socaltech.com TechNews - Wednesday, August 27, 2014 Edited by Benjamin F. Kuo ISSN: 1524-6736 http://www.socaltech.com/News ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sponsored by:
TVC Capital LLC (www.tvccapital.com) Investments and acquisitions of growing software companies. Silicon Valley Bank (http://www.svb.com). Helping entrepreneurs succeed. Stubbs Alderton Markiles, LLP (http://www.stubbsalderton.com). Business. Technology. Law. Vision. Binary Pulse Technology Marketing (http://www.binarypulse.com). We Create Demand for California's Technology Companies. Fetch Recruiting, Inc. (http://www.fetchrecruiting.com) Technical Recruiting for LA based Startups and High-Growth Companies ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --How ConsumerTrack Has Created A Growing, Profitable--and Mostly Unknown Business --Report: Snapchat Valued At $10 Billion In New Funding --eHarmony: More than 600,000 Marriages, New Job Matching Service --Ozobot Opens Preorders For Educational Robot --Yardi Ties With The Home Depot --Vitesse Names New Board Member --Factual Extends Restaurant Data Overseas --The Honest Company Gets $70M --Western Digital Names New CFO --NSF To Create Innovation Center In LA MARKETPLACE --PortTechEXPO | Wednesday, September 17, 2014 --SAM Congratulates Beats Music and Beats Electronics --TechCXO Los Angeles - Professional Services for Technology Companies --SoCal IP Law Group LLP - Serving the IP Needs of Business --UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) RECENT JOB POSTINGS --CDN Expert Consultant, Santa Monica, RampRate --QA Automation Manager, Los Angeles, Fetch Recruiting, Inc. --VP of Business Development, Santa Monica, RampRate --Business Development Director, Los Angeles, Colony Logic RECENT FUNDING EVENTS ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Get the latest Q2 2014 PwC SoCal MoneyTree Report NEW Q2 2014 Results! Are you interested in understanding the latest trends in venture capital investments in Southern California? Want to know how the region did in terms of venture capital? PwC has just posted the results of the Q2 2014 Southern California venture deals, in its Shaking The MoneyTree presentation and update from HJ Paik, Director, Emerging Company Services Download it today for free! http://www.socaltech.com/pwc/PwC%20Shaking%20the%20MoneyTree%20Q2%202014.pdf http://www.socaltech.com/pwc --------------------------------------------------------------------------- How ConsumerTrack Has Created A Growing, Profitable--and Mostly Unknown Business ---- In the Los Angeles startup world, there are lots of high profile, buzzy companies which have lots of attention and funding--but which haven't earned a dime of revenue. However, this town is also full of very profitable, growing, and revenue generating companies-- which have for the most part been below the radar. We spoke with one of those companies-- El Segundo-based ConsumerTrack (www.consumertrack.com)--which is a $30M, bootstrapped an online marketing company which is driving millions of customers to big name, financial customers. We caught up with CEO and co-founder Brett Rossman to learn more about the company and how it's been able to grow, profitably, all without raising a dime of outside capital. What is ConsumerTrack all about? Brett Rossman: ConsumerTrack is a performance-based, online marketing company. We generate thousands of new customers everyday for clients such as Ally Bank, GE Capital, Transunion, and (More..) http://www.socaltech.com/consumertrack_growing_profitable/s-0056651.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Report: Snapchat Valued At $10 Billion In New Funding ---- Venice-based Snapchat is in the midst of raising a new round of funding, led by storied venture capital investor Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which valued the company at close to $10 billion, according to a report. Citing "people with knowledge of the matter", the WSJ said that the deal comes despite Snapchat having no revenues, but makes it among one of the most valuable startups on the market. The report also said that Snapchat has around 100 million monthly active users now using its messaging service. http://www.socaltech.com/report_snapchat_valued_at_billion/s-0056656.html eHarmony: More than 600,000 Marriages, New Job Matching Service ---- Santa Monica-based online matchmaking site eHarmony said Tuesday that it now has more than 600,000 marriages to its credit, with approximately one in seven people in America having subscribed to the service at one point or another. (More...) http://www.socaltech.com/eharmony_more_marriages/s-0056655.html Ozobot Opens Preorders For Educational Robot ---- Redondo Beach-based Ozobot, a developer of minature, educational robots, said this morning that it has begun pre-orders of its product. Ozobot is an interactive robotic device, which follows the paths of mazes, interacts with a user on paper, and connects with an Android phone. Ozobot said its robot is aimed at teaching kids about robots, and also teaches them basic and advanced programming skills, coding, robotic behavior, and deductive reasoning. The robot is priced at $39, and is expected to ship in October; the company also said it hopes to make an iOS app for the robot available soon. http://www.socaltech.com/ozobot_opens_preorders_for_educational_robot/s-0056654.html Yardi Ties With The Home Depot ---- Santa Barbara-based property management software developer Yardi said yesterday that it has linked up with The Home Depot, giving its clients access to products from the popular home improvement chain directly from its online platform. Yardi said thatclients can access those products via a button in its online procurement system in Yardi Procure to Pay, the company's procurement and invoice processing platform. Financial details of the deal were not announced. The link means that The Home Depot's purchase orders and invoices can be handled through Yardi's software. Vitesse Names New Board Member ---- Camarillo-based Vitesse Semiconductor, the developer of semiconductors for the networking market, said late Tuesday that it has added a new member to its board of directors. The company said it has appointed William C. Martin, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Raging Capital Management, to its board. Vitesse said that Raging Capital is the company's largest stockholder, owning over 21 percent of its shares. Martin has previously served on the boards of Bankrate and Salary.com. Factual Extends Restaurant Data Overseas ---- Los Angeles-based Factual, which maintains a giant data store of location data, businesses, and other information, is extending its data coverage overseas. (More...) http://www.socaltech.com/factual_extends_restaurant_data_overseas/s-0056650.html The Honest Company Gets $70M ---- Los Angeles-based The Honest Company, the online, family products retailer led by serial entrepreneur Brian Lee, and which was co-founded by Jessica Alba, has raised $70M in a funding round, according to the company Tuesday. (More...) http://www.socaltech.com/the_honest_company_gets_7_m/s-0056648.html Western Digital Names New CFO ---- Irvine-based disk drive giant Western Digital has named a new CFO, saying that its current CFO, Tim Leyden, has retired after 24 years at the company. WD said that Olivier Leonetti, who previously was VP Finance at Amgen, and also spent 14 years in finance positions at Dell, will become CFO of the company. Leyden will continue at the company through January to help in the transition. Leonetti had been Vice President, Finance at Amgen since 2011. NSF To Create Innovation Center In LA ---- The National Science Foundation is planning to create a new, innovation center in Los Angeles, in conjunction with the University of Southern California, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and the University of California Los Angeles, the NSF said Tuesday morning. (More...) http://www.socaltech.com/nsf_to_create_innovation_center_in_la/s-0056642.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARKETPLACE Reach 10000+ readers for 5 days for $250 Post your marketplace ad at: http://www.socaltech.com/postad.html ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- PortTechEXPO | Wednesday, September 17, 2014 Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles | San Pedro, CA The only maritime-oriented clean tech conference and exhibition on the West Coast! EXPLORE opportunities to bring innovative solutions to environmental challenges CONNECT with decision makers in the maritime business and public sectors DISCOVER new technologies through live demonstrations and displays UNDERSTAND the challenges of continued sustainable growth MEET the leaders who influence technology deployment Early Registration now open! 35% off if purchased by August 19. http://www.PortTechLA.org/EXPO | #PortTechEXPO ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- SAM Congratulates Beats Music and Beats Electronics Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP would like to congratulate long time client Beats Electronics and Beats Music in their acquisition by Apple, Inc. In addition to acting as Beats' counsel since its formation in 2008 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, SAM was involved in the sale to Apple. Attorneys assisting in the acquisition transaction included Scott Galer, Gaurav Krishan and Mariam Tonya Karson. For more information about our services, contact Heidi Hubbeling at hhubbel...@stubbsalderton.com or (310) 746-9803. ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- TechCXO Los Angeles - Professional Services for Technology Companies TechCXO is a professional services firm that provides experienced, C-Suite professionals to deliver strategic and functional consulting services for technology companies. We answer your critical issues around obtaining capital, increasing revenue, entering new markets and improving margins. TechCXO partners combine practical experience, comprehensive resources and best practices to deliver objective, high-value results. For TechCXO Los Angeles, please contact: Paul Meyer, Managing Partner – Finance & Operations paul.me...@techcxo.com (805) 535-5245 Daniel Nannenga, Partner, Finance – Operations and Technology daniel.nanne...@techcxo.com (424)903-6030 ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- SoCal IP Law Group LLP - Serving the IP Needs of Business IP Litigation . IP Transactions . Patent & Trademark Prosecution . IP Strategy . Westlake Village . Santa Barbara . Irvine. i...@socalip.com 805-230-1350 www.socalip.com ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Part of the UK government’s commercial arm, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) helps American companies bring their high-quality investment to the UK's dynamic economy, acknowledged as Europe's best place from which to succeed in global business. We also help UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world. We provide companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage. Our team in the United States works to promote UK-US trade and investment through our offices at the British Embassy in Washington as well as the British Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco. Learn more at: https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/uk-trade-investment-in-the-usa ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RECENT JOB POSTINGS More jobs at http://www.socaltech.com/Jobs Members post jobs for free CDN Expert Consultant, Santa Monica, RampRate http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5592 QA Automation Manager, Los Angeles, Fetch Recruiting, Inc. http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5591 VP of Business Development, Santa Monica, RampRate http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5590 Executive Assistant to the CEO, Santa Monica, RampRate http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5589 Chief of Staff & Controller, Santa Monica, RampRate http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5588 Business Development Director, Los Angeles, Colony Logic http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5587 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RECENT FUNDING SUMMARY 08/26/14 The Honest Co. $70.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59282 08/26/14 ZipRecruiter $63.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59278 08/25/14 Lastline, Inc. $10.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59277 08/22/14 Genius Biotech $0.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59270 08/21/14 Nervana Systems $3.3M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59268 08/20/14 IQMS $0.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59199 08/14/14 Geneva Healthcare $1.8M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59188 08/14/14 hovelstay.com $1.2M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59187 08/12/14 RadPad $2.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59150 08/11/14 Surf Air $73.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59146 08/11/14 Agent Ace $6.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59145 08/11/14 Viacyte $5.4M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59142 08/07/14 Retention Science $7.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59133 08/07/14 ALL DEF DIGITAL $5.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59131 08/06/14 Seed And Spark $1.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59128 08/05/14 ShipHawk $0.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59106 08/05/14 Toggle $0.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59100 08/01/14 Cold Genesys $13.6M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59031 07/31/14 Vakast $1.3M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=59030 07/30/14 Beyond Meat $0.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=58980 07/30/14 Epic Sciences $30.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=58979 07/29/14 Kixer $1.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=58952 07/29/14 Pogoseat $2.5M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=58948 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming Events This Month http://www.socaltech.com/Calendar socaltech.com Calendar of Southern California High Tech Events Submit your events at least two weeks in advance to: http://www.socaltech.com/submitevent.html August 28, Los Angeles -- Leading Innovation and Technology In Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles has an Innovation and Technology Agency. Find out what it is and what it does, how it promotes innovation and development of technology for the private and public sectors in LA, how policy is shaped to bring technology investment and jobs to our city. Join LA City Councilman Blumenfield and his team who are responsible for the citywide Wi-Fi initiative for the residents of LA. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24251 September 3, Westlake Village -- California's Auto Industry — Still Accelerating, or Headed for a Slowdown? ACG 101. Despite Toyota’s decision to move its U.S. headquarters from Southern California to Texas, automobile-related jobs and economic activity in California remains healthy. Tesla employs more than 6,000 in the state, several global car companies maintain design studios here, a network of small and large companies produce everything from high-performance engine parts to customized vehicles, and with 1,300 new-car dealerships we have more than any other state. But given the cost of doing business in California, and its reputation as less-than-business-friendly state, is the future of the auto industry here going the way of Toyota or of Tesla. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24266 September 4, Santa Monica -- Increase Revenue by Building a Championship Sales Culture. Cross Campus. You are smart and have the best technology out there, but how do you match up and surpass your competition? Join the startup and tech community to hear from Jay Tyler, CEO and Founder of Jay Tyler Consulting and Jim Blackie, VP of Sales TriNet for an interactive fireside chat on how to build a visible, predictable and repeatable sales process. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24249 September 9, Santa Monica -- This month's Startups Uncensored will be a fireside chat with TigerText CEO/Whisper Co-Founder, Brad Brooks and Whisper Co-Founder, Michael Heyward hosted by Docstoc Founder, Jason Nazar. Brad Brooks is the Co-Founder and CEO of TigerText. He is also the Co-Founder of the secret-sharing app, Whisper. Serial entrepreneur Michael Heyward co-founded Whisper with Brad Brooks in 2012 with the mission of giving people a place to freely and authentically express themselves. Whisper is one of the fastest growing mobile-social apps, generating over 3.5 billion page views per month. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24265 September 9, Thousand Oaks -- "Water Desalination - Inventing a Low Cost Technology" Clean Technology Conference. Keynote Speaker: Yoram Cohen, Ph.D. and Professor at UCLA’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science. Learn how Dr. Cohen delivered a mobile water treatment technology that cut the costs of getting the salt out of brackish groundwater and agricultural runoff. Meet sustainability CEOs, energy experts and entrepreneurs. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24267 September 14, Santa Monica -- An Afternoon with Randall Munroe. Live Talks LA. What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. From the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd, hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24235 September 16, San Pedro -- PortTech Pitch. The 5th Annual PortTechEXPO Entrepreneur Pitch Competition will feature leading cleantech start-ups and emerging growth companies from all over North America. We encourage and welcome start-up teams with clean technology based devices, products, services, systems and platforms to participate. Past competitors have brought innovative emission control technology; remediation products; oil/water separators; energy storage solutions; high efficiency engines; zero emission vehicles; wind, solar, wave energy generation; shape change materials; and alternative fuels. #PortTechPitch finalists receive admission to and exhibitor space at the PortTechEXPO (Sept 17, 2014).. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24193 September 18, Los Angeles -- Peter Coffee's Annual Forecast on Technology. AITP. The more we know about how things work, the more we are likely to look for ways to do those things better, faster, and cheaper – rather than doing something fundamentally different. When we look back from the 2020’s at this century’s early years, it is possible that we will pick some year right around…2013…as the turning point when we decided to do a number of things in an essentially different way. In this year’s edition of Peter Coffee’s annual dinner with AITP and ACM, he will be looking at a number of disciplines— computing, communications, data management, and information security among others— and illuminating the massive disruptions already taking shape around us. Please join us for both interactive pre-dinner conversation and after-dinner formal remarks. . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24268 September 24, Santa Monica -- LA Tech Mix & Mingle. Mix and mingle, join us for cocktails and nibbles on Wednesday, September 24th at the WOKCANO in Santa Monica. Eat, drink, and connect with other startups, VCs, entrepreneurs, and technology enthusiasts - check out what they’re doing now, what the future holds and how they’re setting the trends. Whether you are looking for investors, a mentor, advice or just simply connecting for opportunities - this event is for you. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/la-tech-mix-mingle-tickets-124744564. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24238 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsored by: TVC Capital LLC (www.tvccapital.com) Investments in and Acquisitions of Growing Software Companies Silicon Valley Bank (http://www.svb.com). Helping entrepreneurs succeed. Stubbs Alderton Markiles, LLP (http://www.stubbsalderton.com). Business. Technology. Law. Vision. Safire Partners (http://www.safirepartners.com). Los Angeles-based executive search for emerging growth companies Binary Pulse Technology Marketing (http://www.binarypulse.com). We Create Demand for California's Technology Companies. Deloitte LLP (http://www.deloitte.com/us/technology). Fetch Recruiting, Inc. (www.fetchrecruiting.com) Technical Recruiting for LA based Startups and High-Growth Companies Key info (http://www.keyinfo.com) infrastructure ~ connectivity ~ co-location ~ cloud Email sa...@socaltech.com for more information about sponsoring this newsletter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the socalTECH.com TechNews from our web site, or otherwise requested a subscription. If you do not want to receive this newsletter go to: http://www.socaltech.com/unsubscribe.php or email us at customerserv...@socaltech.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Legal Notices ---- While SOCALTECH LLC has used its best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein, SOCALTECH LLC does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident or other causes. All contents Copyright (c) 2014 SOCALTECH LLC. All rights reserved. socalTECH.com - Dedicated to High Tech in Southern California http://www.socaltech.com/ SOCALTECH LLC 4607 Lakeview Canyon Road, Suite 290, Westlake Village, CA 91361 _______________________________________________ Socaltech mailing list Socaltech@listserv.socaltech.com http://listserv.socaltech.com/mailman/listinfo/socaltech
