A new, Los Angeles mobile app, Giftfund , said Tuesday that it has launched a new, mobile gifting app, which can help users crowdfunding group gifts. The mobile app developer, led by Mel Basar, said its app lets users band together to contribute money toward joint gifts to others. The new mobile app was created by IT management service provider Alliant Technology Group, which says it is using its in-house talent to start developing its own mobile applications. MORE

Santa Monica-based venture capital investor Siemer Ventures is one of the backers of a new, Japanese mobile video entertainment startup, Breaker. hollywood content entertainment video mobile ventures siemer japan breaker MORE

Encino-based mPulse Mobile has raised $11M in a Series B funding, for the company's mobile engagement software. According to mPulse Mobile, the funding was led by SJF Ventures, and also included HLM Venture Partners, EchoHealth Ventures, OCA Ventures, and Bonfire Ventures. SJF Ventures' Cody Nystrom joins mPulse Mobile's board of directors with the funding. capital venture insurance lifescience medical pharmacy health software engagement healthcare mobile mpulse MORE

Los Angeles-based mobile app publishing tool developer Mobile Roadie , which powers the mobile apps for such clients as The San Diego Zoo, Taylor Swift, and the Dallas Mavericks, has been acquired by app development company Intellectsoft , the two announced Wednesday. Mobile Roadie was best known for its software tools, which allowed its clients to easily create and maintain their own mobile apps. MORE

Cheese, uWink, and a number of other companies, has set his sights on the mobile gaming business, and has launched a new mobile game company. The new company--formed in partnership with Dutch game publishing firm Spil--which launch at least three new mobile gaming titles. MORE

Los Angeles-based UNREAL Mobile , a spinout of FreedomPop, is targeting disgruntled Sprint customers who were hoping to take advantage of Sprint's now unavailable $15 per month unlimited mobile service. According to UNREAL, it will offer up unlimited mobile plans for just $10 per month, with no contract and no credit check--and also will offer up new Alcatel Android smartphone for less than $50. MORE

Ford—one of the automakers competing in China’s huge car market—is now making a bid to provide China’s leading software infrastructure hub dedicated to streamlining transportation by connecting cars and riders with mobility services. Ford’s recently acquired unit Autonomic , which co-created the automaker’s Transportation Mobility Cloud (TMC), inked a deal Tuesday to partner with Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing division of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. MORE

Los Angeles-based mobile game developer Scopely has raised a big, $55M funding round, the company said today, to help grow the company's catalog of mobile games. scopely videogame mobile games venture capital greycroft content MORE

This year, the mobility sector had its largest presence at CES yet. Here, we’ve rounded up five of the most significant mobility advances from. Boston blog main Detroit Detroit blog main National blog main National top stories Raleigh-Durham blog main San Diego blog main San Francisco blog main Seattle blog main amazon American Center for Mobility Apollo 2.0 MORE

Today, we have an opinion piece from Ed Guerrero of Silicon Valley Bank, on the mobile gaming industry. This blog post highlights a trend I'm seeing here in Los Angeles: Established mobile gaming founders are leveraging their deep mobile expertise, including performance marketing, into new non-gaming verticals. Read Ed's entire article, Mobile Gaming Founders Blazing New Trails. gaming mobile guerrero opinions insights MORE

Los Angeles-based Bridg , which develops personalized marketing software and technology, said this morning that it has acquired Relevant Mobile , a developer of mobile app, loyalty and rewards programs. Relevant Mobile's co-founders, Gerrine Pan and Dazhi Chen, will join Bridg as part of the acquisition. bridg relevant mobile marketing software technology merger acquisition MORE

Los Angeles-based mobile phone service provider FreedomPop is announcing this morning that it has launched a brand new, high end mass market wireless service, specifically aimed at Sprint and T-Mobile subscribers. According to FreedomPop, its new service, UNREAL Mobile , will provide unlimited plans starting at $15 a month, and is aimed an "ensuring continued competition" in the wireless market after the announcement of the T-Mobile and Sprint merger. MORE

La Jolla-based venture investor Avalon Ventures is the lead investor in a round for San Francisco-based Averon , a developer of mobile identity verification software. Averon says it uses mobile network signaling and hardware in smartphones for its mobile identity software. averon mobile identity software cybersecurity authentication MORE

A new, Los Angeles startup, Yacha , said this week that it has launched a new, mobile app to send multimedia messages. The company said that, unlike other mobile messaging apps, users can send any combination of photos, text, audio, drawings, or video in a single message. multimedia startup messaging mobile yacha Yacha is led by Asa De Alwis. The company''s app is currently only available on iOS, but the company says an Android version will be available soon. READ MORE>>. MORE

Los Angeles-based Wonder , a stealth mode, mobile gaming startup, said on Wednesday that it has raised a Series A funding round. robotics grishin shakira reality virtual startup games mobile wonderThe funding came from Grishin Robotics, TCL Communication Holdings Ltd., pop star Shakira, Kevin Spacey, plus 8VC and Greycroft Partners. The company says it has now raised $14M in total. Wonder's CEO is Andy Kleinman. READ MORE>>. MORE

Mobile Industrial Robots (MIR), a developer of autonomous, industrial robots used in manufacturing, hospitals, and nurseries, has opened up an office in San Diego, the second U.S. sandiego growth support sales nurseries hospitals manufacturing diego robotics robots industrial mobileoffice for the company. According to MIR, it will hire at least six new sales and technical support staff at the office, which will more than double its current number of US employees. MORE

Redlands-based geographical information systems (GIS) and mapping software developer Esri announced a new set of mobile applications Wednesday, saying it has created two applications for field data collection and monitoring. esri mobile mapping iphone android MORE

Wish you could use your mobile phone to get some savings on your grocery shopping? Milk , a new app developed by Los Angeles-based Honey , is looking to help in that quest, by helping users more easily tap into grocery coupons using their mobile phone. MORE

Playa Vista-based developer of mobile ordering point-of-sale software Appetize Technologies Inc. announced Aug. 9 it has raised more than $50 million in funding, including approximated $10 million from the National Football League MORE

Los Angeles-based Mammoth Media , a startup that says it is developing mobile-first media, has raised $13M in a Series A funding round, the company disclosed on Tuesday. scienceinc vatere benoit capital venture enteratinment mobile media mammothThe company, co-founded by CEO Benoit Vatere, and incubated at venture studio Science Inc., said the funding was led by Greylock Partners and also included Science Inc. Greylock's Josh Elman joins the company's board as part of the funding. MORE

Teradyne , the developer of automation and test equipment which has a big facility in Agoura Hills, said this week that it has acquired Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), a Danish company, for $148M, plus up to $124M in earnout. MiR develops autonomous, mobile robots that are used in industrial applications, including industrial logistics and manufacturing. teradyne mobile industrial robot robotics merger acquisition international denmark MORE

Santa Monica-based Mobile Majority , which offers up premium, mobile brand advertising, said this week that it has raised $8M in a Series B funding round. The company--which until now was known as PaeDae--said it is delivering a product which allows for universal, validated ad delivery across different ad networks, to help address fraud and viewability of their ads on mobile. Mobile Majority is led by Rob Emrich. MORE

Climbing the ranks for our Los Angeles, CA region, Mobile Therapy was one of two semifinal winners. If they come out on top, Mobile Therapy can expect prizes and support from Tech Wildcatters, 500Startups, Consumer Electronics Association, Crowdfunder, Techstars, American Airlines, and more! Jacques Habra: Mobile Therapy provides valuable information to clinicians on their clients well-being in between therapy visits. MORE

Thursday, June 14, 2012 -- LAVA Mobile: Mobile-Mobile. An overview of mobile technology, apps and business models associated with vehicles, fleets and transportation networks. See [link] (more MORE

Los Angeles-based Payvia , which is developing mobile payment technology, and Mobile-XL , which develops software for providing access to digital services to people in Africa and India, are in a partnership, the companies said this morning. According to the two companies, they are integrating Payvia''s mobile payments technology with Mobile-XL''s service, which is used to deliver news, content, games, and Internet services to emerging markets. MORE

Los Angeles-based programmatic advertising marketplace and technology provider OpenX has rolled out a new product aimed at the mobile app market, according to the company. OpenX said it has launched OpenX Bidder for Apps, an extension of its software for the desktop and mobile web, which works on mobile app inventory. openx mobile advertising programmatic MORE

Los Angeles-based private equity investor Platinum Equity says it is selling one of its portfolio companies, Verra Mobility , to The Gores Group , in a deal worth approximately $2.4 The deal values Verra Mobility at 11.0x Newly renamed Verra Mobility was most recently known as American Traffic Solutions, and is based in Mesa, Arizona. Verra Mobility develops red light camera systems, speed enforcement, railroad crossing, and other systems used for traffic management. MORE

Wednesday, April 12, 2017 -- Mobile Device Battery Breakthrough. Clean Technology Council. Leland Smith shows how his new Millibatt can power the new breed of devices and small wearables that were not feasible with existing coin-cell or thin-film batteries. His batteries provide up to times higher energy density. The impact of this technology is enormous. See [link] (more MORE

Irvine-based MFour Mobile Research , a developer of mobile survey and research software, announced today that it has raised $5M in a new funding round. MFour said it has more than 1 million people accessible via its panel, and will also use the funding to has launched new mobile ad measurement products. market panel fund ventures newroad kaynew capital venture survey research mobile mfour MORE

Glendale-baesd Mobile Styles , a new, on-demand startup focused on health and beauty, says it has launched a new mobile app and on-demand service which connects consumers with licensed stylists. According to Mobile Styles, its app allows consumers to get access to on-demand services, including hair, barber, nails, massage, tanning, as well as kids' hair and events like weddings or bachelorette parties. mobile styles health beauty hair nails appointment ondemand services MORE

Los Angeles-based EV Safe Charge has the solution for you: a new service which offers up mobile chargers for event organizers and others. According to EV Safe Charge, its new service, EV Charge Mobile, will provide portable Level 2 and DC fast EV charging systems for event organizers who need temporary EV charging on any site. evsafecharge mobile charging system charger event green cleantech clean MORE

The analysts at Morgan Stanley have produced a report that’s quite good reading on some of the major trends concerning mobile web. More than Mobile Internet I think they had trouble coming up with a name and settled for Mobile Internet even though it isn’t a great choice. MORE

Saturday, March 10, 2018 -- Mobile LAVA: Silicon Beach Ecosystem. Come learn from VCs and Angel Investors about funding for your Mobile company, moderated by Peter Cowen. Our panel will discuss what their investment appetite is for 2018, what has changed recently with criteria and pitches, where they see deals coming from, and more! See [link] (more MORE

Intel sealed its commitment to become a player in the burgeoning autonomous vehicle industry when it bought computer vision company Mobileye for more than $15 billion in 2017. MORE

El Segundo-based Mattel , and Chinese Internet technology and video game developer NetEase , said this morning that the two are in a new joint venture to public mobile games and education apps. According to the two, they will create a new mobile game publishing and development studio called Mattel163 , which will specifically bring new mobile games and education apps to market, inspired by Mattel's large collection of brands. MORE

Los Angeles-based Spreeify , the developer of display ad technology which is led by Ruben Dua, has rolled out a new product aimed at the mobile market. server advertising technology display network mobile spreeify MORE