socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

Los Angeles-based Omaze , the startup led by Matt Pohlson and Ryan Cummins, which helps charities and causes raise funding by offering up once-in-a-lifetime auctions involving celebrities and other opportunities, hass raised $9M in a Series A funding, the company said Wednesday. The funding was led by FirstMark Capital, and also included Michael Eisner's Tornante Company, Vayner/RSE,Dave Gilboa of Warby Parker, Dave Leyrer (Boulevard Capital), CrossCut Ventures, FFVC and Adam Press.

Press 177

Press Los Angeles Capital Funding 177

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2015

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. People cite sources like this BusinessWeek story a while back “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ,” or even my own article on this subject, “ 10 Reasons Not To Write A Business Plan First.

Startup 104

Startup Writing Entrepreneur Slides 104

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

San Juan Capistrano-based Frost Data Capital , the startup incubator led by security veteran Stuart Frost, has inked a major deal with Symantec , to launch and fund security and analytics startups. According to the two, they have partnered to create and seed early-stage startups with funding, resources, and expertise, and are hoping to launch and grow up to 10 security and Internet-of-Things analytics startups per year.

Symantec 160

Symantec Capital Startup Incubator 160

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

Irvine-based Spireon , which develops GPS and vehicle telematics products, has acquired Inilex , a developer of GPS-based software sold by car dealers for asset tracking and vehicle theft recovery. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Spireon is owned by private equity investor Bertram Capital. Inilex develops Skylink, which uses Internet-connected and cellular network connected devices for vehicle tracking, and is used as an alternative to current, radio-based systems for theft tracki

Equity 154

Equity Networking Software Capital 154

Advertiser: Aggregage

Office leases are one of companies’ largest expenses, and if your whole team is working from home with no clear end in sight, you may be wondering what to do about your lease.

Company

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

A few weeks ago, Los Angeles-based enterprise expense reporting software maker Chrome River (www.chromeriver.com) took a significant venture funding round--worth $100M--to help expand the company's growth in the enterprise software market. We caught up with co-founder Dave Terry , who co-founded Chrome River with Alan Rich, to learn more about how the company has build one of the fastest growing enterprise software makers in the area, why the company raised such a big round, and why the company

Software 153

Software Report Startup IBM 153

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

Wish there was something as convenient for Uber to tote your kids to and from all their activities? Los Angeles-based HopSkipDrive has raised $3.9M in a funding round, to provide the convenience of Uber with the trust you might give your own nanny. According to HopSkipDrive, the seed funding round was led by Upfront Ventures, and also included FirstMark Capital, Maveron, BBG Ventures, and angel investors Joanne Wilson, among others.

Seed Funding 139

Seed Funding Los Angeles Activity Services 139

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

San Diego-based Transaction Wireless , the digital gift card startup backed by Mission Ventures and Okapi Ventures, has been acquired by First Data , First Data said this week. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. First Data said the buy will help it offer up a fully integrated, comprehensive physical and digital gift card program. One of the company's investors said the acquisition represented a "very nice outcome" for the founders, employees, and investors.

Mission Ventures 131

Mission Ventures San Diego Acquisition Help 131

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

San Diego-based MicroPower Technologies , which develops solar powered, wireless surveillance systems, said late Tuesday evening that it has expanded distribution of its products to Australia. The company said it has made its SOLVEIL surveillance solution available through technology and service provider Western Advance. MicroPower Technologies is one of the companies which came out of the EvoNexus business incubator.

Tech Coast Angels 131

Tech Coast Angels Product San Diego Incubator 131

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

Los Angeles-based Zest Finance , one of the area's growing number of financial technology (fintech) startups, said today that it ha launched a new product, to offer up unsecured, personal loans to middle class Americans. ZestFinance said its new product--Basix--uses its technology to better evaluate creditworthiness of borrowers, and allows consumers who otherwise wouldn't be able to tap into traditional credit systems, and who wouldn't qualify for a band loan, to gain access to credit.

Class 131

Class Los Angeles Capital Product 131

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

Santa Monica-based TrueCar has named a new Chief Human Resources Officer, in an effort to bolster recruiting at the firm. TrueCar said it has named Don Robertson as Executive Vice President, People and Chief Human Resource Officer, as part of a stepped up talent search for the company. Robertson was most recently at Hewlett Packard, where had been since 2001.

Truecar 125

Truecar Santa Monica Resource Research 125

socalTECH

JULY 15, 2015

San Diego-based Receptos > , a developer of treatments for inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis, has been acquired by Celgene , in a deal worth $7.2 billion, the two said late Tuesday. According to Celgene, it will pay $232.00 per share in cash for Receptos, to help it accelerate its growth. Celgene said that the acquisition of Receptos "significantly enhances" its Inflammation & Immunology portfolio, and also diversifies the company's revenues.

San Diego 125

San Diego Acquisition Help Develop 125