Los Angeles-based Elf Labs said this morning that it has launched a new company, which is combining hundreds of trademarked, iconic fairytale characters with "AI-powered production and distribution technology". According to the company, it has acquired 400 copyrights and over 140 trademarks for "Classic and reimagined renditions of Snow White, Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Pinocchio" and more, which it acquired by buying the Junior Elf book catalog, which was originally published by Rand McNally. Elf Labs is led by CEO David Phillips.

Santa Barbara-based High Temperature Superconductors (HTS), which is developing high-temperature superconducting tape says it has received $5M from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), via the DOE's Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). According to the company, the $5M award will go towards the development of "transformational energy technology applications for fusion power reactors, power transmission cables, and electric aircraft." HTSI is led by CEO Ray Karam.

Santa Monica-based Headspace is aiming at the consumer market with a new mental health coaching service, the company said this morning. According to the company, it will start allowing U.S. consumers to access one-to-one support from a Headspace mental health coach. The company said those coaches are aimed at helping consumer "tackle a wide range of life challenges that may not require a therapist." The company said the service will cost $99.99 per month for three, 30-minute mental health coaching sessions per month.

Los Angeles-based MSBAI, which develops artificial intelligence software, said it has successfull completed an AFWERX Phase 2 SBIR contract for the US Air Force. The company said it provided an AI-driven tool, GURU, which autonomously sets up and runs high speed airplane design simulations for the Air Force. The company did not say how much that Phase 2 SBIR contract was worth. MSBAI was part of the Air Force Techstars 2020 class, according to the company.

Los Angeles-based LGBT dating app operator Grindr has been sued, alleging that the company had shared its users' HIV status with advertisers. According to a report from the BBC, the claims alleges that "covert tracking technology" was deployed and that information illegally shared with advertisers. In a statement to the BBC, the company said the claim "appears to be based on a mischaracterization of practices from more than four years ago".

San Diego-based dermatology technology developer DermTech said yesterday afternoon that it is seeking "strategic alternatives" for the company, and has hired an investment banker to advise it in its efforts. According to the company, a special committee of its board of directors has engaged investment bank TD Cowen to "conduct a process exploring strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value." The company said it is also cutting approximately 100 employees, or approximately 56 percent of its workforce, as part of a restructing plan which it says will "significantly reduce expenses" and help it preserve cash.

Los Angeles-based short form video app developer Triller--which competes against TikTok--is merging with a company called AGBA Group Holding Limited, the companies said this week. According to the two, the deal--worth $4 billion--will make AGBA 80 perecent owned by current Triller stockholders and restricted stock unit holders. The companies said that AGBA Group Holdings Limited trades on the NASDAQ as AGBA, and is a "one-stop financial supermarket based in Hong Kong offering the broadest set of financial services and healthcare products in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA)".

Los Angeles-based private equity investor Angeles Equity Partners said this week that one of its portfolio companies, Data Clean Corporation, has acquired DC Canada, Inc., a provider of decontamination services for data centers across Canada. Financial details of the buy were not announced. Angeles Equity Partners and Data Clean said the acquisition is the fourth strategic acquisition by Data Clean since its acquisition by Angeles Equity.

Los Angeles-based CommentSold announced this week that it has launched a new, AI-powered software product which automatically pulls video from livestreams, aimed at helping to provide e-commerce sales. According to the company, the new product--AI ClipHero, uses AI to "sift through livestream content, pinpointing moments that are most likely to captivate audiences." The company said the tool is specifically aimed at helping its customer create "engaging, interactive explainer videos if they are already doing live sales."

A former executive of SpaceX appears to have set up a new venture capital firm in El Segundo, according to a regulatory filing. The new venture firm is apparently named Interlagos Capital. According to reports, the new company is led by former SpaceX exec Tom Ochinero, who was most recently SpaceX's Senior Vice President of Commercial Business.

Los Angeles-based accounting and finance software developer BlackLine announced this morning that it has named Jeremy Ung as the company's Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The company said Ung was most recently CTO at Apptio, and also had served at Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and MDA.

Santa Barbara-based MixMode, which develops AI-powered cybersecurity software, says it has launched new enhancements to its platform. According to the company, the additions include AI-powered threat prioritization, which it says helps "surface the most severe and time-sensitive threats" to organizations. The company said the features are included to all of its customers as part of its latest release of its platform. MixMode is backed by PSG and Entrada Ventures.

Irvine-based Ecotrak, the developer of software used for facility management, has raised $30M in a funding round, the company said this morning. The funding was led by Respida Capital, and also included Carver Road Capital, plus Gala Capital Partners, an existing investor. The company said it will use the funding for product development and go-to-market. The company says its facility management software is being used by such customers as Inspire Brands, Flynn Group, Dutch Bros Coffee and Dave & Buster's. Matt Singer is CEO of Ecotrak.

Santa Barbara-based Yardi said this morning that it has added new support for state and local agencies who are helping to implement programs under the Inflation Reducation Act (IRA) of 2021. According to the company, its new tool--Energy Relief from Yardi--helps state agencies administering programs such as Solar for All, Home Energy Rebates and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates. The tool includes an online interface for homeowners and contractors to submit applications for assistance and make energy-efficient equipment purchases. Pricing on the new software was not announced.

Los Angeles-based accounting software developer BlackLine announced a new, AI-powered feature, joining the trend of companies adopting AI in their software. According to BlackLine, its new product, Journals Risk Analyser, uses generative AI to "provide key trends, insights, and anomaly detection associated with journal entries". The company said the feature is part of a strategy to "embed AI across its entire platform of financial close, intercompany accounting, invoice-to-cash, and consolidation solutions."

A European developer of a system for generating power from waves, Eco Wave Power Global AB, says it has signed a contract to demonstrate its wave energy systems at the Port of Los Angeles. The company said the demonstration project--run with a "major energy company"--will be its first project in the United States. The company said its efforts in LA as a result of California's Senate Bill 605, a law which directs the state's Energy Commission to study wave and tidal energy along the California coast.

Los Angeles-based finance and accounting software developer FloQast said on Wednesday that it has raised $100M in a Series E funding round, which valued the company at $1.6 billion. The funding was led by ICONIQ Growth, and also included BDT & MSD Partners, WiL (World Innovation Lab), along with Meritech Capital and Sapphire Ventures. ICONIQ Growth's Roy Luo joins the company's board of directors as part of the funding. White Whitmire is CEO and co-founder of FloQast.

Los Angeles-based FaceCake said it is rolling out a new, AI shopping product called AVA. According to the company, the new AI-powered product stands for AVA (Acquire, Validate, Adapt), and will help provide personalized shopping in augmented reality, running in Google Cloud. FaceCake is led by CEO Linda Smith. The company said that AVA is a "cutting-edge AI personal shopper and stylist".

USC Games, the game design program at the University of Southern California, is re-launching its annual showcase of student created games, the US Games Expo, according to the school. The showcase features 60 games created by students, along with a live esports tournament.

San Diego-based Platform Science says it has raised $125M in new funding in a growth capital round, for the company's fleet and transportation software. The company said the funding came from C.R. England, Cummins, Daimler Truck, PACCAR, RyderVentures, and Schneider, along with new financial advisors Activant Capital, BDT & MSD Partners, and Manhattan Venture Partners, plus existing investors 8VC, NewRoad Capital Partners, and Prologis Ventures. Platform Science's co-founder and CEO is Jack Kennedy. The company's product is used in the connected vehicle market, used for tracking shipping and logistics.

Los Angeles-based legal workflow automation software developer Gavel said today that it has launched a new PDF automation product. According to the company, the company's software allows users to answer questionnaires to automatically generate documents like court and government forms. The company says its software will automatically generate PDF document sets appropriately filled with the client information each time. Pricing on the software was not announced. Gavel is led by founder and CEO Dorna Moini.

It's not ending up as a great month for Los Angeles-based B. Riley Financial. The company--already trying to work through its link to a failed hedge fund apparently has been hit by a cyberattack within one of its companies, mobile gadget maker Targus. According to a regulatory filing from B. Riley, a "threat actor" gained access to Targus, and it has shut down much of its network to deal with the intrusion. Targus was acquired by B. Riley in 2022 for around $250M.

El Segundo-based digital marketing agency Wpromote said this week that it has named David Gensler as the company's new SVP, Head of Sales. Gensler was most recently at Basis Technologies (formerly Centro) as the SVP of Client Development, and also ran his own consultantcy, GSD Consulting, plus has served at Time Inc., Liveintent, AOL, Millennial Media, and News America Marketing.

Carlsbad-based RinseKit, a developer of a portable, pressurized shower, says it has launched a new, online map to help truckers find shower facilities at truck stops. The company says its map allows allows truck drivers to quickly locate shower facilities, marked by blue pins for availability and red pins for absence. RinseKit sells its portable shower devices to both truckers and the outdoor enthusiast market; the company's devices use batteries to heat up water and pump those to a handheld showerhead, intended for use outdoors.

San Diego-based security and compliance automation software developer Drata said this morning that it has received Amazon Web Services (SWA) Security Competency status. Drata is venture backed by ICONIQ Growth, Notable Capital, Alkeon Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Cowboy Ventures, S Ventures, Leaders Fund, Okta Ventures, SVCI, SV Angel, Intuit Ventures, and others. The company has raised a significant amount of capital -- last raising a huge, $200M round back in 2022.

Los Angeles-based Storiaverse said this morning that it has launched a new app aimed at helping writers and animators to create "immersive, animated content". According to the company its app--which runs on iOS and Android--combines animated video, audio, and text and delivers it as a story to consumers. The company's founders are David Kierzkowski (CEO) and Agnes Kozera (Chief Content Officer), who co-founded FameBit (acquired by Google in 2016), and Podcorn (acquired by Audacy). The company says it is backed by $2.5M in pre-seed funding from 500 Global.

Los Angeles-based Fisker Automotive hit another stumbling block this week, after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported it has opened up an investigation into reports that Fisker's 2023 Oceans doors have failed and will not open. According to the NHTSA, it has received 14 complaints of "intermittent failure of the latch and handle preventing the opening of the driver, front passenger and/or rear doors". The NHTSA said that those failures resulted "in the need to use another door to egress", and that the "emergency override mechanism also fails to open the door."

Carlsbad-based 3E, which provides compliance products for the chemical and workplace safety market, said early this morning that it has acquired Quick-FDS, a provider of workplace safety solutions in France. Financial details of the the deal were not announced. The company said the acquisition will further expand its presence in Europe, and the French market in particular.

San Diego- and London-based Bench Talent says it has formed out of the merger of two companies, Fulcrum, and the Future of Work consulting arm of Open Assembly. Financial details of the merger and investment were not announced. According to the newly merged company, the deal was backed by exiting investors Communitas Capital and Greatscale Ventures. Fulcrum is a "enterprise talent marketplace aggregator" and the Open Assemly division provide "freelance talent advisory". The newly merged company will be led by CEO Trevor Foster (co-founder of Fulcrum), and President Barry Mathews (CEO of Open Assembly).

Tourmo, a developer of fleet operations management software, says it has relocated its headquarters to the middle of San Diego's technology hub, along Nobel Drive. The company did not say how square feet the company is taking at the new location, or how many employees will be based there. The new locationis at 3655 Nobel Drive, Suite 660. The company cited a "thriving community of tech startups and biotech companies" in the location for its move.

Glendale-based, AI-powered healthcare data and analytics software developer Reveleer said today that it has named Alan Tan as its Chief Marketing Officer. The company said Tan was most recently Chief Marketing Officer at Actium Health, and has over 25 years of marketing experience.

In the long tradition of April Fool's fake product announcements, Los Angeles-based alcohol delivery service Saucey "launched" a "product" this morning it called "Saucey Beer Goggles", ostensibly for the Apple Vision Pro. Their "launch video" for the "product" was posted on YouTube.

Santa Barbara-based property management software provider Yardi says it has signed up a new customer, in Muscat, Oman -- a central warehousing, distribution and logistics center in the country. According to the company, the Kha, haszaen Fruit and Vegetable Central Market "Silal", has signed up as a customer of its Yardi Voyager product. Financial details of the win were not announced.

A report this morning says that struggling Los Angeles-based EV maker Fisker Automotive lost track of millions of dollars of customer payments last year, and has been tied up in an internal, auditing crisis trying to track down where those payments went. According to the report, Fisker lost track of "down payments and in some cases, the full price of the vehicles", because of "lax internal procedures" for keeping track of them. The report said the audit also involved the company's outside auditor, PwC, and that all the disarray meant the company allegedly "couldn’t accurately say how much revenue it had generated".