Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'I’m super proud to announce that DataSift has just completed a $42 million financing round coming at the end of a year where its revenue grew several hundred percent year-over-year. Considering our revenue is SaaS revenue this achievement is even more remarkable. The timing of the announcement of this investment couldn’t have been timed more perfectly if we tried.

Social Media 358

Social Media Yammer Invest Organization 358

socalTECH

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Los Angeles continues to be a hotbed for new, finance-related startups this morning, as Santa Monica-based CARD.com announced it has raised $3M in a Series A funding. According to CARD.com, it is offering up prepaid debit cards aimed at providing a mobile alternative to traditional banking. The Series A funding was led by QED Investors, and also included Resolute Ventures, Anthem Ventures, and angels such as Adam Press and Greg Steiner (BeachMint, eHarmony).

Anthem 256

Anthem eHarmony Santa Monica Press 256

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'The biggest error in planning may not be spreadsheet calculation error. Or cost estimation. It is most often missed assumptions about the market, the competition, the speed of adoption, or other critical metrics you’ve researched, or selected, or even just guessed at to create your plan. Where did you get the data to drive your assumptions of market size or market share?

Metrics 239

Metrics Startup Marketing Demand 239

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. How much should Founders pay themselves and their senior team? During a company''s early stages, before it has achieved profitability, the answer is, "as little as possible.". Dave Pink, in this popular video, makes it clear that money only modestly motivates knowledge workers.

Journal 231

Journal Capital Entrepreneur Marketing 231

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

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'Without DogVacay my Thanksgiving would have been ruined. That’s a fact. And I’m not an investor. I just had to tell this story. It’s a great one about entrepreneurship, friendship and the collaborative economy that is helping families in need across the world. The Background. Every year my family meets in San Diego for Thanksgiving.

Venture Capital 344

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review San Diego 344

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'Los Angeles-based hosting company DreamHost is announcing this morning that it has raised $30M in a debt financing round, from Goldman Sachs. According to the company, the funding was structured as a $25M term loan and $5M revolving line, and will go towards buying back the stake of one of the company''s founders, to pay down equipment financing, and to make cash available for growth and working capital.

Cloud Computing 250

Cloud Computing Web Acquisition Los Angeles 250

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2013

'Entrepreneurs and startups often ask if they should use social media for marketing, digital media, or traditional media. The answer is yes to all, and the challenge is how to choose how much of each, and how to integrate them for maximum impact and the least cost. None should be considered mutually exclusive to any other. The place to start today is if your company only uses traditional media for marketing, or no marketing.

Social Media 103

Social Media Media Marketing Startup 103

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'Santa Monica-based Docstoc , which is led by Jason Nazar, has been acquired by Intuit, the companies said this morning. Financial details of the buy were not announced, however, the buy apparently was worth around $50M, according to various reports and sources. Docstoc was venture backed by Rustic Canyon Partners, Crosscut Ventures, as well as local angel investors like Mike Jones, Scott Walchek, Matt Coffin (LowermyBills), Brett Brewer (Intermix/MySpace), Robin Richards (MP3.com), and others.

Rustic Canyon 239

Rustic Canyon Santa Monica Resource Acquisition 239

socalTECH

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Despite the huge surge of content specifically being developed for the web--and for sites like YouTube--making that content profitable and sustainable continues to be an issue for content creators. To try to figure out a better model to support great content, Los Angeles-based Tubestart (www.tubestart.com) recently launched a crowdfunding site, specifically aimed at digital video and YouTube creators.

Content 231

Content Platform Sites Web 231

socalTECH

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'In the world of drone aircraft and robots, right now everyone develops their own, on-board operating systems software to run those autonomous systems. However, Santa Monica-based Dreamhammer (www.dreamhammer.com) has a different vision of the world, where entire fleets of aerial drones and robotics surface vehicles can all operate off a single, interoperable operating system--much like you get multiple smartphones running on Android today, or computers on the same OS.

Startup 183

Startup Software Southern California Santa Monica 183

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'Glendale-based Ptch , a startup developing mobile applications for sharing video and photos, has been acquired by Yahoo. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Ptch had been incubated out of DreamWorks. As part of the acquisition, Ptch said it will be shutting down its services on January 2nd. The company had been spun out of DreamWorks animation almost exactly a year ago.

Yahoo 174

Yahoo Glendale Incubator Mobile 174

socalTECH

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Los Angeles-based social marketing software developer PromoJam said today that it is powering a digital, "Instagram Holiday Tree" for The Carlton Hotel in New York City, Caravan Stylist Studio, and 30 NYC fashion designers. PromoJam did not announce financial impact of the win. PromoJam said its software is being used as part of the Digital Instagram Holiday Tree , which showcases Instagram pictures taken by participating designers of their holiday ornaments--a replica of the actual ornaments b

Social Media 174

Social Media Design Software Development Los Angeles 174

socalTECH

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'Santa Barbara-based Yardi has enhanced the company''s flagship property management software, Yardi Voyager, saying it has added a new tool for asset management and inventory control. The company said it has enhanced its Yardi Advanced Maintenance Tool, to allow property managers to schedule, track, and manage preventative, routine, and emergency maintenance of property from their desktop or mobile device.

Software 168

Software Santa Barbara SaaS Mobile 168

socalTECH

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'Pasadena-based forensics and investigation software developer Guidance Software said this week that it has opened up a new facility in Florida, to provide customer training. Guidance said the new facility will provide training on its EnCase security, e-discovery and forensics products. Guidance Software said that the new center will brings it total number of training locations to five in the U.S. and one in London.

Software 168

Software Training Pasadena Software Development 168

socalTECH

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'Los Angeles-based cleantech investor Angeleno Group has put more funds towards energy storage startup Stem , as part of a Series B funding round. Stem--which is based in Millbrae, in Silicon Valley--said it closed a $15M, Series B funding round from Iberdrola (Inversiones Financieras Perseo, S.L.), GE Ventures, and Angeleno Group this morning. Stem offers up a battery based energy storage sytsem aimed at the manufacturing, retail, services, and hospitality industries, to help them tap into chea

Venture Capital 168

Venture Capital Los Angeles Funding Capital 168

socalTECH

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Los Angeles-based survey and sampling firm uSamp has launched a new, mobile survey feature, which it says does not require a mobile app and can be used to collect not only answers to questions, but photo and videos from mobile devices. According to uSamp, its support of the mobile Web lets researchers send surveys to their list of contacts, without requiring those contacts to download and install an app. uSamp said its services are being used by companies to understand what consumers are thinki

Mobile 164

Mobile Sample Research Web 164

socalTECH

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'Los Angeles-based electronics e-commerce giant NewEgg said last week that it is opening up a new, retail location, called the Neweggg Hybrid Center , which will let customers demo technology and digital lifestyle products. NewEgg--which launched the center ahead of Black Friday--said the new facility will let users pick up orders, but also browse through an "expansive showroom" of the latest tech products.

City of Industry 164

City of Industry City of Industry NewEgg Commerce 164

socalTECH

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'San Diego-based renewable energy developer EDF Renewable Energy said last week that it has acquired a 200 megawatt, wind project in Texas. EDF Renewable Energy said it acquired the 200 megawatt Hereford 1 Wind Project, which is based in Deaf Smith County. The company said the purchase brings its total wind capacity in Texas to 561 MW. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced.

San Diego 159

San Diego Acquisition Develop Development 159

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'Hawthorne-based SpaceX , the commercial rocket firm founded by tech mogul Elon Musk, said last night that it has completed its first geostationary transfer mission, delivering a satellite--the SES-8--into orbit from Cape Canaveral. Geostationary transfer orbit is the process of delivering a satellite into position so that it can position itself into geosynchronous orbit, where a satellite essentially appears to be motionless with respect to the earth.

SpaceX 157

SpaceX Hawthorne Company Companies 157

socalTECH

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Los Angeles-based Factual , which is increasingly focusing its data collection and API efforts on location data, and real-time mobile ad exchange Smaato said today that they are in a strategic partnership. The two said that Smaato will use Factual''s Geopulse Audience product to enhance mobile ad inventory in its RTB exchange. Financial details of the deal were not announced.

Advertising 157

Advertising Mobile Los Angeles Help 157

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'Irvine-based chip maker Broadcom said today that it has launched a new, Bluetooth systems-on-a-chip (SoC) specifically to enable wireless charging. According to Broadcom, its new WICED Smart Chip is targeted at wearable devices, and supports wireless charigng for devices which are too small to connect with a power cord. Broadcom said the new chip supports the new Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) standard, which is an industry standard being used for wireless charging of wearable products.

Marketing 153

Marketing Product Company Companies 153

socalTECH

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Digital Insight , the developer of online banking software which has major operations in Westlake Village, has just been sold to NCR , in the second sale of the company this year. NCR Corporation said it paid $1.65 billion for Digital Insight from Thoma Bravo, which just bought Digital Insight in July from Intuit for $1.025 billion. NCR said the buy will help it form a "complete enterprise software platform" for the banking industry.

Westlake Village 153

Westlake Village Acquisition Software Platform 153

socalTECH

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'Goleta-based medical equipment manufacturer Inogen filed for an IPO over the weekend, saying that it plans to list on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol INGN. The developer of portable oxygen concentrators -- used as an alternative to bulky, oxygen canisters for those with chronic respiratory conditions like COPD -- said it plans to raised up to $86.25M in its public debut.

Avalon 153

Avalon Acquisition Marketing Develop 153

socalTECH

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Long Beach-based Payoff.com , a startup which operates an online service that helps user pay off debt and save money via online rewards, social tools, and peer pressure, has raised $7.0M in a funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the company. The funding is part of an effort kicked off earlier this year by the company. Details and source of the funding have not yet been announced by the company, which is led by Scott Saunders.

Long Beach 150

Long Beach Venture Capital Tool Funding 150

socalTECH

DECEMBER 2, 2013

'Santa Monica-based eHarmony.com is expanding its personal matchmaking service, eH+ , the company announced Monday, after a month long beta test of a new combination of eHarmony''s online, dating service and personal advice and matchmaking services from actual matchmakers. eHarmony said it will further roll out access to the service-- first launched in November--from just a few people to "hundreds" of customers over the course of the year.

eHarmony 150

eHarmony Services Santa Monica Hollywood 150

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'San Diego-based unmanned aerial robot developer 3D Robotics has raised $6M in funding from Mayfield, as part of the company''s $30M Series B funding round, Mayfield said today. 3D Robotics--headed by former editor-in-chief of Wired magazine, Chris Anderson, and co-founded by Jordi Munoz, is developing a platform for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/drones.

San Diego 149

San Diego Platform Funding Capital 149

socalTECH

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'In honor of socalTECH''s inagural list of the top 50 up-an-comers in Southern California''s technology industry, the socalTECH 50 , we''re partnering with the Digital Family Reunion next week to recognize our list. Shira Lazar talks about the upcoming event , which is being held at the Skirball coming up on December 11, 2013. (embed below). READ MORE>>.

SoCalTech 147

SoCalTech Southern California Conference Technology 147

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'San Diego-based Imagine Communications , a venture-backed developer of video transcoding and other related, IPTV and digital video streaming hardware, has been acquired by Harris Broadcast , Harris said today. Financial terms of the acquisition were not annoucned. Imagine Communications was venture backed by Carmel Ventures, Columbia Capital, and Court Square Ventures.

San Diego 147

San Diego Acquisition Los Angeles Content 147

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2013

'Los Angeles-based private equity company Marlin Equity Partners said this morning that it has completed its acquisition of Tellabs , which provides mobile backhaul, optical networking, and other related telecommunications products. The deal was worth $891M, and had originally been announced in October. Marlin Equity said that Tellabs will continue to be headquartered in Naperville, Illinois.

Equity 147

Equity Acquisition Mobile Networking 147

socalTECH

DECEMBER 3, 2013

'Los Angeles-based Evolve Media said late Monday that it has named Mitch Rotter as Senior Vice President of Marketing. Rotter joins the company from Break Media, where he was Execuktive Vice President of Programming, in charge of Break Media''s in-house creative agency and production arm, Creative Lab. Evolve Media said that Rotter will head up its marketing efforts, plus its vertical publishing divisions CraveOnline Media and TotallyHer Media.

Media 147

Media Content Los Angeles Marketing 147

socalTECH

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'In what finally puts to bed the long saga of the fall and rebirth of Camarillo-based Vitesse , two of the company''s former officers--former CEO Louis Tomasetta and former CFO Eugene Hovanec--have received probation and fines of $30,000 each for their role in a stock options backdating scandal. The ruling, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, comes over seven years after the two were suspended from Vitesse , a lengthy investigation by the SEC , and a wholesale indus

Company 138

Company Companies 138

socalTECH

DECEMBER 6, 2013

'Santa Ana-based Iteris said this week that it has named Walter "Chuck" McBride as the company''s Chief Financial Officer. The company, which develops traffic management information systems, said that McBride joins the company from SRS Labs, where he had been CFO up until the company''s acquisition by DTS last year. McBride has also served at Capstone Turbine, First COnsulting Group, Emulex, Synthetic Genomics, and Kistler Aerospace.

Acquisition 138

Acquisition Develop Development Company 138

socalTECH

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Calabasas-based Ixia said Thursday evening that it has completed its acquisition of Net Optics , which develops application and network visibility products. Ixia had announced the acquisition back in October. The acquisition was worth $190M in cash. READ MORE>>.

.Net 138

.Net Acquisition Calabasas Networking 138

socalTECH

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Irvine-based Local.com , which operates a network of local business search sites, announced today that it has launched a new, mobile pay-per-call lead generation network. According to Local.com, its new network will connect consumers searching for local businesses and services with advertisers, via new pay-per-call ads. Local.com is initially targeting auto insurance, home security, and home service providers with the service.

Mobile 138

Mobile Advertising Patents Networking 138

socalTECH

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Irvine-based Broadcom has rolled out a new, Bluetooth software stack specifically aimed at the automotive market today, saying that its new Automotive Bluetooth software is aimed at enabling in-car connectivity with Android-powered devices. Broadcom--which is a major provider of Bluetooth chips to the Android smartphone market--said it has contributed the new code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), to help ensure better interoperability and connectivity between in-car applications and A

Software 138

Software Marketing Help 138

socalTECH

DECEMBER 5, 2013

'Huntington Beach-based olloclip , the designer of the add-on lenses for the iPhone and iPod touch, has expanded its line of products today, saying it has launched a new, clip-on macro lens product. olloclip said its new Macro 3-in-1 photo lens solution is now available both online and at Apple stores. olloclip''s lenses are a popular add-on for budding photographers, who use the lenses to enhance their iPhone and iPod touch.

Design 138

Design Product 138