venture

Richard Wolpert is the head of the Mail Room Fund, a new venture fund backed by William Morris, Accel Partners, Venrock, and AT&T. Wolpert is well known for his work as Chief Strategy Officer for RealNetworks, as president of Disn...
posted on Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Fulcrum Micro Raises $29.9M
Calabasas-based Fulcrum Microsystems, a developer of high speed switching semiconductors, has raised $29.9M in a Series E round of funding. The round brings the company's total to $102.0M raised by the company. According to a spokesperson f...
posted on Friday, May 2, 2008

DATAllegro Raises $19.6M
Aliso Viejo-based DATAllegro, which develops data warehousing appliances, said Thursday morning that it has raised $19.6M in a Series D round of funding. The round was led by an affiliate of the Hillman Company, and also included prior inve...
posted on Thursday, May 1, 2008

Appfolio Raises $22M
Santa Barbara-based AppFolio has raised $22M in a Series B funding for the new software-as-a-service firm, initially focused on property management software, socalTECH has learned. The company's CEO, Brian Donahoo, said that the round was l...
posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008

DocStoc Raises $3.25M
Beverly Hills-based DocStoc, the Web 2.0 startup focused on sharing professional documents, said Tuesday that it has raised $3.25M in a venture capital round from Rustic Canyon Partners. DocStoc maintains a service which allows anyone to up...
posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The Search Agency Gets Private Equity Investment
Santa Monica-based The Search Agency, a provider of search engine marketing and search engine optimization, said yesterday that it has received a strategic investment from private equity firm JMI Equity. Financial terms of the deal were not...
posted on Tuesday, April 29, 2008

LeadPoint Raises $6M
Los Angeles-based LeadPoint said today that it has raised $6M in a Series E financing. The round came from Silicon Valley Bank Ventures, as well as Redpoint Ventures. LeadPoint said the funding will go to "add bench strength to the company,...
posted on Monday, April 28, 2008

PhotoThera Finds $11M
San Diego-based PhotoThera, a developer of light therapy systems for treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, has quietly raised $11.0M in funding, socalTECH has learned. PhotoThera's devices are under clinical investigation to treat ischemic...
posted on Friday, April 25, 2008

Orqis Medical Gets $12.5M More
Lake Forest-based Orqis Medical, a medical device firm developing products to treat heart failure, has added $12.5M in funding, according to the latest PricewaterhouseCoopers/NVCA Moneytree quarterly venture capital survey. The firm has not...
posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008

Riot Games Raises $4M
Riot Games, a Los Angeles-based developer of video games, has quietly raised $4.0M in funding, socalTECH has learned. The firm is working on an undisclosed title, to be released sometime in 2008, according to the firm's web site. Backers of...
posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008

RightScale Raises $4.5M
Santa Barbara-based RightScale, a developer of software for managing cloud computing, said today that it has raised $4.5M in a first round of venture funding. The round came from Benchmark Capital. According to RightScale, it will use the f...
posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008

Mota Motors Lands $4.5M
Venice, California-based Mota Motors, which is developing online services to help car sellers sell their automobiles online, has quietly raised $4.5M in a venture capital round, socalTECH has learned. The firm, which is headed by Reza Bundy...
posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Touchdown Technologies Raises $22M
Baldwin Park-based Touchdown Technologies, a firm which manufactures MEMs probes for the semiconductor test industry, has raised $22M in venture funding, according to numbers released in the PricewaterhouseCoopers/NVCA MoneyTree report this...
posted on Monday, April 21, 2008

Southern California Companies Raise $856.8M in Q1

PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) released their quarterly venture capital numbers over the weekend, reporting that Southern California had venture capital investments totaling $856.8M for the fir...
posted on Monday, April 21, 2008

Buzznet Gets Investment From Universal Music Group
Los Angeles-based social media site Buzznet has received an investment from Universal Music Group, the firms said today. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to the companies, the investment was made as part of a partne...
posted on Thursday, April 17, 2008

EQAL Raises $5M
Los Angeles-based EQAL, the firm behind YouTube sensation lonelygirl15 and Internet drama KateModern, said Thursday that it has raised $5M in a Series A funding. The round was led by Spark Capital. Other investors in the firm included angel...
posted on Thursday, April 17, 2008

Central Desktop Raises $7M
Pasadena-based Central Desktop, which operates a software-as-a-service offering for project management, said today that it has raised $7M in a first round of funding from OpenView Venture Partners. According to the firm, the investment will...
posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2008

PluggedIn Launches, Gets Funding
Santa Monica-based PluggedIn announced Tuesday evening that the firm has launched a beta of its website, and disclosed funding from Overbrook Entertainment, the entertainment firm run by Will Smith, James Lassiter and Ken Stovitz. Financial...
posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Mainstream Energy Gets $40M
San Luis Obispo-based Mainstream Energy Corporation has raised $40M in an equity investment from Renewable Energy Corporation ASA, a Norwegian producer of photovoltaic materials. Mainstream said last week that the deal gives Renewable Energ...
posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Anaphore Raises $8M, Launches Firm
San Diego-based Anaphore announced Tuesday that the firm has created a new company focused on protein therapeutics, and raised $8M in funding. The funding came from 5AM Ventures and Versant Ventures. According to Anaphore, it was created th...
posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Nirvanix Adds EFF As Investor
San Diego-based Internet storage firm Nirvanix has added a new investor, the European Founders Fund, the company announced today. Terms of the additional investment were not disclosed. The European Founders Found (EFF) is an investment firm...
posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Venture Capital Fundraising Slows, But Fund Sizes Increase
Thomson Financial and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) reported Monday that venture capital fundraising slowed during the quarter, with a 31 percent decrease in the number of funds raising venture capital funds in the first q...
posted on Monday, April 14, 2008

Mojix Unveils RFID Product, Company
Los Angeles-based Mojix said this morning that the firm has launched the firm, and unveiled a new set of RFID systems focused on the supply chain management and asset tracking market. The firm, which is venture backed by Oak Investment Part...
posted on Monday, April 14, 2008

eduFire.com Raises $400K
Los Angeles-based eduFire.com, which is developing an online platform for real-time, in-browser video learning, has raised $400,000 in an angel investment round, the firm's CEO, Jon Bischke, told socalTECH Tuesday. The company, which helps ...
posted on Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Venture Farm Invests In Vator.tv
Irvine-based Venture Farm, the early stage funding firm run by angel Sid Mohasseb, has made an investment in Bay Area firm Vator.tv, the firm announced Tuesday. Venture Farm--which is looking to help companies with both early stage funding ...
posted on Tuesday, April 8, 2008

FIX8 Scores $2M For Avatar Technology
Los Angeles-based FIX8, a developer of software to create custom avatars, said Thursday that it has raised $2M in a Series A financing round. The funding came from SK Telecom. FIX8 said that the round brings the company's total Series A fun...
posted on Thursday, April 3, 2008

Venture Backed Exits Drop
Dow Jones VentureSource is reporting this morning that liquidity generated by mergers and acquisition and initial public offerings of venture-backed companies in the U.S. has fallen to its lowest quarterly total, since the fourth quarter of...
posted on Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Alure Medical Raises $4.5M For Medical Devices
San Diego-based Alure Medical has raised $4.5M in a Series A investment, the firm said today, for its minimally-invasive, soft tissue lift devices and delivery systems. The company's medical devices are used for platic surgery. Investors in...
posted on Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Digital Union Scores $1.7M For Software
North Hollywood-based Digital Union said Monday that it has closed on $1.7M of Series A funding for the firm's collaboration software. The funding came from an undisclosed list of individual investors, which the company described as a group...
posted on Monday, March 31, 2008

Triage Wireless Gets $20.3M
San Diego-based Triage Wireless, which is developing medical devices used for monitoring patients via wireless sensors, said today that it has raised $20.3M in a strategic investment round from Qualcomm Ventures. The round also included par...
posted on Monday, March 31, 2008

Chumby Takes $12.5M In Series B
San Diego-based Chumby Industires, which designs and develops a Linux-based gadget for connecting to Internet information services, said today that it has raised $12.5M in a Series B funding round. The lead investor in the round was JK&B Ca...
posted on Monday, March 31, 2008

Morph Labs Raises $1.5M
Los Angeles and Phillipinnes-based firm Morph Labs said today that it has raised $1.5M in funding from CSK Venture Capital Co. Ltd, and AO Capital. Morph Labs, which is headed by former Gluecode Software head Winston Damarillo, provides a s...
posted on Friday, March 28, 2008

AVANIR Gets $40M In PIPE
Aliso Viejo-based AVANIR Pharmaceuticals said this morning that it has raised $40M in a registered direct offering from its venture investors. The funding was led by ProQuest Investments, and also included Clarus Ventures, Vivo Ventures, an...
posted on Thursday, March 27, 2008

Materia Spins Off New Company With $40M In Funding
Pasadena-based Caltech spinoff Materia said today that it has created a new company called Elevance Renewable Sciences. The new firm, which is being created in partnership with Cargill, Incorporated, has raised $40M in new venture cpaital f...
posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Demand Media Raises $35M, Says Report
PEHub is reporting that Los Angeles-based Demand Media, the online media firm run by Richard Rosenblatt, has raised another $35M in funding. No details of the funding have been released. The firm filed a regulatory filing with the SEC on Ma...
posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Viva Vision Adds $2M
Santa Monica-based Viva Vision, which develops mobile content and applications, said today that it has raised an additional $2M in financing for the firm. According to the company, the funding came from Medical Capital Corporation, and will...
posted on Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Trius Therapeutics Raises $30M
San Diego-based Trius Therapeutics said today that it has raised $30M in a Series B funding round. The funding was led by Kleiner, Perkins, Caulfied and Byers. FinTech Global Capital, a new investor in the firm, also participated, along wit...
posted on Monday, March 24, 2008

Retention Education Pulls In Series B
Aliso Viejo-based Retention Education, a provider of language instruction materials for teaching English and Spanish, has closed a Series B round of funding, the firm said Wednesday. Amount of the funding was not disclosed. The funding came...
posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2008

NetSeer Hires Yahoo VP, Discloses Funding
Los Angeles-based NetSeer, a venture backed startup focused on the search and ad targeting market, has snagged Yahoo's Executive VP of Global Sales as its new President and CEO. NetSeer also revealed that it has received venture backing fro...
posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Phoenix Motorcars Gets Investment
Ontario, California-based Phoenix MC, Inc. which is designing electric vehicles, said this morning that the firm has secured additional financing from two new investors. Phoenix Motorcars said that it received an undisclosed amount of fundi...
posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2008

MabVax Therapeutics Raises $8M For Cancer Treatment
San Diego-based MabVax Therapeutics has recently raised $8M in a Series A funding round, from GBP Capital. The firm is focused on development and commercialization of immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. According to MabVax, the fir...
posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2008

posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Luminous Medical Raises $23.5M
Carlsbad-based Luminous Medical said today that it has raised $23.5M in a Series B round of funding. The new round was led by Adams Street Partners, and also included RiverVest Venture Partners, Finistere Ventures, De Novo Ventures, and Lat...
posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2008

WebVisible Raises $12M
Irvine-based WebVisible announced that it has raised a $12M, Series B funding round for the firm's local advertising services today. The round came was led by Sutter Hill Ventures, and also included prior investor Redpoint Ventures. The fir...
posted on Monday, March 17, 2008

The Gold Rush of Digital Media Funds

Editor's note: We'd like to welcome author Tom Taulli as an occasional contributor to socalTECH. Tom is the author of The Complete M&A Handbook, and has contributed to Forbes and AOL's Bloggingstocks. Tom comments on the ...
posted on Friday, March 14, 2008

Aperio Gets $20M
Vista-based Aperio announced this morning that it has raised $20M in a Series C funding. The firm, which develops digital pathology systems for the healthcare and life sciences industry, said the round was led by HLM Venture Partners. Exist...
posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008

Interview with Joe Morgan, SVB Asset Management

There's been a lot of recent speculation about the problems with the auction rate securities market, and its impact on startups. For those not familiar with auction rate securities, they are a financial instrument which has been used to ...
posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008

LifeMasters Raises $15M More
Irvine-based LifeMasters Supported SelfCare said Tuesday that it has raised $15M in funding from some of its existing investors. Investors in the new round included VantagePoint Venture Partners, Saints Capital, and Opus Capital. LifeMaster...
posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Los Angeles Makes List of Fastest Growing Regions For Venture Capital
Los Angeles has made a list of the fastest growing regions for venture capital, released today by the National Venture Capital Association. According to the NVCA and PricewaterhouseCoopers, Los Angeles was among the top five regions of the ...
posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Xirrus Gets $26M
Westlake Village-based Xirrus said Tuesday that it has closed on a Series C funding round worth $26M. The funding was led by Canaan Partners, and included prior investors U.S. Venture Partners, August Capital, QuestMark Partners, and founde...
posted on Tuesday, March 11, 2008

BrainCells Raises $30M
San Diego-based BrainCells, a biopharmaceutical firm developing treatments for central nervous system diseases, said Monday that it has raised $30M in a Series B funding round. The round came from MedImmune Ventures, City Capital, Oxford Bi...
posted on Monday, March 10, 2008

MaxxAthlete Raises Funding, Acquires Online Sports Firms
Los Angeles-based MaxxAthlete said today that it has raised a Series A round of funding, and acquired three online event-based youth sports services. Financial terms of the funding, and acquisitions, was not disclosed. MaxxAthlete said the ...
posted on Monday, March 10, 2008

Saban Capital Creates New SoCal Media Fund
Los Angeles-based private investment firm Saban Capital Group said this morning that it has started a new digital media investment group, focused on investing in digital media firms. The company said that the new digital media investment di...
posted on Monday, March 10, 2008

WiSpry Adds $7M
Irvine-based WiSpry, a developer of RF semiconductors, said today that it has raised an additional $7M in a Series B funding round. The firm said the funding was led by its existing investors, American River Ventures, Blueprint Ventures, an...
posted on Monday, March 10, 2008

Interneer Adds $1.2M
Los Angeles-based Interneer, a company which develops software for developing enterprise applications, said Wednesday that it has raised $1.2M in a funding round from both new and exiting investors. Names of the new investors were not discl...
posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Taltopia Gets $800K In Funding
Los Angeles-based Taltopia.com, which says it has created an free, online platform for connecting aspiring actors, musicians, models, comedians, and other talent with fans and industry professionals, said this morning that it has raised $80...
posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Generate Rounds Up $6M for Entertainment Studio
Los Angeles-based Generate said late Tuesday evening that it has raised $6M in a Series A venture funding round. The firm, which bills itself as a "next-generation" production and management studio for professional entertainment, said the f...
posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2008

iRise Adds $20M For Simulation Software
El Segundo-based software firm iRise said this morning that it has raised an additional $20M in an investment round for the firm's visualization software. The new round of funding came from Morgan Stanley Venture Partners, Gold Hill Capital...
posted on Tuesday, March 4, 2008

William Morris, Accel, Venrock, and AT&T Target SoCal Investments
The William Morris Agency, Accel Partners, Venrock, and AT&T said Monday morning that the firms have agreed to create a new investment firm to seed and grow firms in Southern California. The firms said that a new joint fund will focus on di...
posted on Monday, March 3, 2008

Clean Technology Investments Jump To $3B Globally
Dow Jones VentureSource released numbers Friday showing that venture capitalists invested $3B in 221 clean technology deals worldwide in 2007. The report found that the number of dollars invested was a 43 percent increase over last year, wh...
posted on Friday, February 29, 2008

California Stem Cell Gets Funding
Irvine-based California Stem Cells said Friday morning that the firm has secured a Series A financing round, from undisclosed private investors. Amount of the investment was not disclosed. The firm said that it will use the funding to expan...
posted on Friday, February 29, 2008

Cianna Medical Gets $9M
Aliso Viejo-based Cianna Medical said yesterday that it has raised $9M in a Series A funding round. The company, which is a spinout of BioLucent, said the funding will go towards further commercialization of the firm's breast brachytherapy ...
posted on Wednesday, February 27, 2008

NanoImaging Sees $1.5M
San Diego-based NanoImaging Services, a provider of high resolution, three dimensional transmission electron microscope imaging services, said Tuesday that it has raised $1.5M in a Series A round from Merck Capital Ventures. NanoImaging sai...
posted on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Momentum Ventures Funds Brown Bag Naturals
Los Angeles-based Momentum Venture Management said Monday that it has made an investment in Los Angeles-based Brown Bag Naturals. Momentum, which provides both funding and operational expertise to technology and other early stage companies,...
posted on Monday, February 25, 2008

Miles Electrical Vehicles Scores $15M
Santa Monica-based Miles Electric Vehicles, which is developing plug-in electrical vehicles, said today that it has raised $15M in an investment round from Angeleno Group and other investors. The firm said that it will use the funding to ad...
posted on Friday, February 22, 2008

Avalon Ventures Boosts Funds By $150M
La Jolla-based Avalon Ventures said earlier this week that it has closed on a new, $150M venture capital fund, Avalon VIII. The early stage investment group said that the eighth venture capital fund is the group's largest to date; LPs in th...
posted on Friday, February 22, 2008

Comedy.com Launches, Discloses Funding
Santa Monica-based Comedy.com has launched an online video web site focused on comedy, and has also scored a round of funding. The funding for the site came from Symbolic Action, Prism VentureWorks, and Walden Venture Capital. Comedy.com wa...
posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008

Dakim Pulls In $10.6M For Brain Fitness
Santa Monica-based Dakim, a firm developing brain fitness hardware and software for seniors, said Thursday that it has raised $10.6M in a Series C funding round. The funding came from Galen Partners, and is the first institutional investmen...
posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008

Boom! Studios Gets Funding
Los Angeles-based Boom! Studios, a firm which publishes comic books, graphic novels, and also develops other media, has raised a round of funding. Amount of the funding was not disclosed. According to David Cremin at venture capital firm DF...
posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008

Accumetrics Raises $28.8M
San Diego-based Accumetrics, which is developing diagnostic tests for measuring response of patients to anti-platelet drugs, said today that it has raised $28.8M in a Series D funding round. The round was led by Arnerich Massena & Associate...
posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008

BioIQ Raises $2.5M
Santa Barbara-based BioIQ, which develops healthcare information technology, said Wednesday that it has raised $2.5M in a Series B funding. The round was led by Great Pacific Capital. According to BioIQ, Dave Gross of Great Pacific will joi...
posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008

VantageILM Gets Investment
Pasadena-based VantageILM, which provides software for managing loan origination, servicing, collections, accounting, and other functions for finance firms, banks, leasing companies, and credit unions, said Wednesday that it has raised a ro...
posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Venture Farm, Frontera Link Investment Efforts
Irvine-based Venture Farm and venture firm Frontera Group said Tuesday that the two firms are in a strategic alliance. Venture Farm and Frontera Group said that the two groups will co-invest in emerging companies that fit the Venture Farm m...
posted on Tuesday, February 19, 2008

News Corp. Funds Startup Incubator
SlingShot Labs, a new startup incubator headed by MySpace execs Josh Berman and Colin Digiaro, has reportedly received $15M in funding from MySpace parent News Corp. According to a report in BusinessWeek, the new Santa Monica-based incubato...
posted on Thursday, February 14, 2008

X PRIZE Foundation Taps Venture Capitalist For Life Sciences Head
Santa Monica-based nonprofit The X PRIZE Foundation said this morning that it has appointed Bard J. Geesaman as the group's Executive Director, Life Sciences. The X Prize Foundation -- which is best known for its successful efforts to send ...
posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Universal Space Network Gains $18M
Newport Beach-based Universal Space Network said Monday that it has raised $18M in funding, in a combination of $13M in equity and $5M in debt. Universal Space Network provides outsourced space operations, and ground control and communicati...
posted on Monday, February 11, 2008

Interview with Derek Norton, Watertower Group

Last month, Los Angeles-based Watertower Group (www.watertowergroup.com) announced a new venture fund focused on $500K to $1M deals in the technology and digital media sector. The firm is geography agnostic, and invests in not just South...
posted on Monday, February 11, 2008

WooMe Raises $3M More
Los Angeles-based WooMe, the online dating and introductions web site, is announcing today that it has received $3M in a bridge funding round from the firm's prior investors. The round was led by Mangrove Capital, and also included Atomico,...
posted on Thursday, February 7, 2008

Traversa Therapeutics Gets $2M
La Jolla-based Traversa Therapeutics said late Monday morning that it has raised $2M in a Series A funding from the Tech Coast Angels, along with Mesa Verde Venture Partners and Morningside Group. Traversa is developing RNAi delivery techno...
posted on Monday, February 4, 2008

Sonexa Therapeutics Raises $30M
San Diego-based Sonexa Therapeutics said last week that the firm has raised $30M in a Series A funding. The round came from Domain Associates, Scale Venture Partners, and Alta Partners, and also included AgeChem Venture Fund and MC Life Sci...
posted on Monday, February 4, 2008

Arbor Surgical Pulls In $20M
Irvine-based Arbor Surgical, a developer of medical devices, said this week that it has closed on $20M in Series C funding. The funding was led by Medtronic, and was part of a licensing agreement between the companies. According to Arbor Su...
posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2008

WonderHowTo.com Raises Series A, Launches How-To Video Site
Santa Monica-based WonderHowTo.com said Wednesday that it has closed a Series A investment led by General Catalyst Partners. Financial terms of the funding were not disclosed. The firm also said it has launched a new, How-To video site whic...
posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2008

ThisNext Raises $5M
Santa Monica-based ThisNext has raised $5M in a Series B funding round, the firm confirmed today with socalTECH. The round came from the firm's existing investors, which includes Clearstone Ventures and Anthem Venture Partners. Gordon Gould...
posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008

ThisNext Raises $5M
Santa Monica-based ThisNext has raised $5M in a Series B funding round, the firm confirmed today with socalTECH. The round came from the firm's existing investors, which includes Clearstone Ventures and Anthem Venture Partners. Gordon Gould...
posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Watertower Group Launches Venture Fund
Los Angeles-based Watertower Group said earlier this month that it has launched a new, venture capital fund focused on investments in the technology and digital media sector. The firm said it will look to invest between $100,000 and $1M in ...
posted on Monday, January 28, 2008

kidthing Raises $3M For Learning Site
Los Angeles-based kidthing said today that it has raised $3M in a venture financing round. The funding came from Alpinesky LLC and angel investors. According to kidthing, David Cooper of Alpinesky has joined the firm's board as part of the ...
posted on Monday, January 28, 2008

Chimeracore Raises $9.0M
Santa Barbara-based Chimeracore, a firm developing bio-therapeutics and synthetic drugs, has quietly raised $9.0M in a venture funding round. The funding was disclosed in this week's PricewaterhouseCoopers/NVCA MoneyTree report. Financial t...
posted on Friday, January 25, 2008

Nexiant Adds $5.0M
Irvine-based Nexiant, a firm which develops automated dispensing systems for maintenance operations, has quietly raised $5.0M in additional funding, according to the PwC/NVCA MoneyTree report. The company, which was formerly known as Dispen...
posted on Friday, January 25, 2008

Verari Garners $18M In Q4
San Diego-based computing systems developer Verari Systems raised $17.949M in funding sometime during Q4, according to the latest PwC/NVCA MoneyTree report. The funding follows a $25.0M venture funding round the company announced in June of...
posted on Friday, January 25, 2008

North American Scientific Gets $15.5M In PIPE
Chatsworth-based North American Scientific said Tuesday that it has closed on a $15.5M private placement of its common stock. The funding came from venture capital firms Three Arch Partners, CHL Medical Partners, and SF Capital Partners. Ac...
posted on Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Covario Raises $16M
San Diego-based Covario, a provider of search engine marketing software and services, said today that it has raised $16M in a Series B funding round. The company, which was until yesterday known as SEMDirector, said the funding came from FT...
posted on Tuesday, January 22, 2008

posted on Monday, January 21, 2008

ProQuo Adds $8M In Series B Funding
La Jolla-based ProQuo said Tuesday that it has received an $8M, second round of funding from Mission Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Mission led the round for the company, which operates a service which stops junk mail and use of pers...
posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Morgan Stanley Buys Stake In Cleantech VC NGEN Partners
Morgan Stanley announced Tuesday that it has taken a stake in Santa Barbara-based cleantech firm NGEN Partners LLC. Amount of the minority equity investment was not disclosed. Morgan Stanley claimed that the investment was the first by a ma...
posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Fisker Gets Funding From Kleiner Perkins
Irvine-based Fisker Automotive, a company developing environmentally friendly, plug-in hybrid vehicles, has raised a round of funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the firm said Tuesday. Size of the funding round was not disclosed,...
posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Zogenix Gains $18M In New Funding
San Diego-based Zogenix, a firm developing specialty pharmaceuticals for the neurology and pain market, said Wednesday that it has raised $18M in a private placement of preferred stock. The round came from Abingworth Management Ltd., and al...
posted on Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Memeo Raises $8.1M Series B Funding
Aliso Viejo-based Memeo, a company which develops a backup and recovery software for photos, music, and other digital files, said Monday that it has raised $8.1M in a Series B round of funding. Funding came from the Foundry Group, which led...
posted on Monday, January 7, 2008

Cooking.com Raises $7M In Venture Debt
Santa Monica-based Cooking.com said this morning that it has raised $7M in a venture debt loan from ORIX Venture Finance. The firm, which operates an online e-commerce site for kitchen supplies, said that the funding would be used to expand...
posted on Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Cooking.com Raises $7M In Venture Debt
Santa Monica-based Cooking.com said this morning that it has raised $7M in a venture debt loan from ORIX Venture Finance. The firm, which operates an online e-commerce site for kitchen supplies, said that the funding would be used to expand...
posted on Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Nirvanix Gets Investment From Intel Capital
San Diego-based Nirvanix announced Wednesday morning that it has added Intel Capital as an investor in the firm. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. Nirvanix is a developer of an Internet storage service which is accessibl...
posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Big Stage Launches Beta, Names CEO
Pasadena-based Big Stage said Tuesday that it has named Chuck Huebner of Activision as President and CEO of the firm, and also launched a beta of the firm's 3-D avatar technology. The firm, which is a spinoff of the University of Southern C...
posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007

DFJ Frontier Gets $5M From City of Ventura
Venture capital firm DFJ Frontier has received $5M from the City of Ventura for potential investment in the city, as part of the DFJ Frontier II Fund. Ventura's City Council approved the investment Monday evening as part of a "Jobs Investm...
posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Velocity, ComVentures Merge
Los Angeles-based Velocity, the investment group headed by former Fox Interactive Media head Ross Levinsohn and AOL's Jonathan Miller, and venture capital firm ComVentures, said today that the firms have merged to form Velocity Interactive ...
posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Juice Wireless Pulls In $6M
Los Angeles-based Juice Wireless said today that it has closed on $6M in a third round of venture capital. The round was led by 21Ventures. According to Juice Wireless, investors in the company also include Qualcomm and Citizen's Communicat...
posted on Monday, December 17, 2007

Energy and Power Solutions Raises $20M
Costa Mesa-based Energy and Power Solutions, a firm which helps manufacturing firms develop energy efficiency, renewable generation, and other "clean energy" projects, has raised $20M in a Series A financing. The funding came from NGEN and ...
posted on Wednesday, December 12, 2007

REVShare Scores $20M
REVShare, a Temecula-based provider of cost-per-action advertising on television, has raised $20M in a venture round, according to The Carlyle Group and H.I.G. Ventures. REVShare operates a bidding system that allows television media provid...
posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007

E-Band Communications Adds $10M
San Diego-based E-Band Communications Corporation, a company developing high-capacity, millimeter-wave wireless transmission systems, said today that it has raised $10M in a Series B funding round. The round came from Reliance Technology Ve...
posted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007

REVA Medical Raises $42M
San Diego-based REVA Medical said Monday afternoon that it has raised $42M in a private financing round. The firm, which is developing bioresorbable stents for treating arterial disease, said that the round was led by Cerberus Capital Manag...
posted on Monday, December 10, 2007

ParAccel Pulls In $20M
San Diego-based ParAccel, a firm that develops database management software, said Monday that it has raised $20M in a Series B funding. The round was led by Walden International, and also included Mohr, Davidow Ventures and Bay Partners. Th...
posted on Monday, December 10, 2007

Techforward Gets Second Round
Los Angeles-based TechForward, a firm which provides a way for consumers to guarantee buyback prices on consumer electronics items, said today that it has raised a second round of funding from New Enterprise Associates. Prior investor First...
posted on Monday, December 10, 2007

Edgecast Networks Raises $6M From Steamboat
Los Angeles-based EdgeCast Networks is announcing today that it has raised $6M in a Series B financing, in a deal led by Steamboat Ventures. Steamboat is the venture capital fund associated with The Walt Disney COmpany. EdgeCast is a conten...
posted on Monday, December 10, 2007

Calixa Therapeutics Gets Investment From Domain
Calixa Therapeutics, a stealth San Diego biopharmaceuticals firm, has quietly raised a round of venture capital from Domain Associates, socalTECH has learned. According to Domain, Calixa is focused on developing, acquiring and commercializi...
posted on Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Regulus Therapeutics Snags Xanthopoulous As CEO
Carlsbad-based Regulus Therapeutics, the joint venture between Alnylan Pharmaceuticals and Isis Pharmaceuticals, said today that it has appointed Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos as its President and CEO. Xanthopoulos joins the firm from Enterpris...
posted on Monday, December 3, 2007

Allylix Scores $3.35M
San Diego-based Allylix, a developer of chemicals for the flavor, fragrance, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agricultural markets, said today that it has raised $3.35M in a venture round. The funding came from the Tech Coast Angels, Life...
posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007

XSCapacity Raises Funding Round
Irvine-based Venture Farm said Monday that it has invested in XSCapacity, a firm which provides an online marketplace for truck shipping capacity. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. XSCapacity allows ground freight shippers to ...
posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Fanista.com Gets Funding, Launches Beta
Beverly Hills-based Fanista.com said yesterday that it has launched its beta web site, and will provide what it calls a "community-powered" marketplace for entertainment. The firm is looking to sell DVDs and CDs, rewarding users for signing...
posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2007

World Mahjong Tour Gets Funding
Los Angeles-based World Mahjong Tour, a new startup founded by Pierre Wu of Click2Asia and David Wang of World Poker Tour, said Tuesday that it has raised a Series A round of funding. Amount of the funding was not disclosed, however the rou...
posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Blowtorch Gets $50M For New Media Studio
Blowtorch Entertainment said this morning that it has raised $50M in a venture capital round to create a new media company, which will develop both online and other content. The firm, which is dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Los Ang...
posted on Friday, November 16, 2007

Ambit Biosciences Gets $49M In Funding
San Diego-based Ambit Biosciences said today that it has raised $49.3M in a Series D equity financing. According to Ambit, the round came from Apposite Capital LLP, and also included MedImmune Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Radius Ventures, No...
posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2007

SmartDrive Systems Steers In Another $46M
San Diego-based SmartDrive Systems announced late Tuesday that it has raised $46M in a Series D round of funding. The firm, which develops systems targeted at fleet vehicles for monitoring driver safety, said the round was co-led by Oak Inv...
posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Pacific Pathway Gets Funding
Solana beach-based Pacific Pathway, which manufactures emergency preparedness and personal safety products, said Monday that it has raised a round of equity financing from Highland Consumer Fund. Financial terms were not disclosed. Pacific ...
posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Anaptys Biosciences Raises $33.9M
San Diego-based Anaptys Biosciences, a biotech firm developing therapeutic antibodies, said last week that it has raised $33.9M in a Series B financing round. The funding came from Novo A/S, and also included Frazier Healthcare Ventures, Al...
posted on Monday, November 12, 2007

YouMail Raises $4.5M
Irvine-based customized voice mailbox company YouMail said this morning that it has raised $4.5M in a Series A investment, from VantagePoint Venture Partners. YouMail said that the funding will go towards the firm's product development and ...
posted on Tuesday, November 6, 2007

VMIX Raises $16.5M
San Diego-based VMIX, an online media sharing and social networking web site, said Wednesday that the firm has raised $16.5M in a venture round. The new funding came from JK&B Capital and ATA Ventures, along with prior investors Mission Ven...
posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Semtek Gets Series A
San Diego-based Semtek, a provider of a hardware devices for payment card security, announced today that it has raised a Series A round of funding. Amount of the funding was not disclosed. The funding came from RRE Ventures and Venrock, who...
posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007

mobileStorm Raises Series A Funding
Los Angeles-based mobileStorm has raised a Series A round of funding, according to eonBusiness, the venture capital firm behind the round. eonBusiness said it was the sole investor in mobileStorm, a provider of email marketing products and ...
posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Imagine Communications Adds $15M
San Diego-based Imagine Communications, which develops video on demand and IPTV hardware, said today that it has closed on $15M in Series B funding for the firm. The round was led by Court Square Ventures, and also included prior investors ...
posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Solarflare Gets $15M In Debt
Irvine-based Solarflare Communications has received $15M in a venture debt round, according to Hercules Technology Growth Capital. Hercules, which provides venture debt and equity to technology and life sciences companies, said Monday that ...
posted on Monday, October 29, 2007

Hyperfactory Gets Funding
Los Angeles-based The Hyperfactory said Monday morning that the firm has raised a "significant" round of funding from a number of entertainment industry angels. Terms of the investment were not disclosed. The firm, which develops mobile bra...
posted on Monday, October 29, 2007

Solarflare Quietly Adds $14.8M In Funding
Irvine-based Solarflare Communications, a developer of 10 Gigabit Ethernet over copper semiconductors, has quietly added another $14.8M to the company's coffers. The funding was disclosed in both a September 5th regulatory filing, as well ...
posted on Friday, October 26, 2007

InTouch Technologies Raises $7.2M
Santa Barbara-based InTouch Technologies, which develops remote presence technology and robots for healthcare, has quietly raised $7.274M in venture funding. The funding was disclosed in both regulatory filings as well as the latest PwC/NVC...
posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007

Xencor Raises $15M
Monrovia, California-based Xencor said this morning that it has raised an additional $15M in its Series E round, bringing its total raised in the round to $60M. Xencor said the additional capital came from Oxford Bioscience Partners and Mer...
posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007

Siimpel Gets Investment From Motorola
Arcadia, California-based Siimpel has received an investment from Motorola's venture capital arm, Motorola Ventures, Motorola said Wednesday. Motorola said that Motorola Ventures made an equity investment in Siimpel, but did not disclose th...
posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2007

OuroBoros Raises $4M For Spinal Devices
Stealthy OuroBoros, based in San Diego, has raised $4M in a funding round for a minimally invasive spinal fusion device. No details of the company or round have been released. The firm first disclosed the funding in a regularly filing on Se...
posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Venture Capital Deals Total $7.1B In Q3

PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association reported over the weekend that nationwide, venture capital deals totaled $7.1B in 887 deals for the third quarter. The firms, which released their PwC/NVC MoneyTree Repo...
posted on Monday, October 22, 2007

Siimpel Raises $21.5M
Arcadia-based Siimpel, a manufacturer and designer of optical switching components and subsystems, has quietly raised $21.5M in venture funding. The round has not been announced, but was disclosed in the quarterly PwC/NVCA MoneyTree Report ...
posted on Monday, October 22, 2007

MoGreet Gets $1.2M
Los Angeles-based MoGreet, a stealth company in the area of mobile video messaging, has quietly raised at least $1.2M in venture capital from DFJ Frontier. DFJ Frontier, which is an affiliate of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, added MoGreet to its...
posted on Monday, October 22, 2007

RoyaltyShare Boosts Funding By $4M
San Diego-based RoyaltyShare, a provider of digital music royalty tracking services, said today that it has raised $4M in a Series B funding round. The new funding came from Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments and Trident Capital. The add...
posted on Monday, October 22, 2007

T2 Funds Water Purification Firm
T2 Venture Capital, the venture capital spinout of Larta Institute, has re-upped in a venture investment in Stonybrook Purification, a New York-based firm developing clean water purification systems. Stonybrook said this week that it has ra...
posted on Friday, October 19, 2007

Pinkberry Raises $27.5M
Los Angeles-based frozen yogurt chain Pinkberry has raised $27.5M in venture capital funding from Maveron, the venture firm founded by Starbucks founder Howard Schultz. The investment was disclosed by Maveron's Dan Levitan in interviews wit...
posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007

fix8 Raises $3M
Los Angeles-based fix8, a company which develops online software for helping users animate videos, said today that it has completed a Series 1A financing worth $3M. The company said that the round of funding came from Singapore-based Vicker...
posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007

MediKeeper Raises Series A Round
San Diego-based MediKeeper said late Friday that it has closed a Series A investment round, led by PacifiCap, a Hawaii-based venture capital firm. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. MediKeeper is a provider of web-based, electr...
posted on Monday, October 15, 2007

UCSB Gets $3M Gift For Stem Cell Center
Santa Barbara-based UC Santa Barbara said this week that it has received a $3M gift from William K. Bowes, Jr. to establish a endowed chair for the firm's planned Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering. Bowes is a venture capitalist a...
posted on Friday, October 12, 2007

Leads360 Raises $3.25M
Santa Monica-based Leads360 has raised $3.25M in a venture funding round from Rustic Canyon Partners, the firm said earlier this week. Leads360 is a provider of customer acquisition and lead management software. According to Lead360, John B...
posted on Friday, October 12, 2007

ReachLocal Raises $55.2M
Woodland Hills-based ReachLocal announced today that it has raised $55.2M in a venture funding round, led by Rho Ventures. The Series D investment also include Galleon Crossover Fund and VantagePoint Venture Partners. ReachLocal is a provid...
posted on Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Staccato Communications Raises $17.5M
San Diego-based Staccato Communications, which develops ultra wideband (UWB) wireless chips, said today that it has raised an additional $17.5M in equity financing. The new funding came from Allegis Capital, Bay Partners, Charles River Vent...
posted on Monday, October 8, 2007

Verimatrix Raises $5M
San Diego-based Verimatrix, a provider of content security and watermarking tools, said Thursday that it has raised $5M in additional capital. The round came from Mission Ventures, an existing investor in the firm. Verimatrix develops digit...
posted on Thursday, October 4, 2007

Verimatrix Raises $5M
San Diego-based Verimatrix, a provider of content security and watermarking tools, said Thursday that it has raised $5M in additional capital. The round came from Mission Ventures, an existing investor in the firm. Verimatrix develops digit...
posted on Thursday, October 4, 2007

Shopatron Scores $6M
San Luis Obispo-based Shopatron said Tuesday that it has raised $6M in a Series B funding round. The round came from Kern Whelan Capital, and also included participation by prior investor Rivenrock Capital. Shopatron develops e-commerce sof...
posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007

The Rubicon Project Raises $6M
Los Angeles-based The Rubicon Project said Tuesday morning that the firm has raised $6M in a Series A venture round. The funding came from Clearstone Ventures, which invested $4M in the firm, alongside $2M in venture debt from Square1Bank. ...
posted on Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Sequel Pharmaceuticals Spins Out, Raises $20M
San Diego-based Sequel Pharmaceuticals said Thursday that it has raised $20M in a Series A financing, as part of its spinout from NovaCardia. The funding came from Domain Associates, Forward Ventures, InterWest Partners, Montreux Equity Par...
posted on Thursday, September 27, 2007

DECA Raises $5M For Digital Entertainment Studio
Santa Monica-based DECA is announcing today that it has raised $5M for an online digital entertainment studio. The firm said that the Series A funding came from Mayfield, General Catalyst Partners, and Atomico Investments, the investment fi...
posted on Thursday, September 27, 2007

Zag Raises $13.5M
Santa Monica-based Zag said today that it has raised an additional $13.5M in financing, in a deal led by the Capricorn Investment Group. Zag, which develops auto buying software which links automobile dealers and affinity groups like credit...
posted on Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Demand Media Reportedly Raises $100M
Los Angeles-based Demand Media has reportedly raised another $100M in venture funding. A spokesperson for the firm did not respond to requests by socalTECH for comments on the venture funding, however sources close to the firm confirmed tha...
posted on Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Cleantech Investments Surge
Ernst & Young and Dow Jones VentureOne are reporting today that the investments in clean technology companies this year have reached $1.1B in the first half of 2007. The research, which was released today, found that clean technology invest...
posted on Wednesday, September 26, 2007

LeisureLink Gets $8.1M
Pasadena-based LeisureLink, which operates an online booking service for vacation rental properties, said Tuesday morning that it has closed on $8.1M in a Series B-1 funding round. The venture round came from Clearstone Venture Partners, Gr...
posted on Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Interview with Sachin Deshpande, Tapioca Mobile

Earlier this month, San Diego-based Tapioca Mobile (www.tapiocamobile.com) raised a first round of funding from Venrock, saying that it is developing to deliver video and rich media to mobile handsets. To get a better perspective on wher...
posted on Monday, September 24, 2007

Earthlink, SK Telecom To Invest $270M In Helio
Earthlink confirmed Friday morning that the firm will invest $270M alongside SK Telecom in Los Angeles-based Helio. Earthlink reported that MVNO Helio now has 130,000 subscribers as of the end of August., and revenues of $140 to $170M. Howe...
posted on Friday, September 21, 2007

Interview with Patrick Harr, CEO of Nirvanix

San Diego-based Nirvanix (www.nirvanix.com) recently raised a round of venture capital from Mission Ventures, Valhalla, and Windward Ventures, for its online storage services. The firm is looking to provide outsourced data storage servic...
posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007

Intelligent Beauty Gets Funding
Manhattan Beach-based Intelligent Beauty, a marketing and technology firm which builds beauty brands, said this morning that it has received its first external round of funding. The funding came from Technology Crossover Ventures. Financial...
posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Nirvanix Raises $12M
San Diego-based Nirvanix, a provider of Internet storage services, said today that it has raised $12M in a venture capital round. The round was led by Mission Ventures and Valhalla Partnres, and also included Windward Ventures. Nirvanix sai...
posted on Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Interview with Adam Miller, Cornerstone OnDemand

Santa Monica-based Cornerstone OnDemand (www.cornerstoneondemand.com) is announcing today that it has raised a venture capital round, worth a healthy $32M, to help fund expansion at the software firm. We spoke with Adam Miller, the firm...
posted on Monday, September 17, 2007

SoCal Sees Web 2.0 Investment Increase
According to a new report released this morning by Dow Jones VentureOne, Southern California saw a "surge" in Web 2.0 venture capital deals in the first half of the year, with $59M invested in eight Web 2.0 deals, as investors put more than...
posted on Monday, September 17, 2007

SoCal Sees Web 2.0 Investment Increase
According to a new report released this morning by Dow Jones VentureOne, Southern California saw a "surge" in Web 2.0 venture capital deals in the first half of the year, with $59M invested in eight Web 2.0 deals, as investors put more than...
posted on Monday, September 17, 2007

Cornerstone OnDemand Raises $32M
Santa Monica-based Cornerstone OnDemand said this morning that it has completed $32M in new financing for the firm, in a round led by Beseemer Venture Partners and Bay Partners. Cornerstone is a provider of on-demand, software-as-a-service ...
posted on Monday, September 17, 2007

Pentadyne Power Adds $14M
Chatsworth-based Pentadyne Power, a developer of flywheel-based energy storage systems used for uninterruptible power supplies and energy storage, said Monday morning that it has raised $14M in a new venture round. Loudwater Investment Part...
posted on Monday, September 17, 2007

Tapioca Mobile Gets Funding From Venrock
San Diego-based Tapioca Mobile said this morning that it has raised an initial round of seed funding from venture capital firm Venrock. Size of the venture round was not disclosed. As part of the funding, David Siminoff and Neeraj Choubey o...
posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Twistbox Raises $19.5M
Los Angeles-based Twistbox Entertainment said Monday that it has raised an additional $19.5M in a funding round, from an affiliate of ValueAct Capital and other, unnamed strategic investors. Jimmy Price of ValueAct has joined the firm's boa...
posted on Monday, September 10, 2007

Cyntellect Gets $3M
San Diego-based Cyntellect said today that it has raised $3M in a venture funding round. The Series D round came from Bru II Venture Capital Fund, based in Reykjavik, Iceland. Cyntellect said that Bru was the only participant in the second ...
posted on Thursday, September 6, 2007

TelASIC Raises $12.5M
El Segundo-based TelASIC Communications announced this morning that it has raised $12.5M in funding, in a new round led by ATA Venture. Prior investors Mission Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, and the IPO Group also participated in the round. T...
posted on Thursday, September 6, 2007

Clupedia Raises $1.3M
Santa Ana-based Clupedia has raised $1.3M in a Series A round, the company formally announced Monday. The round came from the Tech Coast Angels, and closed in late 2006. The Pasadena Angels and Frontera Group also participated in the fundin...
posted on Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Red Mango Scores Funding
Red Mango USA, a Los Angeles-based retail chain of Korean-style, frozen yogurt stores, has raised a round of venture capital from Stone Canyon Venture Partners. Amount of the investment has not been disclosed. Red Mango is expanding the Sou...
posted on Friday, August 31, 2007

Helixis Scores $10M
Carlsbad-based Helixis announced Wednesday that the company has raised $10M in a Series A investment, and launched operations. Funding came from Domain Associates and Okapi Venture Capital. Helixis is developing low-cost, molecular diagnost...
posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007

MeetingSense Gets $3M
San Diego-based MeetingSense Software announced this morning that it has raised $3M in a Series A funding. The round came from TVC Capital LLC. MeetingSense develops software used to manage and capture action items during business meetings....
posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Trilogy Studios Finds $3.2M
Santa Monica-based virtual world development and videogame firm Trilogy Studios said today it has raised $3.2M in a Series B round of funding. Investors in the company were not announced. Trilogy said that the funding will go towards expand...
posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007

inQ Raises $5M
Los Angeles-based inQ said today that it has closed a $5M, Series D funding round. The round was led by Emergence Capital, and also included the company's existing investors, Partech International, Dolphin Equity Partners, and Hudson Ventur...
posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007

BioIQ Gets Funded By Great Pacific
Santa Barbara-based BioIQ, a firm developing home test kits and corporate wellness products for detecting diseases, has quietly raised a round of funding from Great Pacific Capital. Terms of the funding have not been announced, and a spokes...
posted on Friday, August 24, 2007

Venture Vehicles Finds $6M
Los Angeles-based Venture Vehicles, a company developing a three-wheel electric and hybrid vehicles, has raised $6M in a Series A funding. The funding came from NGEN Partners. Steve Parry of NGEN joins the firm's board as part of the fundi...
posted on Monday, August 20, 2007

Quartics Gets $7.5M In Debt
Irvine-based Quartics, a developer of wireless video processing chips, has raised $7.5M in venture debt, according to funder Hercules Technology Growth Capital. Hercules said that it provided the debt to provide growth capital for Quartics ...
posted on Friday, August 17, 2007

Lee Joins Prism Ventures
Peter Lee, most recently an associate at venture capital firm Clearstone Ventures, is joining Prism Venture Partners, a Boston-based venture capital fund. Lee said today in an email that he will be joining Prism Ventures in September, to he...
posted on Friday, August 17, 2007

Steamboat Ventures Adds Laskey As Managing Director
Beau Laskey, a venture capitalist who was most recently with EDF Ventures in San Diego, has joined Steamboat Ventures, the venture capital arm of Disney. Laskey said in a email that he has joined Steamboat Ventures as a Managing Director. L...
posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007

SyncVoice Gets $11.6M
Costa Mesa-based SyncVoice Communications said today that it has raised $11.6M, and changed its name to Communicado. The firm, which provides management software for managing voice-over-IP and other communications, said that the funding cam...
posted on Monday, August 13, 2007

KFX Medical Raises $10M
Carlsbad-based KFX Medical said Thursday afternoon that it has raised $10M in a Series B funding round. The company develops minimally invasive percutaneous repair systems, for rotator cuff repair. The round was led by Alloy Ventures, and a...
posted on Friday, August 10, 2007

Shipwire Scores $4M
Los Angeles-based Shipwire has quietly raised $4M in a venture funding round for its outsourced shipping service, socalTECH has learned. Shipwire maintains warehouses in Los Angeles and Chicago, and handles shipping of products for companie...
posted on Friday, August 10, 2007

Nextivity Raises $16M
Nextivity, a stealth-mode wireless startup located in San Diego, has quietly raised $16M in a venture capital round, according to numbers reported in the PricewaterhouseCoopers/NVCA quarterly venture capital survey. No details on the fundin...
posted on Friday, August 10, 2007

Nereus Pharmaceuticals Raises $45M
San Diego-based Nereus Pharmaceuticals said Thursday that it has raised $45M in a Series D-2 financing. The new round of funding for the biopharmaceuticals firm was led by BankInvest Biomedical Venture of Copenhagen, and also included Roche...
posted on Thursday, August 9, 2007

Jacked Quietly Lands $6.7M
Santa Monica-based Jacked, a stealthy Internet start-up which describes itself as building a digital media platform to "hotwire their TVs," has quietly raised $6.7M in a venture capital round. The funding was disclosed as part of the recent...
posted on Thursday, August 9, 2007

Spot Runner Pulls In $32M
Los Angeles-based SpotRunner, which operates an online service that allows businesses to buy television advertising spots, has quietly raised another $32M in capital, according to numbers released by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National ...
posted on Thursday, August 9, 2007

Passenger Adds $8.3M
Los Angeles-based Passenger, a firm developing software-as-a-service tools that allows companies to add private social community features to their web sites, said today that it has raised $8.3M in a Series B funding. The round was led by St...
posted on Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Southern California Firms Raise $933M In Venture Capital In Q2

PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) have released their Q2 2007 venture capital report, finding that there was $993M in venture capital raised by Southern California firms this quarter. Southern Cal...
posted on Monday, August 6, 2007

Tobira Therapeutics Raises $31M
San Diego and Princeton, New Jersey-based Tobira Therapeutics said last night that it has completed $31M in a Series A financing. The newly created firm is developing treatments for HIV/AIDs. The funding for the company came from Domain Ass...
posted on Thursday, August 2, 2007

Genoptix Files For IPO
San Diego-based Genoptix said this afternoon in a filing with the SEC that it is looking to raise up to $86.25M in an IPO. The firm said that it is looking to list on the NASDAQ Global Market as "GXDX." The IPO is being underwritten by Lehm...
posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007

US Renewables Group Closes $475M Fund
Los Angeles-based US Renewables Group announced Tuesday morning that it has closed on $475M in commitments for its second fund, USRG Power & Biofuels Fund II, LP. The fund is focused on renewable power generation, clean fuels, and related l...
posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Cyntellect Raises $15.1M For Expansion
San Diego-based Cyntellect has raised $15.1M in a new venture financing round, the company said Wednesday. The Series D round was led by Third Security LLC's New River Management V fund, along with one of the firm's existing shareholders. C...
posted on Thursday, July 26, 2007

Q4bis Raises $6M
Irvine-based Q4bis, a provider of software used for business intelligence, said late Tuesday that it has raised $6M in a venture round from TVC Capital. Q4Bis said that the Series A funding will enable the firm to expand its business. Steve...
posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Multi-Factor Authentication Gets $4.5M
Irvine-based Multi-Factor Authentication, a company developing technology for multi-factor security for web sites, said today that it has raised $4.5M in a private placement. The firm said the funding came from a group of accredited investo...
posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Transpera Announces Funding
Santa Monica-based Transpera has confirmed the firm's funding, saying Tuesday that it has raised a round of venture capital from First Round Capital, IDG Ventures, and Intel Capital. Transpera is developing next generation mobile video prod...
posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007

posted on Monday, July 23, 2007

Campus Explorer Adds Investor
Los Angeles-based Campus Explorer, a firm which is developing an online information site focused on helping students, parents, and counselors, has quietly received venture capital backing, socalTECH.com has learned. Santa Barbara-based vent...
posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007

Transpera Gains Funding
Santa Monica-based Transpera, a firm that is developing mobile video products, has quietly landed backing from a number of venture firms, socalTECH.com has learned. Transpera is now listed as a portfolio firm on Intel Capital and First Roun...
posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007

Symwave Raises $12M
San Diego-based Symwave, a company which is designing high-performance, analog and mixed signal integrated circuits, said Wednesday evening that it has raised $12M in a Series C financing round. The round was led by Kodiak Venture Partners,...
posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007

Ablation Frontiers Adds $12.8M
Carlsbad-based Ablation Frontiers, a medical device firm developing treatments for irregular heart rhythms, said last night that it has closed $21.8M in a Series C financing. The round was led by Novartis Venture Fund, and also included new...
posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Novocell Raises $25M
San Diego-based Novocell said Monday that it has closed on $25M in Series C financing. The round came from Sanderling Ventures, Asset Management Company, Pacific Horizon Ventures, and Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation. Johnson & Joh...
posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Interview with Brett Weinstein, CEO of 60Frames

Brett Weinstein is CEO of 60Frames (www.60frames.com), a newly funded company which is looking to connect Hollywood with the Internet. The company just received $3.5M in venture funding from Tudor Investor Corp. and the Pilot Group last ...
posted on Monday, July 16, 2007

myShape Closes Series B From DFJ
Pasadena-based myShape, an online clothing shopping firm, announced today that it has closed a Series B round of funding led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Amount of the investment was not disclosed. myShape is developing an online, apparel sh...
posted on Monday, July 16, 2007

Arkeia Software Lands $3M In Series B
Carlsbad-based Arkeia Software announced today that it has received $3M in a Series B equity funding round, from SPEF Ventures (Banque Populaire) and Credit Agricole private equity. Arkeia Software is a provider of backup and data protectio...
posted on Monday, July 16, 2007

DynaPump Raises $12M
Northridge-based DynaPump, a manufacturer of equipment for the oil and gas industry, said today that it has raised $12M in a Series C round of equity financing. The round of convertible preferred equity financing came from DFJ Element, whic...
posted on Monday, July 16, 2007

TargeGen Raises $40M
San Diego-based TargeGen announced Thursday afternoon that it has closed $40M in a Series D round of funding. The firm, which is developing biopharmaceuticals, said that the funding came from Innovis Investments, VantagePoint Venture Partne...
posted on Friday, July 13, 2007

Agensys Rounds Up $41M
Santa Monica-based Agensys has raised $41.3M, in a Series D round, the company announced today. Agensys, which is developing therapeutic antibodies targeted at prostate and other cancers, said that the round was co-led by Duquesne Capital M...
posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007

CODA Genomics Raises $7M
Laguna Hills-based CODA Genomics, which is developing technology for protein production, said today that it has raised $7M in a Series C funding round. The funding came from OVP Venture Partners, which led the round, along with existing inv...
posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007

60Frames Raises $3.5M For Online Content
Los Angeles-based 60Frames Entertainment said today that it has raised $3.5M in funding to start a new company focused on financing, ad sales, and syndication of profesionally producted online content. Funding came from Tudor Investment Cor...
posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007

ExaDigm Gets $12M
Santa Ana-based ExaDigm, a developer of wired and wireless point-of-sale (POS) terminals, announced Monday morning that it has received $12M in a Series B round. Funding came from Dunrath Capital and Valhalla Partners, along with McDonnell ...
posted on Monday, July 9, 2007

Ripple Adds $10M
El Segundo-based Ripple Networks said Monday that it has raised an additional $10M in a Series B funding. Funding came from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, which led the round, along with Trinity Ventures. John Fisher of DFJ has joined Ripple's bo...
posted on Monday, July 9, 2007

GaimTheory Scores Investment
Los Angeles-based GaimTheory, a company developing an online gaming platform, has received an undisclosed amount of investment from Momentum Venture Management. Momentum, which provides both capital and management to early stage companies, ...
posted on Monday, July 9, 2007

SpectraSensors Raises $14M
Rancho Cucamonga-based SpectraSensors, a firm that manufactures optical gas analyzers for the natural gas and energy market, said Friday that it has raised $14M in a Series C round of funding. The funding was led by Nomura's New Energy & Cl...
posted on Monday, July 9, 2007

SAIL Ventures Funds Spark Plug Firm
Costa Mesa-based SAIL Ventures has funded Albuquerque, New Mexico-based ENERPULSE Incorporate, a firm developing a drop-in-replacement for automotive spark plugs. SAIL led a $5.5M Series B funding, alongside Altira Group. SAIL Ventures is a...
posted on Friday, July 6, 2007

Emergent Game Technologies Raises $12M
Calabasas-based Emergent Game Technologies, a developer of software used for the game development industry, said Tuesday that it has raised $12M in a Series D funding. The round came from Jerusalem Venture Partners and Worldview Technology ...
posted on Thursday, July 5, 2007

Venture-backed IPOs Gain, Acquisitions Slip In Q2
Thomson Financial and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) announced today that venture backed IPOs saw an increase in Q2, while merger and acquisitions activity declined in the quarter. THe firms released an "Exit Poll" report o...
posted on Monday, July 2, 2007

Coradiant Gets $15M
Poway-based Coradiant, a developer of monitoring software for data centers, has raised $15M. The round came from Mesirow Financial Private Equity, along with existing investors Desjardins, DCM, GrandBanks Capital and Miramar Venture Partner...
posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2007

VantageILM Raises $1.3M
Pasadena-based VantageILM, a developer of software for managing loans and leases, has scored $1.3M in a venture capital round led by Giant Step Angel Network. Other investors in the round included the Pasadena Angels, Stonnington Capital Pa...
posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2007

CircleUp Raises $3M
Los Angeles-based CircleUp, a firm that operates an online service focused on "social communications," is announcing today that it has raised $3M in a venture capital round. The funding is being led by Sid R. Bass Associates, which contribu...
posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Ortiva Wireless Raises $15M
La Jolla-based Ortiva Wireless, a developer of mobile content technology, said today that it has raised $15M in a Series B round. The round was led by Comcast Interactive Capital, and also included prior investors Artiman Ventures, Mission ...
posted on Monday, June 25, 2007

LiveOffice Gets Investment From Summit Partners
Torrance-based LiveOffice, a provider of managed email security and archiving services, said this week that it has received a minority investment from Summit Partners. Terms of the financing were not disclosed. Greg Goldfarb and Peter Chung...
posted on Friday, June 22, 2007

Shelter Capital Funds MyTime Media
Los Angeles-based Shelter Capital has quietly funded a Los Angeles-based community site, MyTime Media, socalTECH has learned. According to Shelter Capital, MyTime Media is an online community combining targeted editorial materials with soci...
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2007

Domain Adds Evoke Pharma To Portfolio
San Diego-based venture capital firm has added San Diego-based Evoke Pharma to its list of portfolio firms. No details of the funding have been released, however according to Domain's web site Evoke is focused on acquisition and development...
posted on Thursday, June 21, 2007

SupplyFrame Inks $7M From USVP
Pasadena-based SupplyFrame, a firm which operates an online vertical search engine focused on electronic components, has raised $7M in a Series B funding. SupplyFrame said Tuesday that the funding round was led by U.S. Venture Partners, and...
posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Teleflip Scores $1M In Debt
Los Angeles-based Teleflip, an operator of a service that allows cell phone customers to send and receive email with any cell phone, has raised $1M in debt financing. The funding came from Hercules Technology Growth Partners. According to T...
posted on Monday, June 18, 2007

K2 Network Raises $16M
Irvine-based K2 Network, a publisher of online games, said this morning that it has raised $16M in a Series B funding round. The investment was led by Intel Capital, and also included Greycroft Partners, Khosla Ventures, and Novel TM Ventur...
posted on Monday, June 18, 2007

Cyber-Rain Gets Investment
Los Angeles-based Cyber-Rain, a firm that develops technology that uses the Internet to wirelessly control irrigation systems, has received a round of venture capital from Momventum Venture Management. Amount of the investment was not discl...
posted on Monday, June 18, 2007

Veoh Raises $26M
San Diego-based online video sharing and distribution site Veoh has raised $26M in a Series C funding, according to a regulatory filing. According to PEHub, the site raised the new round of funding from Goldman Sachs, along with existing in...
posted on Friday, June 15, 2007

Enterprise Partners Promotes Nierenberg
San Diego-based venture capital firm Enterprise Partners said today that it has promoted Erik Nierenberg to Venture Partner. Nierenberg, who joined Enterprise Partners in 2004, will assume the board seats at portfolio firms Devicescape, Exp...
posted on Tuesday, June 12, 2007

GenVault Ups Round
Carlsbad-based GenVault, a company developing technology that allows biological samples to be stored at room temperature, announced Monday that it has added $1.5M in venture capital funding to the firm's recently announced round. The additi...
posted on Monday, June 11, 2007

FastSoft Scores $4M
Monrovia-based FastSoft, a Caltech spinoff developing Internet traffic acceleration technology, announced today that it has raised $4M in a venture capital round from Miramar Venture Partners. The firm said the Series A funding will go towa...
posted on Monday, June 11, 2007

XCOR Aerospace Gets Seed Funding
Mojave, California-based XCOR Aerospace, a firm developing suborbital vehicles, said Thursday that it has received an investment from the Boston Harbor Angels. Amount of the funding was not disclosed. XCOR said that the funds will support d...
posted on Friday, June 8, 2007

Sonos Closing $6M In Series B Funding
Santa Barbara-based Sonos, the developer of a wireless, digital music streaming system, is prepping to close a $6M Series B funding round, socalTECH has learned. The funding is coming from its existing backer, BV Capital, along with other u...
posted on Thursday, June 7, 2007

New Sun Nutrition Finds $25M
Santa Barbara-based New Sun Nutrition, a developer and distributor of health drinks and nutritional supplements, said today that it has raised $25M in a Series A round from Oak Investment Partners. The round also included investments from R...
posted on Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Motorola Invests In VOCEL
San Diego-base Vocel, a developer of mobile marketing technology, has raised a round of venture capital from Motorola, Motorola disclosed Tuesday. Motorola said that its venture capital arm, Motorola Ventures, invested in Vocel's opt-in-per...
posted on Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Verari Adds $20M
San Diego-based Verari Systems announced today that it has completed a round of funding worth over $20M, in a round led by Carlyle Venture Partners. Other investors in the round included Voyager Capital, Sierra Ventures, and an unnamed stra...
posted on Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Interneer Scores $2M
Los Angeles-based Interneer has scored $2M in a venture investment from GroundWork Equity, the firm said Tuesday morning. The firm, which develops technology that allows companies to configure web-based applications, also named Michael Edel...
posted on Tuesday, June 5, 2007

ThisNext Raises Round Of Venture Debt
Santa Monica-based ThisNext, an online shopping discovery and community web site, has raised a round of venture debt, the firm told socalTECH Friday. The firm's CEO, Gordon Gould, said that ThisNext raised a round from Western Technology In...
posted on Monday, June 4, 2007

Slacker Raises $40M
San Diego-based Slacker, the online and Wi-Fi enabled social music company, has raised $40M, according to a report published by Private Equity Week. Slacker operates an online service that allows you to create personalized Internet radio st...
posted on Friday, June 1, 2007

Advanced BioHealing Adds $4.5M To Series C
La Jolla-based Advanced Biohealing, which is developing a treatment for full-thickness diabetic foot ulcers, said Thursday that it has raised an additional $4.5M in its Series C round. The additional capital came from Safeguard Scientifics ...
posted on Friday, June 1, 2007

Interventional Spine Raises $24M
Irvine-based Interventional Spine has raised $24M in a Series C financing, the firm disclosed today. The lead investor in the funding was Ascension Health Ventures, LLC, and also included Wexford Capital LLC, HBM BioVentures, Rock Creek Par...
posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007

Mahalo Launches, Raises Capital
Santa Monica-based Mahalo, the newest startup from Weblogs founder Jason McCabe Calacanis, launched today at the Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital conference in San Diego. The startup said that it is launching an Alpha of a "human...
posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Aperio Raises $10.6M
Vista, California-based Aperio Technologies announced Wednesday that the firm has raised $10.6M in a new financing round. The round was led by Galen Partners and Advanced Technology Ventures. The company, which develops digital pathology sy...
posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Buzznet Scores $6M
Hollywood-based Buzznet, a social media site that allows users to contribute and share photos, videos, and other media focused on music, said today that it has raised $6M in venture financing from Redpoint Ventures and Anthem Venture Partne...
posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007

Prolacta Bioscience Raises $12M
Monrovia-based Prolacta Bioscience has raised $12M in a funding round, the firm said today, in a round led by Alta Partners. The round also included DFJ Frontier, Arcturus Capital, DFJ Mercury, Funk Ventures, Phillip Capital, Gideon Hixon F...
posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Qualcomm To Invest Euro 100 Million In European Ventures
QUALCOMM, the San Diego-based wireless giant, said today that it has committed to invest euro 100 million in European companies offering technologies and services in the wireless arena. The firm said that it will focus on small- to medium-s...
posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Clupedia Raises $1.3M
Santa Ana-based Clupedia has completed its angel round with the Tech Coast Angels, the firm said this week, in a Series A round that included 45 angels in the group. The firm's CEO, David Saad, said that the board now includes John Harbison...
posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2007

LARTA Launches New Venture Fund
Larta Institute said today that it has launched a new venture capital fund, T2 Venture Capital, which will invest in startups spinning out of government and academia. The new venture capital fund will be headed by Victor Hwang and Greg Horo...
posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007

ID Analytics Finds $20M
San Diego-based ID Analytics, a company developing identity fraud prevention products, said today that it has raised $20M in a Series C funding. The new round was led by Investor Growth Capital, and also included existing investors Canaan P...
posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007

babystyle Acquires Cadeau Maternity, Raises $11M
Los Angeles-based babystyle, the venture-backed retailer of maternity and baby products, announced today that it has acquired Cadeau Maternity, and raised $11M in funding from Global Retail Partners and Oak Investment Partners. Terms of the...
posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Quanlight Adds $3M In Series B Funding
San Diego-based Quanlight has added $3M in a Series B funding, the company said Monday morning. The developer of high-power, red light emitting diodes (LEDs) said that the funding was led by Blackbird ventures and (SHW)2 Enterprises, along ...
posted on Monday, May 14, 2007

Pegasus Biologics Scores $20M
Irvine-based Pegasus Biologics has raised $20M in a Series C round, the company said Thursday. The round was led by ONSET Ventures, and also included prior investors Three Arch Partners, Frazier Healthcare Ventures, and new investor Affinit...
posted on Thursday, May 10, 2007

Interview with Mark Sylvester and Kymberlee Weil, introNetworks

Santa Barbara's introNetworks (www.intronetworks.com) first debuted its social networking software application at the TED conference in 2003, but just announced its first institutional investment, from Adobe Systems last week. introNetwo...
posted on Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Intercasting Raises $12M
San Diego-based Intercasting, a firm developing mobile social networking applications, has raised $12M in a Series B funding, the company said today. The round was led by Venrock, and also included prior investors Avalon Ventures and Masthe...
posted on Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Leadpoint Adds $2.5M
Los Angeles-based Leadpoint, a firm that develops an online marketplace for buying and selling leads, has pulled in $2.5M as part of a $3.53M Series D round, according to a regulatory filing cited by publication Private Equity Week. Marc Di...
posted on Monday, May 7, 2007

Cluepedia Scores Angel Round
Santa Ana-based Cluepedia, a company that develops a web-based viral marketing services, has quietly raised $428K in an angel round, socalTECH has learned. The funding came from the Tech Coast Angels, but has not been announced. According t...
posted on Monday, May 7, 2007

Naviscan PET Systems Scores $15M
San Diego-based Naviscan PET Systems, a firm developing high resolution PET scanners used for medical imaging, has raised $15M in a Series C round, the firm said Thursday. The new round of funding was led by QuestMark Partners, and also inc...
posted on Friday, May 4, 2007

introNetworks Raises $2.7M
Santa Barbara-based introNetworks, a firm which develops online networking tools for companies, said Wednesdya that it has raised $2.7M in a Series A funding. The round came from Adobe Systems and also included other strategic investors. Th...
posted on Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Juice Wireless Scores $2.3M From Qualcomm, 21Ventures
Los Angeles-based Juice Wireless has raised $2.3M in a strategic round, the firm told socalTECH Tuesday, pulling in new investor Qualcomm along with existing investor 21 Ventures. Nick Desai, Chairman of Juice Wireless, said in an interview...
posted on Tuesday, May 1, 2007

MaMoCa Raises $750K
Irvine-based MaMoCa, a firm developing motion capture technology for the video game, TV, and movie animation industries, has quietly raised around $750K in an angel round from the Tech Coast Angels, socalTECH has learned. MaMoCa is developi...
posted on Monday, April 30, 2007

DevZuz Raises $9.25M From Mission, Redpoint
Marina Del Rey-based open source firm DevZuz has scored $9.25M in venture capital funding from Mission Ventures and Redpoint, the firm said Monday morning. The new firm was formerly Simula Labs, which was previously focused on venture fundi...
posted on Monday, April 30, 2007

Interview with Jade Van Doren and Marc Lebovitz, TechForward

Los Angeles-based TechForward (www.techforward.com) recently announced a round of venture capital funding from First Round Capital, for a service that allows consumers to lock in a trade in price for their laptop computers at the time of...
posted on Monday, April 30, 2007

ReVision Optics Sees $25M
Lake Forest-based Revision Optics has raised $25M in a new round of funding, the firm said today. The round, which was led by Domain Associates, also included Canaan Partners and InterWest Partners as investors. Brian Dovey of Domain will j...
posted on Monday, April 30, 2007

RoyaltyShare Scores $5M
San Diego-based RoyaltyShare, a provider of royalty tracking services for the online music market, said today that it has raised $5M in a Series B venture capital round. The firm said that the funding was led by Trident Capital, and that it...
posted on Monday, April 30, 2007

eForce Media Raises $7.6M
Santa Monica-based eForce Media, a firm developing lead generation software, has quietly raised $7.6M in venture capital, according to numbers disclosed in the quarterly PricewaterhouseCoopers venture capital report earlier this week. The f...
posted on Friday, April 27, 2007

CoreObjects Finds $8.5M
Los Angeles-based CoreObjects has raised $8.5M in an unannounced venture capital round. The funding was disclosed publicly in numbers released from PricewaterhouseCoopers in its quarterly venture capital report; however, the round was first...
posted on Friday, April 27, 2007

Emergent Game Technologies Raises $12M
Calabasas-based Emergent Game Technologies has raised $12M in additional funding for the firm's online video game software, according to information released in the PricewaterhouseCoopers/NVCA Moneytree report earlier this week. Emergent ha...
posted on Friday, April 27, 2007

Clone Interactive Receives $2.8M
Los Angeles-based Clone Interactive, a USC spinout developing technology around 3D avatars, has quietly raised $2.8M from Mission Ventures, Selby Ventures, and the Tech Coast Angels. The firm commercializing technology from the University o...
posted on Friday, April 27, 2007

Apacheta Finds Follow On Funding
San Diego-based Apacheta said Wednesday that it has received a follow-on investment to its Series B funding round. The additional capital came from investor Palisades Ventures, and also included other undisclosed private investors. Amount o...
posted on Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Techforward Raises Series A
Los Angeles-based TechForward, a firm which provides consumer electronic buyback services for retailers and manufacturers of consumer electronics, has raised a Series A investment from First Round Capital, the firm told socalTECH today. The...
posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Southern California Gets $1.2B In Investments, Led by Surge In Healthcare

In the latest numbers released from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association, Southern California saw a surge of venture capital investments totaling $1.2 billion dollars, led by an influx of investments in the...
posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Southern California Venture Capital Investments Hit $1.1B
Ernst & Young and Dow Jones VentureOne released their quarterly venture capital deal flow numbers this morning, reporting that Southern California saw $1.10 billion in investments in the first quarter of 2007. According to the report, this ...
posted on Monday, April 23, 2007

Emotive Communications Raises $7.7M
Encino-based Emotive Communications has raised $7.7M in a venture capital round, the firm said this week. The round came from D.E. Shaw Group, Bertelsmann Digital Investments, Warner Music Group, and angel investors. Emotive is developing a...
posted on Friday, April 20, 2007

Q1 Cleantech Venture Investments Hit $903M
North American and European investors invested a staggering $903M in clean technology investments in Q1 of 2007, according to a report released today by Cleantech Venture Network, a group that focuses on clean technology investments. Cleant...
posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007

Superprotonic Gets $16.2M
Pasadena-based Superprotonic, a developer of fuel cell technology based on technology spun out of Caltech, said Wednesday evening that it has raised $16.2M in a Series B financing round. The round was led by US Venture Partners, and also in...
posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007

Sientra Scores $85M
Santa Barbara-based Sientra, a medical device developer focused on the plastic surgery and aesthetics medicine area, announced this morning that it has raised $85M in a Series B funding. The funding came from Orbimed Advisors, and also incl...
posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007

aTyr Pharma Raises $10.5M
San Diego-based aTyr Pharma, a biopharmaceutical firm focused on protein biologics for human therapeutics, said this morning that it has raised $10.5M in a Series B funding. The round was led by Alta Partners and Polaris Venture Partners. O...
posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007

VC Fundraising Slows In Q1
New venture capital fundraising slowed down in the first quarter, according to a report released Monday by Thomson Financial and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). According to the groups, fifty six venture capital funds raise...
posted on Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Reunion.com Raises $25M
Los Angeles-based Reunion.com, an online service that connects adults with friends and family, said today that it has raised $25M in a venture capital round from Oak Investment Partners. Reunion.com said that the company is profitable and h...
posted on Monday, April 16, 2007

MESoft Finds $6M
Burbank-based MESoft announced Friday afternoon that it has raised $6M in funding, from Peninsula Equity Partners and Sid R. Bass Associates. MEsoft, which develops software for managing digital media, said that it will use the funding to b...
posted on Friday, April 13, 2007

Ascenta Therapeutics Raises $50M
San Diego-based Ascenta Therapeutics has raised $50M in a Series C financing, the firm said this morning. Ascenta said that it has received $30M in a first tranche of funding, with the remainder of the funding dependent on specific mileston...
posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007

H2O Audio Adds $5M
San Diego-based H2O Audio, a provider of waterproof housings for Apple iPod and other media players, said today that it has closed a $5M Series C funding round. The funding came from Steelpoint Capital Partners. H2O Audio's waterproof produ...
posted on Monday, April 9, 2007

Proximetry Raises $5M
San Diego-based Proximetry announced Thursday that it has raised $5M in a venture financing round. The company said that the funding was led by Munich Venture Partners and Rembrandt Venture Partners, and also included Investec and Windward ...
posted on Thursday, April 5, 2007

Sangart Scores $50M
San Diego-based Sangart, a biopharmaceutical company focused on research, development and commercialization of oxygen transport agents, said today it has raised $50M in a Series F financing. The round was led by Leucadia National Corporatio...
posted on Wednesday, April 4, 2007

GenVault Scores $18M
Carlsbad-based GenVault, a provider of room temperature biosample management, said today that it has raised an additional $18M in venture financing. The funding came from QuestMark Partners, along with Domain Associates. Benjamin S. Schapir...
posted on Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Protemix Raises $14.5M
San Diego-baed Protemix, a biopharmaceutical firm developing an oral treatment for diabetic heart failure, said today that it has closed on $14.5M in Series A financing. The funding was co-led by Novartis Venture Fund and NovaQuest, and als...
posted on Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Southern California Raises Over $1B In VC In Q1 2007

A recent analysis of the socalTECH.com venture database finds that there was over $1.15B in venture capital deals disclosed or announced in Q1 of 2007 in Southern California, up significantly from the same quarter last year, when there w...
posted on Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Interview with Mark Stevens, General Partner, Sequoia Capital

Mark Stevens is a venture capitalist at Sequoia Capital, and the person behind the newly unveiled University of Southern California's Stevens Institute for Innovation, which is focused on bringing innovation and ideas from the University...
posted on Friday, March 30, 2007

Xponent Photonics Beams In $23M
Monrovia-based Xponent Photonics, which manufactures surface mount photonic components, has raised $23M in what the firm says is a Series 3 funding. The round was led by American River Ventures, and also included existing investors Arcturus...
posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007

Investment Group Buys Pacific Title & Art
Hollywood-based Pacific Title & Art Studio, a wholly owned subsidiary of Safeguard Scientifics, has been acquired for $23M, according to Safeguard. Safeguard said today it sold the provder of film services to an investment group led by Cele...
posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007

CoreValve Scores $33M
CoreValve, an Irvine firm developing medical devices for percutaneous heart valve replacement, has raised $33M. Corevalve said today that the third round of funding was led by Maverick Capital, and also included existing investors Apax Part...
posted on Wednesday, March 28, 2007

GoTV Networks Gets Strategic Investment From Motorola
Sherman Oaks-based GoTV Networks has received a strategic investment from Motorola, Motorola said this morning. Motorola announced that Motorola Ventures, its venture capital arm, made an equity investment in GoTV Networks, which provides m...
posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Orqis Medical Raises $12M
Lake Forest-based Orqis Medical, which is developing therapies for treating congestive heart failure, said that it has raised $12M in the second close of its Series D round of financing. The funding brings the company's Series D total to $3...
posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Amira Pharmaceuticals Raises $25M
San Diego-based Amira Pharmaceuticals has raised $25M in a Series B financing, the firm said today. The investment was led by Novo A/S, and also included Avalon Ventures, Prospect Venture Partners, and Versant Ventures. The round brings the...
posted on Friday, March 23, 2007

Amp'd Mobile Raises $107M In Funding
Los Angeles-based mobile operator has reportedly raised $107M in funding, according to Private Equity Week, citing a regulatory filing. The firm, which operates a youth focused mobile phone service, reportedly received the Series E round fr...
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Numira Biosciences Gets $2.5M in Series A
vSpring Capital, the Tech Coast Angels, and the Pasadena Angels have funded Irvine-based Numira Biosciences, Numira said this morning. The Series A round was worth $2.5M. Numira develops R&D tools focused on genetics and molecular imaging. ...
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

LegalZoom.com Raises Funding From Polaris
Los Angeles-based LegalZoom.com has raised new funding, the firm said today, in a round from Polaris Venture Partners. Amount of the funding was not disclosed. LegalZoom is an online legal document preparation service that offers prepared l...
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

REAL D Raises $50M
Los Angeles-based REAL D, which developed 3-D projection technology used in the cinema industry, announced today that it has raised $50M from Shamrock Capital Growth Fund. Other terms of the deal were not disclosed. REAL D will use the fund...
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Web 2.0 Investments Double In 2006
A new study released today by Ernst & Young and Dow Jones VentureOne found that Web 2.0 investments doubled from investments in 2005, to $844.4M, with almost twice as many deals. The study, which classified Web 2.0 firms as using user-creat...
posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

HowFamous Gets Angel Funding
HowFamous.com, a Huntington Beach-based online site that operates an web-based talent contest community, said today it has closed its first angel round of funding. The funding came from a group of Orange County investors. According to HowFa...
posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Tragara Pharmaceuticals Raises $40M
San Diego-based Tragara Pharmaceuticals announced this morning that it is developing therpaties for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory disease, and has closed $40M in a Series A funding. The new company said that it formally launched ...
posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Kyriba Lands $14.4M
San Diego-based Kyriba, a developer of web-based cash and treasury management software, said this morning that it has received a $14.4M funding round. The firm said that the oversubscribed round was led by BRED Banque Populaire, and also in...
posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Earthanol Gets $7.1M
Newport Beach-based Earthanol raised $7.1M in a venture round last week, according to @Ventures, the venture capital business of CMGI. Earthanol is a developer of waste-to-ethanol production plants. The round also included Nth Power, Sail v...
posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2007

IntelliDOT Scores $10M
San Diego-based IntelliDOT, a provider of software for healthcare workflow management and patient safety management, said today that it has raised $10M in a Series D round. The funding was led by Psilos Group, and also included Menlo Ventur...
posted on Monday, March 12, 2007

ElephantDrive Gets Funding From Intel
Los Angeles-based ElephantDrive, a company that uses Amazon's S3 storage service to provide online storage and backup services, has quietly raised a round of funding from Intel. The firm targets its online storage services for photos, music...