socaltech.com TechNews - Friday, July 27, 2012 Edited by Benjamin F. Kuo ISSN: 1524-6736 http://www.socaltech.com/News ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sponsored by:
Clearstone Ventures (www.clearstone.com). Venture capital for innovators. 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 Deloitte LLP (http://www.deloitte.com/us/technology). TriNet (http://www.socaltech.com/trinet) The preferred strategic HR partner for emerging tech companies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --Interview with Jerry Jao, Retention Science --CallFire Powers Congressional Campaign --AtomicMe Connects Social Networking, Revenue Sharing --Vizio Co-Star: Going, Going, Gone! --Mobile Roadie Debuts White Label Program --Demand Media Ties Into Olympics With Content --Impinj Raises $21M, But Drops IPO Effort --Teeology.com, Brian Lee's Latest Startup, Opens Signups --JustFab Lands Huge, $76M Round For Fashion Startup --Pop-up Pantry Finds $1.7M In Funding --Findmypast.com Sets Up Shop In Venice --Factual Expands Healthcare Data To Insurance --Apptopia.com Gets Funding From Mark Cuban MARKETPLACE --Binary Pulse Technology Marketing. We Create Demand. --Fetch Recruiting, Inc. --Ventura Ventures Technology Center (V2TC) - Business Incubator --Trinet: Supporting startup growth with the new recruiting ecosystem RECENT JOB POSTINGS --JDE Business Analyst, Los Angeles, TenTek, Inc. --Project Manager, Los Angeles, TenTek, Inc. --BPC (MS) Architect, Glendale, TenTek --Failure Analysis Engineer, Chatsworth, DataDirect Networks --System Administrator, Chatsworth, DataDirect Networks RECENT FUNDING EVENTS ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- LAVA Special Event LAVA's Annual Venture Capital Panel Tuesday August 14, 2012 6:00pm - 9:30pm Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, 101 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401 Meet the top VCs who are investing in Southern California. Find out what they are looking to invest in. Find out what does it take to secure Venture Capital for your company. Learn about the hottest trends and the mistakes NOT to make. Moderator: Jon Funk, Founder, Ocean Road Partners Confirmed Panelists Jim Andelman, Managing Partner, Rincon Venture Partners David Caseras, Principal, Vicente Capital Partners See http://www.lava.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interview with Jerry Jao, Retention Science ---- How to you better convert web visitors into customers? That's exactly what Retention Science (www.retentionscience.com), the latest firm out of the MuckerLab accelerator, helps e-commerce companies do. Jerry Jao, the CEO of Retention Science, tells us how the firm is using big data to help e-commerce firms convert more customers. Retention Science is venture backed by Baroda Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures, Double M Partners, as well as a long list of local angel investors (Paige Craig, Bong Koh, Clark Landry, many others). What is Retention Science? Jerry Jao: Retention Science is a Big Data and e-commerce platform, where we help engage customers. Our (More...) http://www.socaltech.com/interview_with_jerry_jao_retention_science/s-0044091.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- CallFire Powers Congressional Campaign ---- Santa Monica-based CallFire, the Internet telephony service headed by Dinesh Ravishanker, is powering the campaign of Seattle congressional candidate Darcy Burner, the firm said Thursday. CallFire said that Burner is using the firm's cloud-based telephony platform to power voice and text messaging communications, plus connecting staff and volunteers from any PC or mobile phone instead of an expensive telephone call center. Financial details of the win were not disclosed. CallFire said its platform has been used by 1,700 local and state candidate and issue-oriented political campaigns since it was founded. AtomicMe Connects Social Networking, Revenue Sharing ---- A new, Los Angeles startup, AtomicMe, said this week that it is looking to tie together social networking activity with the interests users are passionate about--by sharing advertising revenues with those users. AtomicMe said it will pay 30% of the net advertising revenue generated through impressions on the site, for any user that can attract more than 100,000 unique visitors to a page within a month. The startup is the brainchild of Jeremy Jason. Vizio Co-Star: Going, Going, Gone! ---- Were you hoping to get your hands on one of those new VIZIO Co-Star devices--which turns any HDTV into a smart television, thanks to Google? Well, you're going to have to wait a little longer. Apparently, the company just sold out of its pre-orders of the device, in less than 12 hours, due to a huge rush on the device. VIZIO announced the device in June. The Co-Star plugs into any HDTV, and allows users to run web apps, browse the web, and stream video, using Google TV as its software. VIZIO launched pre-orders for $99.00 on its web site this morning, but now lists the item as "out of stock". Mobile Roadie Debuts White Label Program ---- Los Angeles-based Mobile Roadie, the mobile app developer which powers a number of celebrity and other mobile apps, is looking to expand the distribution of its tools, via a new white label platform. Mobile Roadie said it will let companies resell its mobile platform, something which is idea for creative and marketing agencies, which will not include any Mobile Roadie branding. The new effort recruits creative and marketing agencies -- supported with marketing collateral and training materials -- to help it distribute its software, which allows brands, celebrities, and others to create their own mobile apps without a long development cycle. Mobile Roadie's software allows customers to create their own, rich mobile apps, without requiring coding of software or an intense development cycle, and is being used by a wide range of customers, from Madonna to the San Diego Zoo. Demand Media Ties Into Olympics With Content ---- Los Angeles-based online content publisher Demand Media is getting into an Olympics mood, saying Thursday afternoon that it has launched an Olympics-related series, Taking London, a special series which will be featured on the LIVESTRONG Woman YouTube channel. Demand Media said that the feature will follow four female athletes as they pursue their dream of computing in the 2012 Olympic Summer Games. The company also said it is part of the YouTube¹s Creators Invade London Initiative, which will provide access to things going on in London during the Olympic Games. Impinj Raises $21M, But Drops IPO Effort ---- Impinj, a developer of UHF, radio frequency identification (RFID) chips which has linked to Caltech, and an office in Orange County, said today that it has raised $21M in an equity funding round, as well as dropped its plans for an IPO. (More...) http://bit.ly/OeUO7h http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/index.php?action=showdeal&id=44310 Teeology.com, Brian Lee's Latest Startup, Opens Signups ---- Los Angeles-based Teeology, the latest startup backed by tech entrepreneur Brian Lee (ShoeDazzle, LegalZoom), has started signing up users today, telling people via email and Twitter that they can now sign up for the service. The service, which combines celebrity the celebrity power of Jennifer Lopez with the startup chops of Brian Lee and MJ Eng, said it is offering up a limited-edition set of luxury, design-centric tees, selected by its members as "winning tees". Lee is well known for his success in creating legal site LegalZoom with celebrity lawyer Robert Shapiro, and fashion site ShoeDazzle with Kim Kardashian. Lee also recently has been working with Jessica Alba on eco-friendly, family products startup The Honest Company. Teeology posted on its Twitter account Thursday morning that users signing up can be one of the first to get their hands on it "super luxurious tees" by signing up on the site. JustFab Lands Huge, $76M Round For Fashion Startup ---- El Segundo-based JustFab, the fashion subscription site led by Adam Goldenberg and Don Ressler, announced Thursday morning that it has raised a gigantic, $76M in a funding round. The new funding for the site was led by Rho Ventures, and also included Matrix Partners, Technology Crossover Ventures, and Intelligent Beauty. JustFab said the funding will go towards international expansion, to move into additional fashion categories, and for future acquisitions. As part of the funding, Mark Leschly of Rho Ventures joins the company's board. JustFab operates an online, subscription service which delivers fashion products to consumers, including shoes, jewelry, handbags, denim, and other accessories. The new funding brings the company's total raised to $109M, including a round announced last September. http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44308 Pop-up Pantry Finds $1.7M In Funding ---- Los Angeles-based Pop-Up Pantry, one of the companies in the Launchpad LA accelerator, has disclosed a $1.7M seed funding round, led by GRP Partners, CrossCut Ventures, Adam Goldenberg (JustFab), and Michel Daher (of Daher Foods). The startup, founded by David Hauslaib and Tom Balamaci, operates a subscription service which ships out three-course, frozen meals to people which have been developed by top chefs. Pop-Up Pantry has been in beta since April. The firm is aiming at consumers who don't have time to cook, but would like to get restaurant quality food at home on short notice. http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/index.php?action=showdeal&id=44307 Findmypast.com Sets Up Shop In Venice ---- Findmypast.com, a British family history website, said Thursday that it has launched--and has set up a new office in Venice, California, to run its U.S. operations. Findmypast runs an online, family history and genealogy site which provides genealogical records, in particular, a rich collection of British, Irish, and Australian records dating back to 1200. The firm said its goal is to become the "go-to" site for Americans of British and Irish ancestries. Findmypast.com is entering a competitive market here in the U.S., which includes such competitors as Ancestry.com and MyHeritage.com, as well as local family tree startup Geni.com, which is in West Hollywood. Findmypast.com did not say how big of a team it will be hiring in Venice. Factual Expands Healthcare Data To Insurance ---- El Segundo-based JustFab, the fashion subscription site led by Adam Goldenberg and Don Ressler, announced Thursday morning that it has raised a gigantic, $76M in a funding round. The new funding for the site was led by Rho Ventures, and also included Matrix Partners, Technology Crossover Ventures, and Intelligent Beauty. JustFab said the funding will go towards international expansion, to move into additional fashion categories, and for future acquisitions. As part of the funding, Mark Leschly of Rho Ventures joins the company's board. JustFab operates an online, subscription service which delivers fashion products to consumers, including shoes, jewelry, handbags, denim, and other accessories. The new funding brings the company's total raised to $109M, including a round announced last September. Apptopia.com Gets Funding From Mark Cuban ---- Apptopia.com, a new startup which allows developers and others to buy and sell the ownership of mobile applications, said Thursday morning that it is getting set to close out a $1M round of funding, led by Mark Cuban. The company, which has offices in both Santa Monica and Boston, said that Cuban invested $500,000 in the company, and that it is also backed by Ryan Melohn of ExpansionVC. Apptopia.com lets developers sell the ownership to the applications they have developed to buyers, who can test out those apps, read reviews, predict the potential behind those apps, and more. The company says it launched three months ago, and is now on track to sell $100,000 in apps this month. http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/index.php?action=showdeal&id=44305 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARKETPLACE Reach 10000+ readers for 5 days for $250 Post your marketplace ad at: http://www.socaltech.com/postad.html ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Binary Pulse Technology Marketing. We Create Demand. Binary Pulse Technology Marketing We Create Demand for California's Technology Companies For more than ten years, dozens of Southern California's industry-leading tech firms have turned to Binary Pulse for their demand-generating strategies and programs. Our services include: -- Demand Generation Planning and Execution -- Channel Program Development -- Lead Capture and Management -- Web Site Development & Search Engine Marketing -- Corporate and Product Branding -- Online Integration Strategies -- Reseller Recruitment -- Multimedia Presentations -- Social Media Marketing Please visit us at http://www.binarypulse.com to learn more or give us a call at 949-336-7400. ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Fetch Recruiting, Inc. Fetch Recruiting, Inc. (http://www.fetchrecruiting.com) Technical Recruiting for LA based Startups and High-Growth Companies ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Ventura Ventures Technology Center (V2TC) - Business Incubator The Ventura Ventures Technology Center (V2TC) is a high-tech business incubator located in downtown Ventura, CA. V2TC offers a creative environment where high-tech start-ups and entrepreneurs can network, brainstorm, and grow their business. Work-spaces are affordable, flexible and scalable in order to allow companies the ability to manage their growth effectively and efficiently. Learn more at http://www.v2tc.com ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Trinet: Supporting startup growth with the new recruiting ecosystem The recruiting ecosystem is changing, led by professional social networks like LinkedIn and Viadeo and social media apps like Jobvite and BranchOut. This report examines how the new ecosystem creates a streamlined, scientific and democratic approach to the recruiting process, and in turn, changes the way startups and growing businesses find and retain their employees. Download this report to learn about success stories and recommendations on how to take full advantage of innovative technology to help your efforts to attract and retain top talent. http://www.socaltech.com/trinet/wp.php?id=10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RECENT JOB POSTINGS More jobs at http://www.socaltech.com/Jobs Members post jobs for free JDE Business Analyst, Los Angeles, TenTek, Inc. http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5390 Project Manager, Los Angeles, TenTek, Inc. http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5389 BPC (MS) Architect, Glendale, TenTek http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5388 Failure Analysis Engineer, Chatsworth, DataDirect Networks http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5387 System Administrator, Chatsworth, DataDirect Networks http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5386 SalesForce.com Administrator, Sunnyvale, DataDirect Networks http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5385 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RECENT FUNDING SUMMARY 07/26/12 Apptopia.com $1.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44305 07/26/12 Pop-up Pantry $1.7M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44307 07/26/12 Just Fabulous $76.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44308 07/25/12 CoDa Therapeutics $20.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44241 07/25/12 NantPharma $125.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44240 07/19/12 MOVIECLIPS, INC. $0.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44139 07/18/12 Retention Science $1.3M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44060 07/16/12 Tealium Inc. $10.5M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=44042 07/12/12 POPTENT INC $5.5M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43964 07/11/12 ValCare $8.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43669 07/11/12 SteelHouse $8.3M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43670 07/11/12 MiCardia $4.4M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43098 07/11/12 StackSocial $0.8M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43674 07/10/12 Zumbox $10.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43641 07/09/12 BIOSURPLUS, INC. $2.4M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43614 06/29/12 Sonendo, Inc. $9.2M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43467 06/28/12 DogVacay $0.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43459 06/28/12 Kuapay $4.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=43466 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1, Santa Monica -- Santa Monica Media Leaders Networking Event. Mingle and chat about all things tech, marketing and advertisin. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22633 August 1, San Diego -- MIT Enterprise Forum, Wine Social. The MIT Enterprise Forum San Diego signature wine social, held annually, is widely recognized as the premier networking event for San Diego's technology and biotechnology community. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22597 August 1, Santa Monica -- Next MediaLeaders Networking Event. Hey there MediaLeaders. Summer is officially here and we’re hosting a Santa Monica networking event at the Sonoma Wine Garden to celebrate this great weather. This spacious venue has tons of outdoor seating and lots of areas to mingle and chat about all things tech, marketing and advertising. If you look close…you can see the Santa Monica beach from the balcony. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22590 August 2, Santa Monica -- LA CEOs presents: Scrum for CEOs - How to Manage Teams in a 2.0 World. Does your development team need “just two more weeks” to deliver their work? Was that the same answer they gave two months ago? How does the Scrum process change team collaboration and accelerate development? Learn from one of our very own LA CEOs, Bill Sewell, about his team’s experience with Scrum, which began with training from with Master Scrum Trainer Scott Downey. This event is restricted to CEOs only of product companies with a minimum of $2million in funding or revenue.. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22631 August 2, Calabasas -- 9th Annual Summer Social for the electronics industry at the World Famous Sagebrush Cantina. This event typically draws 150+ and is always a lot of fun reuniting old friends and making new ones~! All distributors, mfrs. reps, OEM's and anyone related to the electronics industry here in So. California. Email [email protected]. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22620 August 7, Westlake Village -- Los Angeles Clean Technology Council Conference. Our keynote speaker is Tom McGrath, Founder of LABS Renewable Energy. Tom will present "A Disruptive Technology-Converting Waste Into Energy With Fuel Cells.. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22629 August 9, Santa Monica -- Startups Uncensored #29 - Eventbrite Co-Founders Kevin and Julia Hartz. Eventbrite is an online service that people everywhere use to create, share, and join any event imaginable. Eventbrite enable's event creation, promotion and ticket sales. They help people discover events that match their passions. And they let everyone share the events they're creating or joining, bringing more people together around the world. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22639 August 10, Santa Barbara -- Clean Business Investment Summit. The Clean Business Investment Summit aligns the power of capital to bring together cutting-edge entrepreneurs and investors looking for dynamic opportunities in green, sustainable business with powerful entrepreneur presentations and an outstanding lineup of speakers exploring critical facets in sustainability, business growth strategies, investment opportunities, and moreNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22640 August 14, Santa Monica -- LAVA's Annual Venture Capital Panel. Meet the top VCs who are investing in Southern California. Find out what they are looking to invest in. Find out what does it take to secure Venture Capital for your company. Learn about the hottest trends and the mistakes NOT to make. Moderator: Jon Funk, Founder, Ocean Road Partners. Confirmed Panelists: Jim Andelman, Managing Partner, Rincon Venture Partners; David Casares, Principal, Vicente Capital Partners; Dana Settle, Partner, Greycroft Partners. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22627 August 18, Los Angeles -- TECHBREW Multi-Dimensional MEGA MIXER. The TECHBREW Multi-Dimensional MEGA MIXER will include a workshop, presentations by international speakers, Lielle Arad and Alan Tratner, and a celebratory and fun mini-concert entertainment by the unique pop innovators, B4Neptune. Alan and Lielle will be speaking about responsibility in a special presentation entitled, ‘The Sustainable Planet & the Total Vantage Point’. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/22637 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsored by: Rustic Canyon Partners (www.rusticcanyon.com). Funding great entrepreneurs. Clearstone Ventures (www.clearstone.com). Venture capital for innovators. 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). Siemer & Associates (http://www.siemer.com) Global Technology Merchant Bankers. TriNet (http://www.socaltech.com/trinet) The HR outsourcing partner for emerging tech companies. Fetch Recruiting, Inc. (www.fetchrecruiting.com) Technical Recruiting for LA based Startups and High-Growth Companies Email [email protected] 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 [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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) 2012 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 [email protected] http://listserv.socaltech.com/mailman/listinfo/socaltech
