Thursday, March 8, 2012


Uber Launches In LA
Uber, the technology-enabled, private car service which is upturning the taxi and limousine business nationwide, has set its sights on a new market: Los Angeles. Uber said Thursday that it has launched in Los Angeles, offering up its services which lets users summon a private car through their smartphone application. Uber, which is based in San Francisco, uses its smartphone application to connect riders with private sedan companies who serve those different cities. Uber's CEO, Travis Kalanick, (More info...)
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NationBuilder Raises $6.3M
Los Angeles-based NationBuilder, a startup developing an online system to help political candidates and other organizations to create web sites, organize volunteers, coordinate campaigns, and more, said Thursday that it has raised $6.3M in a funding round. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz, and also included angels Sean Parker, Dave Morin, Dustin Moscovitz, Scott Marlette, Nihal Mehta, Mike Volpi, Sam Lessin, Justin Shaffer, Pejman Nozad, Kevin Colleran, Greg Waldorf, Dan Senor, and SV An (More info...)
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Jason Nazar Launches License123
Jason Nazar, the well known organizer of the LA Startups Uncensored events, and founder of DocStoc, has a new project, License123, a new service which helps entrepreneurs and small businesses figure out what licenses and permits they need to operate legally. The new service said that it's looking to help business owners avoid fines and operate legally, saving them hours and days of research time and calls. The service said it will also allow users to download required forms, link to online appli (More info...)
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Cornerstone OnDemand Buys New Zealand Firm
Santa Monica-based Cornerstone OnDemand, the developer of human resources and talent management software-as-a-service, said today that it has agreed to acquire Auckland, New Zealand-based Sonar Limited (Sonar6). Cornerstone OnDemand said it would pay $13M in cash, and $1M in equity for Sonar6, in addition to hiring certain employees from the company. Sonar6 develops cloud-based, talent management software focused on small businesses. Cornerstone OnDemand said it is using the acquisition to enter (More info...)
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YouMail Updates Visual Voicemail App
Irvine-based YouMail, the provider of personalized voicemail services and enhanced voice services, said this morning that it has updated its Visual Voicemail Plus app for Android. The firm, which is led by Alex Quilici, said the changes include a complete new user interface, new contact management features, one-tap searches, ability to change personalized greetings, and more. In explaining the update, YouMail said its prior Android app "sort of sucked" in terms of design. YouMail's services are (More info...)
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Oblong Industries Raises Series B
Los Angeles-based Oblong Industries, the developer of gesture-based user interfaces which inspired the UI in the movie The Minority Report, has raised a Series B round of funding. Size of the round was not announced. The funding came from Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners, Eneryg Technology Vntures, and the Foundry Group. The firm said the funding will go to fuel growth at the company, including using the funds to scale product commercialization and custom solutions development. Obl (More info...)
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Tech Coast Angels Help Boost California Angel Investments
The Tech Coast Angels, the organized Southern California angel investment group, helped boost California into the top states for angel investment deals, according to a new study released today. The HALO Report, released today by Silicon Valley Bank, the Angel Resource Institute, from data by CBInsights, said that California led the nation in angel investment activity, with 29.8 percent of angel investments in the state. The report also identified the Tech Coast Angels, Band of Angels (Menlo Park (More info...)
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MomentFeed Snags Facebook Vet
Location-based analytics software firm MomentFeed, which is based in Santa Monica, has turned to a former Facebook executive for advice, the firm said today. According to the startup, it has added former Facebook sales director Rob Lissner as Special Advisor to the CEO, to help shape the firm's product and sales strategy. Lissner joined Facebook as the firm's first Los Angeles salesperson in 2006, and also previously served at Yahoo, both in the Bay Area and in Los Angeles on Yahoo's entertainme (More info...)
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Triptrotting Raises $1M
Pasadena-based Triptrotting, which operates an online service to help connect travelers with local hosts, has raised $1M in a Series A funding, the firm said this morning.The funding came from Google Ventures, Mark Suster, 500 Startups, WI Harper, Bill Gross of Idealab, Safa Raschtchy, and Eric Chen. Triptrotting's website lets users find local hosts in cities around the world, to provide travelers with local insight into locations. The company's founders are Aigerim Duiseneyeva and Shana Zheng.
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Semtech Acquires Wireless Semiconductor Maker Cycleo
Camarillo-based Semtech, the supplier of analog and mixed signal semiconductors, said late Wednesday that it has acquire French firm Cycleo SAS. Cycleo develops wireless, long-range semiconductors used for smart energy meters and for the industrial and consumer markets. Semtech said that the deal is worth $5M in cash on closing, plus up to $16M in earn out over the next four years, based on revenue and profit goals. Semtech said it will be incorporating Cycleo's technology into its future, RF pl (More info...)
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Nelson-Miller Buys Delta Technologies
Los Angeles-based Nelson-Miller, a manufacturer of membrane switches and nameplates for the electronics, industrial, and other markets, said today that it has acquired Delta Technologies, a Chicago company providing similar components for the medical, communications, consumer and industrial markets. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
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