Wednesday, August 8, 2012
| The latest trend in tech: Ordering Food Online with Seamless From individual meals and late-night group orders, to catered meetings and blowout parties, Seamless is the easiest way to feed the office. We link companies and their employees to hundreds of local food options, offer fast and convenient online ordering and provide just one invoice for all food orders. Join us for lunch and learn how we can make your hungry office happy. August 14th @ 12 pm – Lucques August 15th & 12 pm – Wilshire Space is Limited - RSVP today https://seamlessoffice.wufoo.com/forms/los-angeles-lunch-learn/ |
Yahoo Extends Free Food Perk In New York: Whither SoCal?
Internet portal Yahoo is continuing its makeover back into a Silicon Valley style workplace, and apparently has extended its free food offer to employees at two of the company's New York locations, according to reports today. The move--driven by new CEO Marissa Mayer--looks to be the first part of an attempt to turn the company's morale and culture back to its original roots in the startup world, where free food is a cherished part of the tech culture. However, it looks like--so far--that revolu (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Silicon Beach: The Android App
There's been a lot of press about the name "Silicon Beach"--the name the local community has taken up to describe the high tech renaissance happening in Santa Monica and surrounding cities in Los Angeles. However, until now, there hasn't been a mobile app to go with the name. However, a stealthy, local mobile developer--better known for their Santa Monica focused local business guides--apparently has released the first app to try to provide information about the Silicon Beach startup scene, Sili (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
DocStoc Launches Expert Video
In what it calls a "video MBA", Santa Monica-based DocStoc has launched a major new feature of the site, aimed at helping small businesses and professionals learn about everything from building a brand, pitching their business plan, running an Adwords campaign, and more. The site--headed by CEO Jason Nazar--said today that it has launched a selection of expert, video courses, featuring over 100 hours of video. The company said the launch is a "major move" for the firm into paid-video courses, an (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
DecisionPoint Systems Buys Mobile Software Firm
Irvine-based DecisionPoint Systems, a provider of mobile workforce automation integration services and products, said this week that it has acquired Ilume Mobile Software, a developer of mobile applications which was a division of MacroSolve. Decisionpoint said it paid $1.0m for Illume, including $250,000 in cash and $750,000 in its common stock. The deal also includes up to $500,000 in earnout. Illume Mobile develops enterprise mobile software for both the iPhone and Android smartphones.
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Tech Crawl Redux: Silicon Beach Tour Hits Venice
What do you get when you combine beer and startups? In more proof that local techies can't get enough of hanging out with the multitude of startups cropping up on "Silicon Beach" -- mostly Santa Monica and the westside of Los Angeles -- local event organizer TechZulu said today that it is launching a second edition of its Tech Crawl event on August 30th. The group launched its inaugural event--which combines the idea of a "bar crawl" with tours of local technology startups and accelerators--in J (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Fisker Supplier A123 Systems Gets Chinese Lifeline
In what looks like some good news for Irvine-based electric auto firm Fisker Automotive, the supplier for that firm's electric batteries, A123 Systems, said today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a Chinese firm, to inject $450M into A123. A123 had been facing major, financial issues all related to the discovery of a issue with its batteries uncovered during testing of Fisker's Karma sedan earlier this year. According to A123, the investment from Wanxiang Group Corporat (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Platinum Equity Buys Clipper Windpower
Los Angeles-based private equity firm Platinum Equity has acquired wind turbine manufacturer Clipper Windpower, according to Clipper parent United Technologies Corp (UTX) Tuesday. Financial details of the deal have not been announced. United Technologies acquired Clipper for $382M in 2010; UTX recently has said that it was looking to sell Clipper due to a stall in the alternative energy business. Platinum Technology is the private equity firm founded by Tom Gores. Clipper is based in Carpinteria (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Swagbucks Tops $27M In Rewards
Who knew surfing the web could be so rewarding? Los Angeles-based Swagbucks says that so far, it has awarded $27 million worth of gift cards, physical items, and payments via PayPal to its users, just for searching the web, watching videos, doing market research surveys, and other activities. The company--headed by Scott Dudelson--runs an online rewards program, which now has more than 5.9 million registered users, according to the company. Swagbucks says that it now has more than 50 employees a (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Realtime Raises $100M, Opens Office In Santa Monica
Realtime, a startup developing technology to help power real-time web applications, said today that it has raised $100M, launched in the U.S., and opened up a new office in Santa Monica. The firm, which was previously known as Internet Business Technologies, said that it has developed a language, xRTML, that helps convert existing, static HTML into real-time, live web applications. The new funding came from BRTech Holding, a Sao Paulo-based technology investment firm. Realtime also opened up a N (More info...)
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Boingo Acquires Ad Firm Cloud Nine Media
Boingo Wireless, the Wi-Fi access point and network operator, is expanding out its services today, saying it has acquired Cloud Nine Media, a provider of Wi-Fi sponsorship and location-based advertising. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. Boingo said that Cloud Nine provides its advertising services at more than 6,000 airports, hotels, bars, restaurants, and recreational areas across the U.S. and Canada. Cloud Nine was based in San Francisco. Boingo said that Cloud Nine's tec (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Gene Dolgoff's 3D Vision: Using Crowdfunding To Turn the World 3D
Santa Monica-based Fundable (www.fundable.com) is a newly launched, crowdfunding site which is headed by local entrepreneur Wil Shroter. Recently, an interesting project popped up on the site--a a 2D to 3D conversion project, from the inventor of the original, LCD projector, Gene Dolgoff. Dolgoff has a fascinating background--he invented the first LCD projector, he helped inspire Star Trek's Holodeck, and he also is a serial entrepreneur who took his company public on the NASDAQ in the 90's. Sin (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Sony Online Entertainment Applies Facial Analysis To Game
San Diego-based Sony Online Entertainment has rolled out a new technology for its popular EverQuest II online game, which allows users to control their avatars' faces and change their voices, as part of a deal with Santa Monica-based Image Metrics. Sony said its new SOEmote technology, available to all of its EverQuest II players, uses standard web cameras to analyze expressions on a player and transfer that data to their characters' faces. The two said they are tapping technology developed by I (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Pivotshare Raises $1M For Content Monetization
Irvine-based Pivotshare, a new startup offering up a service to help content creators publish and monetize their video or audio via subscription or pay-per-view, said today that it has raised $1M in a Series A funding. The funding came from Townsgate Media, which the company said is an investment fund focused on early stage technology and media in Orange County and Los Angeles. Pivotshare offers up a turn-key service which allows users to create video and audio, and offer those videos and audio (More info...)
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ecoATM Expands Recycling Kiosk Network
San Diego-based ecoATM, the startup which develops interactive kiosks which buy back used mobile phones and other electronics, said today that it has expanded its network of kiosks into Texas. EcoATM said it has installed 28 kiosks in malls throughout that state, the first part of an expansion it is planning into the Southeast, East Coast, and Midwest later this year. EcoATM's kiosks allow people to trade in their unwanted electronics for cash or in-store credit. EcoATM is led by Tom Tullie, and (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Demand Media Names Blend As President, COO
Santa Monica-based Demand Media said yesterday that it has promoted Michael Blend to President and COO of the firm. Blend had most recently been leading Demand's content and media services. Demand Media said that Blend will continue to report to Richard Rosenblatt. Blend had previously led Demand Media's eNom domain registration group, and had previously served as founder and CEO of Hotkey, which had been acquired by Demand Media, in addition to serving at WeddingChannel.com and Darwin Keyboards (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
Peregrine Semiconductor Prices IPO, Starts Trading Today
San Diego-based Peregrine Semiconductor priced its IPO last night, saying that it will offer up 5,500,000 shares of its common stock at $14.00 per share. The firm will start trading today on the NASDAQ Global Market as PSMI. Peregrine priced at the low end of its initial estimated pricing range, which was $14.00 to $16.00 per share. Peregrine is venture backed by Morgenthaler Partners, Advanced Equities, Palisades Ventures, and others. The firm's IPO was underwritten by Deutsche Bank Securities (More info...)
posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2012(Full story)
| The latest trend in tech: Ordering Food Online with Seamless From individual meals and late-night group orders, to catered meetings and blowout parties, Seamless is the easiest way to feed the office. We link companies and their employees to hundreds of local food options, offer fast and convenient online ordering and provide just one invoice for all food orders. Join us for lunch and learn how we can make your hungry office happy. August 14th @ 12 pm – Lucques August 15th & 12 pm – Wilshire Space is Limited - RSVP today https://seamlessoffice.wufoo.com/forms/los-angeles-lunch-learn/ |
| LAVA's Annual Venture Capital Panel - August 14th, Santa Monica LAVA Special Event LAVA's Annual Venture Capital Panel Tuesday August 14, 2012 6:00pm - 9:30pm Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, 101 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Meet the top VCs who are investing in Southern California. Find out what they are looking to invest in. Find out what does it take to secure Venture Capital for your company. Learn about the hottest trends and the mistakes NOT to make. Moderator: Jon Funk, Founder, Ocean Road Partners Confirmed Panelists Jim Andelman, Managing Partner, Rincon Venture Partners David Caseras, Principal, Vicente Capital Partners See http://www.lava.org |
| Trinet White Paper: Options for handling your HR functions HR is a necessity when you have employees. And what could be better than taking a set of duties – which although a necessity, are not a core competence – off your plate? According to a Small Business Association study, the average small business owner spends 25%+ of the time handling employee-related paperwork. This average increases to a staggering 35-45% if the tasks include recruitment, hiring, and training of new employees. After all, you have no interest in processing payroll twice a month, negotiating benefits with insurance carriers, or worrying about how to comply with a litany of government regulations. You entered into business to build a lasting legacy, deliver great products or services, and generate revenue doing what you do best. So why NOT outsource HR? Read this paper to learn more. Read more at: http://www.socaltech.com/trinet/wp.php?id=7 |
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