socalTECH

MARCH 27, 2019

Burbank-based Entertainment Partners , a provider of workforce management and automated production software and services for the entertainment industry, has been acquired by private equity investor TPG Capital. Financial terms of the buy were not announced. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Capital Burbank Equity 100

socalTECH

AUGUST 15, 2019

Santa Monica-based Activision Blizzard has turned to a veteran of the entertainment industry to head up its marketing efforts, saying on Thursday that it has named David Messinger, a veteran of CAA, as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). READ MORE>>.

Activision 113

Activision Entertainment Ticketmaster Santa Monica 113

socalTECH

APRIL 17, 2019

A new, Los Angeles venture capital fund, AET Fund said on Wednesday that it has raised $50M to make investments in entertainment technology, and hired someone to head up its U.S. investment efforts. AET Fund had said last year that it would be establishing its venture funding efforts in Los Angeles.

Entertainment 133

Entertainment Invest Artificial Inteligence Funding 133

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 22, 2021

Burbank-based Cast & Crew, which provides payroll software and services to the entertainment industry, said last week that it has signed a deal to acquire The Team Companies, a developer of payroll and production management services to the advertising, music and concert tours and live events industries.

Burbank 100

Burbank Company Companies Entertainment 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 7, 2019

Irvine-based Esports Entertainment announced this morning that it plans to start covering e-sports news, and offer up live and pre-recorded, streaming content for the esports industry, with a plan to open up what it calls a "Southern California Esports Broadcast Center". The company is led by chairman and CEO Mark Thimmig.

Entertainment 113

Entertainment Content Orange County Product 113

socalTECH

APRIL 15, 2021

Los Angeles-based TrillerNet, the parent company of social video app developer Triller, has acquired two companies, including a live event and pay-per-view (PPV) company, and a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) company.

Artificial Inteligence 113

Artificial Inteligence Company Companies Entertainment 113

socalTECH

JUNE 6, 2018

Three, Southern California investors--Qualcomm Ventures, Disney, and the United Talent Agency--have backed the developer of a network of "experience centers" focused on virtual reality entertainment, as part of a newly disclosed Series A Funding.

Entertainment 138

Entertainment Southern California Santa Monica Hollywood 138

socalTECH

MARCH 7, 2018

Walt Disney Studios and Accenture are in an effort to harness emerging technology in the area of entertainment, with a new effort they are calling Disney StudioLAB , the two said on Tuesday. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 133

Entertainment Artificial Inteligence Technology Incubator 133

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 7, 2019

The company is one of a growing number of startups trying to rejuvenate the music streaming market by combining it with social networking so that audiences can listen to the playlists of their favorite athletes and entertainers… and their friends. “He was jamming. Logging on is easy.

Entertainment 224

Entertainment Social Media Social Network Media 224

socalTECH

JULY 26, 2017

Los Angeles-based Global Eagle Entertainment , a developer of in-flight entertainment products and provider of broadband Internet services, has called off a $416M majority investment deal from Chinese company HNA Group , after the U.S. refused to approve the transaction. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 113

Entertainment Invest Southern California San Diego 113

socalTECH

JANUARY 27, 2020

Culver City-based Encantos , a developer of family entertainment and education titles, has raised $2M in a seed funding round, the company announced this morning. The company was founded by Steven Wolfe Pereira and Susie Jamarillo. READ MORE>>.

Education 113

Education Entertainment Culver City Services 113

socalTECH

OCTOBER 4, 2018

Mike Morhaime , the longtime CEO of Irvine's Blizzard Entertainment , has stepped down from his role, becoming an advisor to the company, Morhaime said on Wednesday. Morhaime has been at Blizzard for more than 27 years, since he joined the company in 1991, when it was known as Silicon & Synapse. The CEO role will go to J.

Entertainment 113

Entertainment Develop Development Company 113

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

Santa Monica-based Blizzard Entertainment apologized for the controversey that the company has faced, after it banned one of its competitors for expressing support for the Hong Kong protests in October. Allen Brack apologized for how the company reacted to the issue at its Hearthstone e-sports event.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Santa Monica Conference Company 100

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 23, 2016

STX Entertainment acquires virtual reality company Surreal, Google Daydream to use Hulu VR content, Disney Movies Anywhere integrates with Verizon Fios, and more.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Hulu Company Companies 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 27, 2018

Los Angeles-based First Access Entertainment , and entertainment firm which provides music recording management and publishing, film and TV development, and acting and model management, said this morning that it has launched a new investment fund, called The Fund by First Access Entertainment.

Entertainment 113

Entertainment Invest Funding Los Angeles 113

SoCal Tech Calendar

MARCH 27, 2017

Sunday, April 2, 2017 -- N3XT CON 2017 - Entertainment, Technology, Startup. Located in Southern California, N3XT CON 2017 will spotlight industries that embody the LA spirit - Entertainment, Technology, and Startups. A pitch competition will also be held. See [link] (more)

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Buzzfeed Technology Southern California 100

socalTECH

MARCH 29, 2017

Irvine-based videogame maker Blizzard Entertainment , the company behind such games as World of Warcraft and Overwatch, has expanded into the physical collectibles market, saying it will start offering up "high end" collectibles to its players. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Startup Design Marketing 100

TechCrunch LA

JUNE 17, 2020

Imagine Impact , the entertainment accelerator launched by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard to try and bring Silicon Valley-style mentorship and project development techniques to Hollywood, has inked a development deal with Netflix and is looking for submissions. The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement.

Netflix 137

Netflix Entertainment Hollywood Writing 137

socalTECH

AUGUST 14, 2015

Burbank-based Enntertainment Partners , a provider of payroll an dproduction management services for the entertainment industry, and Ease Enertainment Services , a provider of technology to the industry, said Thursday that Entertainment Partners will acquire Ease. Financial details of the buy were not disclosed. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Burbank Technology Software 100

socalTECH

AUGUST 17, 2017

According to the startup, is is developing "voice-activated entertainment experiences" and interactive audio technology, which will tape into well-known personalities across entertainment, sports, politics, music and beyond. Macadaan's last venture was a company that made leather goods for mobile phones, tablets, and other devices.

Dollar Shave Club 124

Dollar Shave Club Entertainment Activity Design 124

TechCrunch LA

JUNE 28, 2018

This week, both Microsoft and Google made moves to woo Hollywood to their cloud computing platforms in the latest act of the unfolding drama over who will win the multi-billion dollar business of the entertainment industry as it moves to the cloud. “I n media and entertainment there are lots of isolated studios around the world.

Hollywood 254

Hollywood Cloud Computing Netflix Google 254

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 1, 2016

Los Angeles-based 3BLACKDOT , which develops mobile entertainment titles, has raised a round of strategic funding from Legendary Entertainment. The company is led by Angelo Pullen. The company's founders had previously been at Machinima. Size of the funding was not announced. 3BLACKDOT is behind its own MCN, Jetpak.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Funding Mobile Los Angeles 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 22, 2017

Los Angeles-based Global Eagle Entertainment , which provides in-flight, satellite-based Internet services for airlines, has named a new CEO, after the loss of both its CEO and CFO on Monday. According to the company, its board has appointed Jeff Leddy as its new CEO and interim CFO.

Entertainment 113

Entertainment Report Los Angeles Acquisition 113

socalTECH

OCTOBER 30, 2014

Los Angeles-based Global Eagle Entertainment , the developer of in-flight wireless and entertainment systems for airlines, said today that it has linked up with satellite operator SES , to bring Ku-band satellite bandwith to the company''s systems. Financial details of the link were not announced by the companies.

Entertainment 138

Entertainment Los Angeles Networking Software 138

socalTECH

APRIL 16, 2014

Web video content provider My Damn Channel --led by Rob Barnett and Warren Chao--has relaunched the company, and changed its name to Omnivision Entertainment , the company recently announced. Barnett remains as Founder and CEO, and Chao has become President of the renamed company. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 124

Entertainment Long Beach Content Venture Capital 124

socalTECH

OCTOBER 27, 2016

Marina Del Rey-based Global Eagle Entertainment , the provider of in-flight, broadband Internet services, has signed a deal with satellite network operator Intelsat S.A. , The companies said they are in a new contract to use ten of Intelsat's satellites to provide Global Eagle with high-speed broadband connectivity. READ MORE>>.

Marina Del Rey 100

Marina Del Rey Entertainment Services Networking 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Los Angeles-based Dreamscape Immersive , a developer of immersive, virtual reality entertainment experiences, said on yesterday afternoon that it has raised a Series A financing round. Size of the funding round was not announced, however, a regulatory filing indicates around $11.36M was raised in the round. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 160

Entertainment Century City Funding Los Angeles 160

socalTECH

AUGUST 25, 2016

Santa Monica-based Twistory Entertainment Studios , which had been a mobile game development and graphic novel design company, is being sold in an asset sale, according to auction company CMA Auctions. Twistory Entertainment was founded in 2009, and had developed Ouch! Couch and other titles. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Sales Santa Monica Mobile 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 22, 2013

Looking to inspire girls to joint he video game industry, Sony Online Entertainment said today that it has begun accepting applications for its annual $10,000 scholarship which encourages women to join the video game industry. The company also will be offering up a paid internship to winners. Game Design competition.

Entertainment 221

Entertainment Competition Education Design 221

socalTECH

JUNE 17, 2016

Burbank-based Cast & Crew Entertainment Services , which provides payroll and production management services and technology to the entertainment industry, said it has acquired CAPS Payroll , a provider of payroll services for the commercial production, venues, music tours, live events, unscripted television and independent film markets.

Silver Lake 100

Silver Lake Entertainment Culver City Services 100

L.A. Business Journal

JUNE 5, 2019

The Entertainment Software Association has called its annual E3 conference, taking place this week at the Los Angeles Convention Center, “the world’s premier event for computer and video games.” But not all game companies see it that way.

Company 100

Company Companies Conference Entertainment 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2014

It might be time to get a job over at Sony Pictures Entertainment , which apparently has installed the largest, corporate deployment of charging stations in Southern California. The charging stations are spread across the studio''s lot and offices in Culver City.

Entertainment 157

Entertainment Culver City Southern California Company 157

socalTECH

MARCH 6, 2013

Irvine-based Specific Media , the online advertising firm which now owns Myspace, said late Tuesday that it has named entertainment industry executive Larry Madden as its Chief Financial Officer. Madden was most recently CFO of SFX Entertainment, as well as CFO of 19 Entertainment and XIX Entertainment. READ MORE>>.

Entertainment 164

Entertainment Media High Tech Advertising 164

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Irvine-based Blizzard Entertainment , the developer of the popular World of Warcraft, massively-multiplayer online game, said this morning that it has cut 600 jobs. The company said that the team working on World of Warcraft will not be impacted. The firm said it had to make "difficult decisions" as the industry has evolved.

Entertainment 164

Entertainment Activision Develop Development 164

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Mike Morhaime , CEO of Irvine-basd Blizzard Entertainment , called the Presidential executive order from this weekend an "incredible sharp contrast" from the company's values, in an email leaked to VentureBeat , saying that the company "strives for inclusion, embraces diversity, and treats one another with respect."

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Email Company Companies 100

SoCal Tech Calendar

MARCH 2, 2017

Wednesday, March 8, 2017 -- Future Forum – Entertainment: The Convergence of Technology and Media. The business strategy has gone to more vertical integration of companies who have cable, TV, and film arms, as well as theme parks and digital media. This new ad-spend dynamic is also impacting advertising agencies and agency models.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment Media Technology Advertising 100

socalTECH

JULY 23, 2018

Irvine-based Blizzard Entertainment and NERF Rival , owned by Hasbro , said this weekend that they are bringing one of the weapons from Blizzard's popular Overwatch video game to life. The companies said the new blaster will shoot NERF RIVAL rounds at up to 90 feet per second, and that the toy will be launched officially sometime in 2019.

Entertainment 100

Entertainment San Diego Company Companies 100