Tuesday, May 19, 2015


Tape Takes On Social Videos
Los Angeles-based Tape, a new startup focused on social video, launched Tuesday, saying that it has released a new social video app for iOS. The free app let users combine and edit clips which they can share with other users, adding such things as special effects and music. Tape was founded by CEO Garret Alan Jiroux.
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ACI Media Group Makes Investment In MyDistrict.net
Los Angeles-based print and newspaper distribution provider ACI Media Group said Tuesday afternoon that it has made an investment in software company MyDistrict.net. MyDistrict.net develops software used to manage the distribution of newspapers. Financial terms of the minority stake acquisition were not announced by the companies. MyDistrict.net is based in Dallas, Texas.
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AppFolio Files For IPO
Goleta-based AppFolio has filed for an IPO, saying in a filing that it is hoping to raise up to $100M on the NASDAQ Global Market as APPF. The IPO is being underwritten by Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Pacific Crest Securities, and William Blair. Appfolio--which is led by Brian Donahoo--is venture backed by Investment Group of Santa Barbara and BV Capital, along with such local angels as Andreas von Blottnitz and Klaus Schauser. AppFolio is at least the second Central Coast company to file for (More info...)
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Karma Creates New Trust Score For Peer Marketplaces, Backed By $800K
A new, Los Angeles-based startup, Karma, said today that it has launched out of private beta, to help create a global "Karma Score" to rank a user's trust and reliability in peer-to-peer marketplaces. The startup, led by Zach Schiff-Abram, says it is looking to fill in holes in the area of online interactions, and says it already works with Airbnb, DogVacay, eBay, Etsy, RelayRides and Vayable. The company says it uses social verification through such services as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and (More info...)
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Schlep & Fetch: Delivering Anything and Everything, On Demand
Need something--anything--delivered in Los Angeles? On-demand, delivery startup Schlep and Fetch (www.schlepandfetch.com) wants to be the place you contact first to get practically anything delivered for you, whether that's a food order or something you forgot to pick up from home. We spoke with co-founder Bryson Strauss about the startup. Fetch and Schlep just raised a round of funding from the Pasadena Angels and the Tech Coast Angels. How does Schlep and Fetch work? Bryson Strauss: We a (More info...)
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Mobcrush Gets $4.9M For Live Mobile Game Streaming
Santa Monica-based Mobcrush, a new startup which wants to allow mobile users to broadcast, watch, and chat about video games as they are playing them, has raised $4.9M in a seed funding round. The company said the funding came from Raine Ventures, First Round Capital, Lowercase Capital, CrunchFund, Rincon Venture Partners, Crosscut Ventures, Lionsgate, Advancit Capital, Kevin Chou (Kabam CEO), Chris Carvalho (former Kabam COO), Jari Ovaskainen (Supercell early investor ), Richard Wolpert (Accel, (More info...)
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Clutter Finds $2M For On Demand Storage
Los Angeles-based Clutter, which provides on-demand, self storage to users in Los Angeles, has raised $2M in a funding round, the company disclosed Monday. The funding came from Resolute Ventures, AmplifyLA, plus angels such as Matt Coffin, David Sacks, and Joanne Wilson. The startup helps users pack up their stuff, and picks up and stores, and returns those items on demand. The startup is led by Brian Thomas.
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Illumina Sues Ariosa Diagnostics, Roche Molecular Systems Over Patent
San Diego-based lifesciences equipment maker Illumina said Monday that it has filed a new patent infringement suit, against Ariosa Diagnostics and parent company Roche Molecular Systems. The new lawsuit alleges infringement of U.S. Patent 7,955,794, which Illumina says Ariosa is infringing upon in one of its products. The new lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Illumina said the lawsuits are on top of an existing lawsuit that had been filed by it (More info...)
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UberMedia Ties With Real Estate Data Provider
Pasadena-based mobile application and advertising company
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Amgen Names New General Counsel
Thousand Oaks-based Amgen said today that it has named Jonathan P. Graham as the company's new Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary. Graham replaces David J. Scott, who the company said is retiring in August. Graham was most recently at Danaher Corporation, where he also served as SVP and General Counsel, and also had served at General Electric Company, Williams & Connolly LLP, and was a law clerk to the Honorable Joseph T. Sneed, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
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