireless, instead of wired connections, to connect up such cities as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas, instead of its current approach of installing fiber networks, which it reportedly has found much more expensive and time con (More info...)
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Sorrento Therapeutics Acquires Semnur Pharmaceuticals For Up To $200MSan Diego-based Sorrento Therapeutics said Monday that its subsidiary, Scintilla Pharmaceuticals, ahs acquired cancer pain pharmaceuticals developer Semnur Pharmaceuticals. Sorrento said it will pay $60M, split between $40M in cash and $20M in stock, with additional cash consideration of up to $140M based on development, product approval, and commercial milestones. Semnur's lead product is a non-opiate epidural steroid injectable to treat chronic back pain. Semnur was based in Los Altos, Califor (More info...)
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Snapchat Reportedly Near Acquisition Of Vurb For $110MVenice-based Snapchat is reportedly near a $110M acquisition of mobile search startup Vurb, according to reports. Neither Snapchat nor Vurb have yet confirmed the deal, which apparently has yet to be signed. The original report cited a "person famliar with the deal".
posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2016(Full story)
Atom Tickets In Nationwide Expansion MoveLos Angeles-based mobile movie ticketing service Atom Tickets says it is in a big, national expansion, and has expanded into 70 major metropolitan areas, including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, DC, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Baltimore. The mobile movie ticketing service, led by Ameesh Paleja, said the expansion comes in partnership with AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas and Studio Movie Grill. Atom Tickets allows consumers to check on movie reviews and showtimes, purchase tick (More info...)
posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2016(Full story)