socaltech.com TechNews - Tuesday, December 2, 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. Shimokaji IP (http://www.shimokaji.com) Bettering Life Through Creative Ideas Silicon Valley Bank (http://www.svb.com). Helping entrepreneurs succeed. PricewaterhouseCoopers (http://www.socaltech.com/pwc). Fetch Recruiting, Inc. (http://www.fetchrecruiting.com) Technical Recruiting for LA based Startups and High-Growth Companies ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --Avanir Pharmaceuticals Acquired For $3.5 Billion --SpaceX's Newest High Tech Job: Farmer? --Ingram Micro Buys Company In Turkey --Western Digital Adds Board Member --Procore Names Chief Marketing Officer --lynda.com Gets Award For Electric Vehicle Efforts --Scripted.com, Backed By LA Investors, Finds $9M More --JustEnough Wins 99 Cents Only Stores --Sony Hires Cybersecurity Firm, Gets FBI Help MARKETPLACE --Stradling --Honor the socalTECH 50 On December 10th! --UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) -- Key Information Systems Announces Key Cloud --Early Stage Commercial Insurance - Pacific Unified Insurance Agency --Binary Pulse Technology Marketing. We Create Demand. --Safire Partners Executive Search RECENT JOB POSTINGS --Head of Product (VF iQ), Venice, Vision Fleet --User Experience (UX) Design Manager - Mobile, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. --Senior Front End Engineer, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. RECENT FUNDING EVENTS ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- USC MS in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Info Session Master of Science, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Information Session @ USC Thursday, December 4, 2014 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (PST) USC, University Park campus, Los Angeles, CA http://www.marshall.usc.edu/msei?adref=SoCalTech14 Learn more about the USC Marshall MS in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MSEI) at an info session on Thursday, December 4, 6:30-7:30 pm. The MSEI prepares you for opportunities in corporate venturing, technology commercialization and more. With full- and part-time options, the program gives you the flexibility you need. Register now. More information: http://www.marshall.usc.edu/msei/information --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Avanir Pharmaceuticals Acquired For $3.5 Billion ---- Aliso Viejo-based Avanir Pharmaceuticals said today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Japanese company Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., in a deal worth approximately $3.5 billion. Avanir--which is publicly held--said that Otsuka has agreed to pay $17.00 per share in cash for the company. The deal is subject to the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. Avanir Pharmaceuticals said it was advised by Centerview Partners LLC and Latham & Watkins, LLP in the deal. SpaceX's Newest High Tech Job: Farmer? ---- In what might be the strangest position available at Elon Musk's pioneering space rocket firm, SpaceX has posted a job for a farmer on its job page--a strange mix of the high tech world of space travel and farming. According to the position, SpaceX is seeking a farmer with a minimum of 10 years of row crop farming experience in central Texas, where it currently has operations in McGregor. Agriculture.com speculates the position has to do with tax exempt status for agriculture in that state, as much as it does for space exploration. SpaceX is based in Hawthorne, California. http://www.socaltech.com/spacex_s_newest_high_tech_job_farmer_/s-0058037.html Ingram Micro Buys Company In Turkey ---- Santa Ana-based computer products distributor Ingram Micro is extending its footprint in Turkey, saying that it has acquired Armada, which it says is the largest value-add technology distributor in that country. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Ingram Micro said Armada has 2013 sales of over $280M. Ingram Micro said the buy will enhance its access and reach into Turkey's fast growing technology industry. Western Digital Adds Board Member ---- Irvine-based Western Digital Corp. (WDC) said Monday that it has named a new member to its board of directors, adding Martin Cole to the body. Cole had previously been at Accenture, where he had served for 34 years. Cole was most recently CEO of Accenture's Technology Group. He also sits on the board of Cloudera. WD said it now has nine people on its board of directors. Western Digital is a manufacturer of hard disk drives and other storage products. Procore Names Chief Marketing Officer ---- Carpinteria-based Procore Technologies, which develops cloud-based software for the construction industry, has named Matthew Reid as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Reid previously served at Impact Radius, and also served at Citrix Onlne, Gehry Technologies, Eucalyptus Systems, and Shunra Software. Procore said Reid will head up all corporate and product marketing for the company. Procore develops construction management software used to manage large construction projects. The company is venture backed by Bessemer Venture Partners. lynda.com Gets Award For Electric Vehicle Efforts ---- Carpinteria-based Lynda.com, which offers up an online learning and education site, has been awarded by the Department of Energy for its sustainability initiatives around plug in vehicles, the company said this week. lynda.com said the award comes as the number of EV drivers at the company has grown by more than 500 percent in the last two years, and was due to its installation of on-site plug-in-electric vehicle chargers at its Carpinteria headquarters, San Francisco offices, and other efforts. lynda.com is venture backed by Accel Partners, Spectrum Equity and Meritech Capital Partners. Lynda.com offers a wide range of video-based courses to help users learn about everything from application software to hardware, graphic design, business, and more. Scripted.com, Backed By LA Investors, Finds $9M More ---- Scripted.com, which is backed by a number of Los Angeles investors, has raised $9M more in funding (More...) http://y/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61133 JustEnough Wins 99 Cents Only Stores ---- Irvine-based demand management software developer JustEnough Software said Monday morning that its software has been adopted by 99 Cents Only Stores, which is using the company's software for demand forecasting, inventory planning, and replenishment of its stores. Financial impact of the win was not announced. JustEnough is led by Malcolm Buxton. Sony Hires Cybersecurity Firm, Gets FBI Help ---- Culver City-based Sony Pictures Entertainment has hired a cyber security company to help it clean up and track the massive hacking of the company's corporate network, and also has the FBI on the case, according to reports today. Reuters says that Sony is tapping FireEye's Mandiant cybersecurity unit to help in the effort, which completely shut down Sony Pictures Entertainment last week--and has so far resulted in at least five films being leaked to file sharing sites. Mandiant is the company which handled the breach over at Target last year. http://www.socaltech.com/sony_hires_cybersecurity_firm_gets_fbi_help/s-0058026.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARKETPLACE Reach 10000+ readers for 5 days for $250 Post your marketplace ad at: http://www.socaltech.com/postad.html ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Stradling Stradling, Attorneys At Law (http://www.sycr.com) ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Honor the socalTECH 50 On December 10th! Join us on December 10th to help honor this year's socalTECH 50--and also join the technology and digital industry's best holiday party of the year, the Digital Family Reunion! The SoCal tech scene continues to expand at an unprecedented rate. This year, LA-based start-ups focused on branded content, apps, and big data, and together raised more capital than any other city in the world after Silicon Valley. The demand for human capital continues to grow with more educational, job force development and industry events supporting the expansion. There’s plenty of reasons to celebrate the SoCal region. Please join us at the Skirball Cultural Center on Wednesday, December 10! Tickets are now available: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/digital-family-reunion-and-socaltech-50-tickets-13192911353 ------------------------------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------------------------------- Key Information Systems Announces Key Cloud Key Information Systems, a leading IT systems integrator and Premier IBM Business Partner based in Agoura Hills, CA, announced the availability of Key Cloud for users of cloud computing services. Key's new cloud services are offered in conjunction with colocation, managed services and Internet connectivity offerings. To learn more about the Key Cloud, visit the Key Info website or contact Pete Elliot at Key Information Systems, Inc., 30077 Agoura Court, First Floor, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, USA, email pell...@keyinfo.com or call 1.818.737.2804. http://www.keyinfo.com ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Early Stage Commercial Insurance - Pacific Unified Insurance Agency We are a commercial insurance broker working with startup and early stage technology and E-Commerce companies to implement cost effective strategies for their insurance and risk management programs. We provide guidance and strategic planning during various phases and also advise regarding employee benefit structures to assist in employee recruiting and retention. Coverage placements include D&O, Property, Liability, Workers Comp, E&O, Cyber/Network Security and Employee Benefit Programs. Contact: John Huttinger, CIC, CRM Vice President Ph#310-370-5000 Ext 3025 w Fx 310-370-5454 johnhuttin...@pacificunified.com ------------------------------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------------------------------- Safire Partners Executive Search Safire Partners has completed 500+ retained executive searches since 2006 working with emerging businesses in Southern California. Please visit our website to see an updated list of our clients and searches completed at http://www.safirepartners.com/. We are always interested in meeting new candidates and potential clients, so feel free to email our Managing Partner, Todd Gitlin at t...@safire.la. ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RECENT JOB POSTINGS More jobs at http://www.socaltech.com/Jobs Members post jobs for free Head of Product (VF iQ), Venice, Vision Fleet http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5605 User Experience (UX) Design Manager - Mobile, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5604 User Experience (UX) Design Manager - Mobile, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5603 Senior User Experience (UX) Designer, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5602 Mid + Sr. Software Engineer, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5601 Senior Front End Engineer, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. http://www.socaltech.com/showjob.php?id=5600 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RECENT FUNDING SUMMARY 11/21/14 Breezeworks $5.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61127 11/21/14 PlutoTV $13.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61126 11/20/14 FastPay $15.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61047 11/20/14 BioNano Genomics, Inc $53.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61045 11/19/14 Honk $1.8M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61038 11/19/14 Carbonics $5.5M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61037 11/18/14 Renova Therapeutics $7.5M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61033 11/17/14 Metal Networks $5.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61032 11/13/14 Scopely $35.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61027 11/10/14 DogVacay $25.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61021 11/06/14 FloQast $1.3M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61017 11/05/14 Filmtrack $10.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61015 11/05/14 Aggregage $1.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 December 2, Los Angeles -- LavaLab Demo Night. For an entire semester, our eight undergraduate startups at LavaLab, USC's product design incubator, have been building amazing products spanning from task management apps to web platforms that aggregate wearable data and now, it's time for them to show off. We've exclusively invited a curated crowd of investors, judges, industry folk, and exceptional students to attend and mingle. We hope you are able to join us in an evening of incredible demos and even more incredible peopleNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24408 December 4, San Diego -- CONNECT's Most Innovative New Product Awards. The Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards is where CONNECT continues its annual tradition in honoring San Diego’s celebrities of innovation along with groundbreaking new products launched within the last year. The MIP Awards is to San Diego’s innovation industry what the Academy Awards™ is to the movie industry. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24333 December 4, Los Angeles -- Master of Science, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Information Session. Learn more about the USC Marshall MS in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MSEI) at an info session on Thursday, December 4, 6:30-7:30 pm. The MSEI prepares you for opportunities in corporate venturing, technology commercialization and more. With full- and part-time options, the program gives you the flexibility you needNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24411 December 10, Los Angeles -- socalTECH50 and the Digital Family Reunion 2014. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24237 December 10, Santa Monica -- TECH IN MOTION DEMOS & DRINKS. LA is home to some of the most innovative companies around. From on-demand drinks, makeovers and massages to live streaming events and social gathering, we will be featuring some of LA’s most innovative companies who will be on site demoing their tech-savvy products and apps. We will have plenty of drinks and light appetizers for your enjoymentNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24409 December 11, Santa Monica -- Cross Campus and the All B-School Happy Hour. Cross Campus and the All B-School Happy Hour Group are hosting another “Toys 4 Tots, Alcohol 4 Adults” charity holiday party for Silicon Beach! The holidays are a time to celebrate with family and friends and to be merry, so the more the merrier. Bring yourself, bring a guest and don’t forget to bring a toy, and join the fun with your Cross Campus and MBA familyNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24407 December 14, Santa Monica -- Career Counseling for Designers. General Assembly. Feeling fuzzy on your career options? Need some guidance? Come to GA on Saturday to chat with top designers on how they got to where they are today. We'll have plenty of drinks and snacks to go around while representatives from the following companies/organizations will be in attendance to provide you with one on one advice on the various career paths available to designers in Los Angeles. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/23845 December 16, Irvine -- OC Tech Alliance Holiday Reception. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24389 December 18, Santa Monica -- CONVERSATION W/ KEITH FERRAZZI AND NIR EYAL. Join us for a Conversation between Keith Ferrazzi and Nir Eyal, focusing on his new book Hoooked – How to Build Habit-Forming Products. In Hooked, Nir Eyal explores why some products capture widespread attention while others flop. Based on years of research and his class at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Eyal has written the book he wished had been available to him as a startup founder—not abstract theory, but a how-to guide for building better products and technologies. Eyal’s four-step “Hook Model” details what’s required to build a habit-forming product that brings users back repeatedly, without relying on costly advertising or aggressive messaging. Hear Nir discuss and elaborate on these 4 steps live, during an in depth conversation with author and noted busines strategist Keith FerrazziNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24410 December 31, -- Heart to Heart: Building Emotional Connections with Consumers in the Automotive Industry. Wharton University. Presenters: Professor Patti Williams, John Mendel, and Vicki Poponi (WG’98). Increasingly marketers want to capture consumer hearts, build loyalty and brand love. Join us for a discussion about how emotions influence consumer decision making and specifically how Honda builds bonds with consumers. Vicki Poponi, Assistant Vice President of Product Planning, Honda, will discuss how Honda learns about consumers and strives to build emotions into the product design process. John Mendel, Executive Vice President, Honda will discuss how Honda uses marketing communications to spark consumer emotions. Wharton's Professor Patti Williams will discuss research on emotions and consumer decision making . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/23907 December 31, Santa Monica -- 409a Valuation. LA CFOs is a sponsor supported forum where CFO's of technology companies can come together to freely collaborate, learn and innovate, share expertise, ideas, and experiences in confidential, informal, non-threatening environment in order increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their role and enhance our value to our respective organizations. This month's topic is 409a Valuations, led by Eric Briggs, Silicon Valley Bank. This event is restricted to CFOs only. A confirmed reservation is required, others will not be admitted. Please contact m...@laceos.com for an invitatio. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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). SoCal-based executive search for emerging growth companies Binary Pulse Technology Marketing (http://www.binarypulse.com). We Create Demand for California's Technology Companies. 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 PricewaterhouseCoopers (http://www.socaltech.com/pwc). Shimokaji IP (http://www.shimokaji.com) Bettering Life Through Creative Ideas 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. 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