socaltech.com TechNews - Friday, December 5, 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. 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --How Blossom Wants To Save Water, Money Using The Cloud --Qualcomm Invests $7M In Qterics --Aerovironment Ups Contract Win By $38.3M --Arrowhead Research Names General Counsel --Uber Takes Lead In Ridesharing Fundraising With $1.2 Billion Round --CallFire Acquires FireText --Vantage Media Sells Unit To Campus Explorer --RealD Cuts Staff, Downsizes Facilities --Digital Family Reunion 2014: Less Than A Week To This Year's Biggest Party! MARKETPLACE --Deloitte --La Visual - A Branding, Product Strategy & Rapid Prototyping Accelerator --UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) -- Key Information Systems Announces Key Cloud --Early Stage Commercial Insurance - Pacific Unified Insurance Agency --Fetch Recruiting, Inc. RECENT JOB POSTINGS --Head of Product (VF iQ), Venice, Vision Fleet --Senior User Experience (UX) Designer, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. --Mid + Sr. Software Engineer, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. --Senior Front End Engineer, San Luis Obispo,, MINDBODY Inc. RECENT FUNDING EVENTS --------------------------------------------------------------------------- How Blossom Wants To Save Water, Money Using The Cloud ---- Sure, it has been quite a wet week in Southern California this week—however, we're not out of California's long running drought yet. Can a smart sprinkler controller be the answer to the drought? Startup Blossom (www.myblossom.com) thinks it is part of the solution to the dry conditions across the West—and can help save lots of money for homeowners nationwide, by tapping into the cloud with a connected, smart sprinkler controller. The company—in the spirit of Nest—is hoping that consumers will help drive adoption of its product, which it expects to ship in January. We spoke with founder Manrique Brenes--a veteran of such companies as Skype and Cisco--to hear about Blossom's products, plus its link to such companies at Vizio. What your product all about? Manrique Brenes: What we're developed is a smart irrigation controller. It's a web based controller, which (More...) http://www.socaltech.com/how_blossom_save_water_cloud/s-0058099.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualcomm Invests $7M In Qterics ---- San Diego-based Qualcomm has invested $7M in a new, Internet-of-Things startup called Qterics, as part of a strategic investment, according to Qterics' parent Silicon Image. Silicon Image said the investment provides a 7% ownership interest to Qualcomm in its spinout. Aterics is looking to provide software for Internet-enabled, consumer products, including TVs, mobile handsets, tablets, routers, home automation devices, and more. Qterics is based in Minnesota. http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/index.php?action=showdeal&id=61181 Aerovironment Ups Contract Win By $38.3M ---- Monrovia-based unmanned aerial vehicle maker Aerovironment reported Thursday that it has received a number of awards and options on its contract with the United States Army, for its Switchblade tactical missile systems, which increase the total contract ceiling for its existing contract by $38.3M, to a total of $102.1M. The company said it received a $4.3 million cost plus fixed fee award and $7.1 million option for the program, increasing the funded part of the contract to $63.8M. Aerovironment's Switchblade is a small, expendable unmanned aerial vehicle used in close support to deliver explosives in a highly targeted way, by crashing its payload into the target. Arrowhead Research Names General Counsel ---- Pasadena-based Arrowhead Research, which is developing targeted RNAi biopharmaceuticals, said late Thursday that it has named Patrick O'Brien as the company's new General Counsel. O'Brien had most recently been Group Vice President, Legal, for Shire, and also had served at Johnson & Johnson, at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and in private practice. Uber Takes Lead In Ridesharing Fundraising With $1.2 Billion Round ---- Los Angeles has been one of the hottest markets for ridesharing companies, with Uber, Sidecar, Lyft, Flywheel, TaxiMagic, and Opoli -- and probably others--all trying to take a piece of the transportation market. However, it looks like ridesharing company Uber might have just changed the equation, after announcing a $1.2 billion funding round -- with more on tap -- valuing the company at $40 billion (More...) http://www.socaltech.com/uber_takes_lead_in_ridesharing_fundraising_with____billion_round/s-0058098.html http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61170 CallFire Acquires FireText ---- Santa Monica-based telephony, texting, and voice API developer CallFire announced Thursday that it has acquired UK-based FireText, a provider of SMS marketing in the UK. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. CallFire said the buy will expand the company into the European market. CallFire, which is led by Ron Burr, offers up a wide range of phone and texting services for companies. Vantage Media Sells Unit To Campus Explorer ---- Los Angeles-based Vantage Media said Thursday that it is selling its Education Services Business--which sells leads to education advertisers--to Campus Explorer, as it looks to sharpen its focus on the technology behind its real time bidding (RTB) advertising platform. Financial terms of the sale were not announced. Vantage Media said the business was officially sold last week. The educational lead generation agency business had been the core of Vantage Media's original business, before a major pivot by the company into technology--which the firm has credited with driving it to north of $100M in revenues. That shift to the RTB bidding technology market came under the aegis of CEO Patrick Quigley, around three years ago. http://www.socaltech.com/vantage_media_sells_unit_to_campus_explorer/s-0058094.html RealD Cuts Staff, Downsizes Facilities ---- Los Angeles-based 3D movie project technology developer RealD said this morning that it has cut its headcount, and will be downsizing its facilities, as part of a expense reduction move. According to RealD, the cuts include the elimination of certain sales and marketing and research and development expenditures. The number of employees who will be affected by the cutbacks were not disclosed by the company. According to the company, the moves will save it around $30M in expenditures over a two year period. The company said the move is part of an ongoing effort to streamline its organization and introduce "additional efficiencies" into its cost structure. Digital Family Reunion 2014: Less Than A Week To This Year's Biggest Party! ---- There's less than a week to the technology industry's biggest holiday event of the year--the Digital Family Reunion on Wednesday, December 10th at the Skirball Cultural Center. (More...) http://www.socaltech.com/digital_family_reunion___4_less_than_a_week_to_this_year_s_biggest_party!/s-0058087.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARKETPLACE Reach 10000+ readers for 5 days for $250 Post your marketplace ad at: http://www.socaltech.com/postad.html ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Deloitte In the United States, Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries have 65,000 professionals with a single focus: Serving our clients and helping them solve their toughest problems. Ranking among the nation’s leading professional services firms in audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services across more than 20 industries, Deloitte invests in outstanding people of diverse talents and backgrounds and empowers them to achieve more than they could elsewhere. To learn more about Deloitte's capabilities, please visit Deloitte.com or contact Kris Kaufmann, Partner at [email protected]. ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- La Visual - A Branding, Product Strategy & Rapid Prototyping Accelerator Local branding agency launches a new design-centric accelerator program. We help you streamline the launch of your startup by offering world-class branding, product strategy, user-experience design, rapid-prototyping technology, mentorship, and access to early stage investment all under one roof! Contact us to setup a meet and greet today. Contact: Braven Greenelsh CEO [email protected] [email protected] Direct: 323-924-8847 | Studio: 818-824-6430 | Fax: 888-763-7412 Website: Lavisual.com Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/braven ------------------------------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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] ------------------------------ADVERTISEMENT------------------------------- Fetch Recruiting, Inc. Fetch Recruiting, Inc. (http://www.fetchrecruiting.com) Technical Recruiting for LA based Startups and High-Growth Companies ------------------------------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 12/04/14 WhipClip $20.0M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61166 12/04/14 Serviz, Inc. $3.2M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61165 12/03/14 Cognitive Networks $14.5M http://www.socaltech.com/intelligence/?action=showdeal&id=61164 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 6, Playa Vista -- Accessibility Camp. Welcome to the second Accessibility Camp Los Angeles.The goal of the day is to provide an open, informal space for conversation and networking around digital accessibility and users with disabilities. This free event is held in association with The Los Angeles Accessibility and Inclusive Design MeetupNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24422 December 9, Irvine -- Holiday Tech Mixer & Toys for Tots. Join Orange County's LARGEST tech meetup for a night of networking, food, drinks, music and fun! Meet with new and familiar faces while making valuable connections within our tech community. We host FREE events every month that feature mixers, demos of the latest tech, and Tech Talks!. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24417 December 10, Santa Monica -- Bridging the 49th Parallel - Cross Border Business in British Columbia. Join us for a catered lunch as we discuss the benefits of US businesses having operations in British Columbia. The program will explore the economic incentives available to technology companies that are offered by the Government of British Columbia and by local authorities in Vancouver, how to access the programs and how to commence operations in BC. The program will also include first hand insights of companies that have opened a satellite office in British Columbia. Speakers include: Jonathan Friedman, Stubbs Alderton, Mikko Setala, Rovio Entertainment, Robert Wong, Creative BC, and Lui Petrollini, E&Y. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24419 December 10, Los Angeles -- socalTECH50 and the Digital Family Reunion 2014. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24237 December 10, Century City -- Startup Pitch Bootcamp with Adeo Ressi, CEO of the Founder Institute. If you have a strong idea that could be pitched more clearly, then join us for the Startup Pitch Bootcamp. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24416 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 enjoyment. 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 family. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24407 December 11, Los Angeles -- LA Tech Summit. Meet the hottest companies in Los Angeles and learn what makes "LA Tech" the most innovative technology ecosystem in the nationNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24424 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 14, Santa Monica -- StartupMind's Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. Come one, come all to the Ugliest Christmas Sweater party of the Season! Yes, that's right, right in the heart of Silicon Beach, it's StartupMind's Christmas party at Seasons 52 and you're all invited. We are participating in the Spark of Love Toy Drive and tickets are either $10 or free admission with the donation of a $10 brand new toy. It's an awesome way to help disadvantaged children experience a little brighter Christmas and give back. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24414 December 16, Marina del Rey -- #LATHH Holiday Party & Ping Pong Tourney. It's that time of year again! Get your party hats on and your pong paddles out - we're throwing a killer hotel party in MDRNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24425 December 16, Irvine -- OC Tech Alliance Holiday Reception. See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24389 December 18, Santa Monica -- LAVA Holiday Party. Come celebrate the Holiday Season with LAVA! Enjoy a great networking event, awesome food, and holiday beveragesNEW . See http://www.socaltech.com/calendar/eventid/24420 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 Ferrazzi. 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 [email protected] 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 [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. 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