If you are a millenial entering the workforce, what would you be most comfortable with -- a tool designed to work and look like a social network, or a tool built around an old fashioned corporate enterprise software UI? PromoJam debuted its brand new, self-service version of its social promotions tool today, PromoJam 2.0, The new tools is available for a monthly subscription for companies. MORE

Cybersecurity company Proofpoint, which helped slow the sweeping global ransomware attack WannaCry after it emerged Friday, has now discovered a much more insidious, profitable, and potentially widespread cyberattack called Adylkuzz. Adylkuzz doesn’t demand, as WannaCry does, that victims pay a ransom to retrieve their data. Adylkuzz makes no announcement when it quietly invades target computers. MORE

Rubicon Project tests tool to block, snooze, or like ads, Snapchat gives celebrities no special treatment, and Elon Musk proposes a tunneling company MORE

Los Angeles-based Velocify , the developer of leads management and sales software, has rolled out a new tool call SalesCaddy. According to Velocify, the new tool uses social and professional networks to help its users discover and convert potential buyers. Velocify said the tool includes two features--implemented as browser plugins--SocialCaddy and MailCaddy. Pricing on the new tools was not announced. software management leads tool prospecting sales velocify MORE

Fatigue from relentless targeted online advertising has spurred a growing share of internet users to download ad blockers – browser extensions that remove digital ads from websites. In fact, more than one in four U.S. internet users removed digital ads from Web pages with an ad blocker this year, according to a report by eMarketer MORE

Carlsbad-based Zoovy , the e-commerce software firm run by Brian Horakh, said this week that it has launched a new Amazon Repricing Engine, a software tool which helps e-commerce retailers automatically raise or lower their product pricing on Amazon.com, based on their competitor's prices. Zoovy said the tool automatically monitors SKUs from competitors, and handles adjusting prices for online businesses on Amazon's third party marketplace. MORE

Los Angeles-based Factual said Wednesday that it has rolled out two new tools, one aimed at geofencing of data, and another for audience targeting. factual geofencing targeting marketing advertising tools The company said its Geopulse Proximity Designer and Geopulse Audience Builder are specifically aimed at marketers, and use its Global Places data to help target ad campaigns. MORE

Los Angeles-based Namesake , the real time discussion and conversations web site created by serial entrepreneurs Brian Norgard and Dan Gould, has just swizzled its conversation discovery tools on the site. MORE

Luckily, there’s an abundance of lead generation tools that busy professionals can use to start building a subscriber base without investing too much time. This tool significantly cut the time it takes to implement the layout I want to use on a landing page. MORE

Los Angeles-based SBIR Source , which maintains an online database of grant opportunities from the Federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, said this morning that it has launched a new product, GrantIQ. The company said it has an "extensive database" of SBIR awards and participants, which can be used to find background information on grant applicants. MORE

Venice, California-based PromoJam , the social marketing startup headed by Matt and Amanda MacNaughton, said this week that it has launched a new tool for launching social, direct, and mobile marketing campaigns. tool software marketing social promojam The startup said its new Be Social platform allows marketers to create branded campaigns and promotions, providing ability to create and design campaigns without having to engage a graphics designer. MORE

Among the new features of the social promotion tool released by Los Angeles-based PromoJam earlier this week: a new link to demographic data from Esri in it analytics. MORE

Hootsuite acquires Snapchat analytics tool from Naritiv, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies begins construction on pod, and FilmOn loses cable broadcasting appeal MORE

Action Method: (Todo List): Simple tool that organizes todo lists. Sanebox (Email Organization) : Service that uses algorithms to organize your email into what’s important and what’s not. I was skeptical and had a lot of issues with giving up control of my inbox, but I’m hooked now. MORE

Santa Monica-based Engrade , a developer of online classroom management tools, said today that it has raised $3M in a funding round. Engrade, which is headed by CEO Zach Posner, said the funding will go to expand its academic and outreach team, plus go towards its tools. engrade venture capital classroom educational management software toolsThe round was led by Rethink Education, and also included NewSchools Venture Fund, Greg Gunn, Zac Zeitlin, and Richard Chino. MORE

Software AG, a German software giant with 4,300 employees, has acquired San Diego-based Zementis, a specialist in machine learning and data science. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, according to a statement Friday, after the acquisition closed last week. Zementis CEO Michael Zeller co-founded the company in 2004 to help customers glean new insights from big data by using predictive analytics. “We’ve MORE

Santa Ana-based RealPractice , the developer of technology and marketing services for law firms that is headed by Carey Ransom, said this week that it has launched new website building and lead management tools for its customers. The firm said the new features allow solo and small law firms to build professional websites, track client leads, and track online and offline marketing campaigns. RealPractice's new version was launched in beta in November. MORE

It is not that there is a lack of lead generation tools, particularly for business-to-business (B2B) firms. You need to find lead gen tools that will convert leads, fill your sales funnel, and increase your revenue effectively. Lead Capture Tool – Leadformly. MORE

San Diego-based AttackIQ, a cybersecurity startup providing a Web-based platform for assessing network defenses, has finally closed its Series A round of founding, after raising a total of $8.8 million over the past three years, according to co-founder and CEO Stephan Chenette. Institutional investors included San Francisco-based Index Ventures , Qualcomm Ventures , and Telstra Ventures. MORE

Los Angeles-based and Austin-based GameSalad , which develops software to easily create iPhone and other iOS platform games, announced earlier this week that it has improved its overall communications and support tools for its users. gamesalad videogame video game development tools support iphone ipad html5 MORE

According to the company, led by longtime CRM veteran Jon Ferrara, the updated software includes such new features as embedding within Office 365 and Google Apps; synchronizes contacts, emails, and calendars; new automatic market segmentation tools; personalized outreach emails; new templates for Gmail; and much more. nimble customer relationship management tool software platform MORE

Thus, Katz has successful conversions and gains a robust network of insanely strong marketing tools. I can honestly that, without a doubt, my favorite technologies are ones that get people up, out, and interacting with the real world. MORE

Los Angeles-based CapLinked , which offers up a deal management software platform for managing business transactions, has released a new tool to handle digital rights management and security. CapLinked said its new tool does not require the use of plugins or software, and works with both Microsoft Office and Adobe PDF files. MORE

Manhattan Beach-based CapLinked said this morning that it has enhanced its online service for helping startups to manage their fundraising efforts, with a new tool to help find people. The firm said the new tool is aimed at helping users find investors, broker-dealers, or companies. The new tool allows users to better filter results by investors seeking investments or companies looking to raise capital. MORE

Los Angeles-based 3D special effects studio and virtual reality content developer Legend VR --which is part of Legend3D--and content distribution provider Littlestar are in a deal to work together on building production and post-production tools for VR. The two said they will combine Legend's 3D pipeline for content and Littlestar's VR network technology, to build tools aimed at helping studios, brands, and social stars get into virtual reality. MORE

Tubular Labs , which develops online video marketing tools for AwesomenessTV, Maker Studios, and other local MCNs, said today that it has raised $11M in a Series B funding round. Tubular Labs develops video analytics and marketing tools, and also has raised prior funding from Machinima co-founder Allen DeBevoise. MORE

mavenlink project management tools venture capital software corporate business Irvine-based Mavenlink , the developer of business and project management software led by Ray Grainger, said Tuesday that it has raised $19M in a round of funding. The funding was split between $15M in equity, plus $4M in a credit facility. The equity investment was led by Carrick Capital Partners, and the credit facility came from Silicon Valley Bank. MORE

The company said its tools are being used such companies as Aflac, Rhino Linings, VCA Animal Hospitals and Sit n' Sleep to manage social marketing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. San Diego-based SOCi , a developer of social media management and marketing software, has raised $2.25M in funding, the company said Wednesday. MORE

Los Angeles-based Fliptu , the developer of social aggregation tools for music and entertainment brands, has raised $1.2M tool aggregation social gocke jeremy startup funding seed capital venture fliptu in a seed funding round, the company said Friday. The startup--led by Jeremy Gocke--said the funding came from Scout Ventures, Rick Dalzell (former Amazon CIO), Rich Heise (early Groupon investor), Hivers & Strivers, Kelly Perdew, and other angels. MORE

The new startup grew out of Stannard's recognition that desktop developers porting iOS and Android apps to Windows 8 could not find anyone providing any kind of analytic tool. markedup windows8 windows tools application developer softwareMarkedUp , the latest startup out of Santa Monica-based MuckerLab , said this morning that it has begun offering up analytics for developers of both desktop and mobile applications for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. MORE

You can watch the 11-minute excerpt from Seth’s talk below, in which expounds upon the Seven Tools Of Awesomeness. Seth’s seventh tool of awesomeness is the most straightforward – just start. "I MORE

Irvine-based Cloudvirga , a developer of automated mortgage lending software, announced this morning that it has raised $15M more in a Series B funding. The funding was led by Incenter, a Blackstone Group portfolio company. The company said the funding goes to scale its technology and product offerings. The company has now raised $22.5M in total. Cloudvirga was founded by Bill Dallas, Kyle Kamrooz and Mark Attaway. MORE

Aliso Viejo-based Corent , which develops software tools to more easily port traditional software to the software-as-a-service model, has raised $3.2M MORE

Shopatron said the new tool is aimed at replacing "dealer locators", which simply direct customers to local dealers, which the company says is a disappointing experience for consumers. The company says its new tool instead directly points consumers at available inventory of product. shopatron product locator tool software search brand ecommerce MORE

findthecompany findthebest online business research tool doubleclick kevin oconnor FindTheCompany , a new business research site started by DoubleClick co-founder Kevin O''Connor, launched out of beta today, saying that it has created an online resource to let users check on the reputation of a business before buying products and services, and to learn more about companies such as balance sheets, income statements, and more. MORE

PublishThis , the Los Angeles startup headed by Matt Kumin, has enhanced the firm's online, content marketing and curation management tool. The firm said the latest version of its platform is aimed at brands, retailers, media companies, and trade associations, to help them scale their content efforts across digital channels. The software helps those companies publish their own data on their websites, by surfacing fresh content to help engage consumers. MORE