Category: San Francisco

ccLoop Secures $3,500,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a126abbb-dded-4f63-a22b-e3cc23b36f6e&Preview=1 Date 2/17/2011 Company Name ccLoop Mailing Address 39 Mesa St. San Francisco, CA 94129 Company Description We at ccLoop are passionate about solving your email problem with a solution that is powerful yet simple to use. We don’t ask you to download anything, learn anything, or change anything Website http://www.ccloop.com Transaction … Continue reading “ccLoop Secures $3,500,000 New Financing Round”

Managing Research as an Investment Portfolio: Lessons from PARC

As part of its transformation from an internal research center to a commercial business, PARC has needed to innovate its business practices, as well as its research and technology. How do we balance the seemingly conflicting goals of long-term research vs. short-term profits, of creating breakthrough innovations vs. providing client services, of diversifying research into many markets vs. developing critical mass in just … Continue reading “Managing Research as an Investment Portfolio: Lessons from PARC”

Crocodoc Rolls Out Embeddable HTML5 Document Viewer; YC Startup Wants to Be “The New Adobe of the Web,” Sans Flash

If you’re a Web geek, you know all about the death match between Flash and HTML5. Even if you’re not, you’ve probably heard at least in passing about the controversy over Adobe’s proprietary video and animation platform, and how Apple won’t provide support for Flash videos on its mobile devices, and how Steve Jobs and … Continue reading “Crocodoc Rolls Out Embeddable HTML5 Document Viewer; YC Startup Wants to Be “The New Adobe of the Web,” Sans Flash”

1000memories, With $2.5M from Greylock and Big-Name Angels, Explores New Ways to Capture Online Memories of the Deceased

Most Silicon Valley startups with the good fortune to line up $2.5 million in Series A venture backing from a blue-chip venture firm like Greylock Partners and famous investors like Ron Conway and Mike Maples would immediately be shouting the news from the rooftops. But the founders at online memorial site 1000memories say they were … Continue reading “1000memories, With $2.5M from Greylock and Big-Name Angels, Explores New Ways to Capture Online Memories of the Deceased”

EcoATM Raises $14.4M for Mass Production of Electronics Recycling Kiosks

EcoATM, the San Diego startup developing automated kiosks for recycling cell phones and other devices, says it has raised a total of $14.4 million in preferred equity and venture debt financing, which the company plans to use to fund commercial manufacturing of its final kiosk design. The Series A venture round was led by Bellevue, … Continue reading “EcoATM Raises $14.4M for Mass Production of Electronics Recycling Kiosks”

Versartis Obtains $21,000,000 Series B Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8014cbf6-b7cd-47b5-ad14-53d1f99f3349&Preview=1 Date 2/16/2011 Company Name Versartis Mailing Address 500 Ellis Street Mountain View, CA 94043 Company Description Versartis is developing new therapeutic proteins utilizing the novel half-life extension technology, XTEN. Versartis has licensed the rights to three products (VRS-826, VRS-859, and VRS-317) from Amunix. Website http://www.versartis.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “Versartis Obtains $21,000,000 Series B Financing Round”

Diartis Pharmaceuticals Receives New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=259b1db1-9e11-460c-8996-b47f9f642665&Preview=1 Date 2/16/2011 Company Name Diartis Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 500 Ellis St. Mountain View, CA 94043 Company Description Diartis is a biotechnology company founded to develop therapeutics for the treatment of metabolic diseases that address both significant unmet medical needs as well as large market opportunities. Website http://www.diartispharma.com Transaction Type Venture Equity … Continue reading “Diartis Pharmaceuticals Receives New Financing Round”

ODesk Charts the Future of Distributed Work

Consider these five trends, and then ask yourself what kind of Internet business you would create to exploit them. 1. Persistent economic uncertainty, leaving employers unwilling to hire lots of new permanent employees—but needing to get work done nonetheless. 2. The emergence of outsourcing as a mainstream, accepted, even expected corporate practice. 3. A growing … Continue reading “ODesk Charts the Future of Distributed Work”

$89.6M More for Brightsource

Brightsource Energy, the Oakland, CA, company constructing a large solar thermal plant in Ivanpah in California’s Mojave Desert, has raised $89.55 million in new equity-based financing in a round that could reach $100 million, according to a regulatory filing. Brightsource did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the sources of the round. … Continue reading “$89.6M More for Brightsource”

Accel Leads $17.5M UberMedia Round

Palo Alto, CA-based Accel Partners is the lead investor in a $17.5 million Series B round (PDF) for UberMedia, the Pasadena, CA, company rapidly rolling up a series of other social media startups. Revolution Ventures and Index Ventures also participated in the round, and Accel partner Jim Breyer has joined UberMedia’s board. Founded by Bill … Continue reading “Accel Leads $17.5M UberMedia Round”

Catch.com Catches $7M

San Francisco-based Catch.com, maker of an online notekeeping application that competes with the likes of Evernote and Springpad, has raised $7 million in Series A financing, according to a report in Dow Jones VentureWire. Boston-based Excel Venture Management was the investor. Catch.com lets users capture and save notes and thoughts via browser extensions on PCs … Continue reading “Catch.com Catches $7M”

College and Business Will Never Be the Same: Philadelphia University Integrates Design, Engineering and Commerce

Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school. —Attributed to Albert Einstein, Mark Twain and B.F. Skinner There are 4633 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States. This weekend I had dinner with one of them—a friend who’s now the president of Philadelphia University. He’s working hard to … Continue reading “College and Business Will Never Be the Same: Philadelphia University Integrates Design, Engineering and Commerce”

SearchReviews’ New Web and Mobile Tool Aggregates Millions of Consumer Reviews

Every once in a while a startup pops up to lay claim to some area of search that Google, inexplicably, has not. (Yes, there are some.) This week it’s SearchReviews, a small Palo Alto, CA-based company that’s tapping the Web’s tens of millions of user-generated reviews of everything from electronic gadgets, to books to travel … Continue reading “SearchReviews’ New Web and Mobile Tool Aggregates Millions of Consumer Reviews”

Genomic Health, Taking a Hit on Bottom Line, Bets Next-Gen Sequencing Will Yield Next-Gen Diagnostics

Genomic Health built itself into a profitable business in molecular diagnostics by using genetics analysis instruments that were state-of-the-art in the middle part of the last decade. But as the Redwood City, CA-based diagnostics company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GHDX]]) looks further into the future, it has come to a clear conclusion. Out with the old, and in … Continue reading “Genomic Health, Taking a Hit on Bottom Line, Bets Next-Gen Sequencing Will Yield Next-Gen Diagnostics”

What Does “Out-Innovate the World” Mean Today?

Today, much manufacturing has gone to China, many services are going to India, and agriculture is threatening to go to South America. What will the U.S. excel in? Innovation is the frequent response. Indeed, President Obama has issued a clarion call to the nation: “We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the … Continue reading “What Does “Out-Innovate the World” Mean Today?”

Catch.com Obtains $7,000,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2308da02-5dbb-43bb-aaa5-0e9efdb420a8&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name Catch.com Mailing Address 2995 Woodside Rd. Woodside, CA 94062 Company Description Catch helps you create one place to privately capture & find your notable thoughts, ideas, images, places, lists & anything else you’d rather not forget. Website http://www.catch.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $7,000,000 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Catch.com Obtains $7,000,000 Series A Financing Round”

GetJar Networks Secures $25,000,000 Series C Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=be553eae-cbdc-47c9-a122-1956f6bf043a&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name GetJar Networks Mailing Address 1500 Fashion Island Blvd. San Mateo, CA 94404 Company Description GetJar is the world’s largest cross platform app store with over a half billion downloads to date. The company provides more than 50,000 mobile applications across all major handsets and platforms to consumers … Continue reading “GetJar Networks Secures $25,000,000 Series C Financing Round”

Coupa Software Secures $12,000,000 Series D Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6bf8c5d2-92ec-4f27-8790-8c2ab69bc605&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name Coupa Software Mailing Address Two West 5th Avenue San Mateo, CA 94402 Company Description Coupa was founded in 2006 to fulfill the promise of effective procurement for companies of all sizes. Coupa simplifies purchasing for employees while providing much-needed control for the purchasing department. Website http://www.coupa.com Transaction … Continue reading “Coupa Software Secures $12,000,000 Series D Funding Round”

Soladigm Obtains $10,000,000 Series C Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b40c8b41-0088-4448-aa0a-9156b05c9b03&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name Soladigm Mailing Address 195 South Milpitas Boulevard Milpitas, CA 95035 Company Description The company provides switchable electronic glass technology. Website http://www.soladigm.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $10,000,000 Transaction Round Series C Proceeds Purposes The funding will allow Soladigm to build and launch high-volume commercial operations and … Continue reading “Soladigm Obtains $10,000,000 Series C Funding”

TangoMe Secures $8,650,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6cd779ac-bb06-488f-9f8d-c088fd2c4aaa&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name TangoMe Mailing Address 2452 Embarcadero Way Palo Alto, CA 94303 Company Description Tango enables anyone with an iPhone or Android phone to make free mobile video calls over 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi to their friends and family around the world. Website http://www.tango.me Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount … Continue reading “TangoMe Secures $8,650,000 New Funding Round”

Ivivi Health Sciences Receives $9,500,000 Series A Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b7343d78-7fd4-460c-ac78-d397a93a5600&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name Ivivi Health Sciences Mailing Address 588 Sutter St. San Francisco, CA 94102 Company Description The company sells a medical device that is a portable electrical stimulation device for reducing postoperative pain and swelling. Website http://www.ivivihealthsciences.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $9,500,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds … Continue reading “Ivivi Health Sciences Receives $9,500,000 Series A Funding Round”

Calisolar Lands $8,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=13b9d5b5-9247-4e6f-8110-e9359cee52b5&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name Calisolar Mailing Address 985 Almanor Ave Sunnyvale, CA 94085 Company Description CaliSolar is a photovoltaic (PV) company that designs, patents, manufactures and markets solar cells in high volumes for the largest segments of the PV industry. Website http://www.calisolar.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $8,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed … Continue reading “Calisolar Lands $8,000,000 New Financing”

Sonoma Orthopedic Products Receives $22,000,000 Series D Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bf845bdf-ef36-4097-a035-ff14df91aa27&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name Sonoma Orthopedic Products Mailing Address 3589 Westwind Boulevard Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Company Description The company develops orthopedic medical devices and products. Website http://www.sonomaorthopedics.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $22,000,000 Transaction Round Series D Proceeds Purposes The financing will support several new product launches, expansion of … Continue reading “Sonoma Orthopedic Products Receives $22,000,000 Series D Round”

Tremor Media Acquires Transpera for $40,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=607de8b8-6b93-45fe-a4e8-bdf012412da5&Preview=1 Date 2/15/2011 Company Name Transpera Mailing Address 785 Market St. San Francisco, CA 94103 Company Description Truly personal mobile video is now a reality. With Transpera’s Bridge System, users program their own channels, enjoy deep integration with their favorite online video sites and share those experiences with friends and family. Website … Continue reading “Tremor Media Acquires Transpera for $40,000,000”

500 Startups Launches Accelerator, Animoto Goes HD, Inside Astia’s Success & More Bay Area Biztech News

In startup and technology news last week, it was nearly all incubators and accelerators, all the time. —Angel investing whirlwind Dave McClure, the founder of 500Startups, took the lid off his new startup accelerator program, based in downtown Mountain View, CA. Twelve companies have already joined the program, which provides startups with mentorship, product design … Continue reading “500 Startups Launches Accelerator, Animoto Goes HD, Inside Astia’s Success & More Bay Area Biztech News”

Vertica Acquisition by HP Signals a Business Intelligence Battle in the Bay State

Don’t look now, but there’s a “big data” war brewing in our backyard—one that involves several technology giants. Vertica, a database management and analytics software company based in Billerica, MA, confirmed today it is being acquired by Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: [[ticker:HPQ]]). Financial terms of the deal haven’t been released, but I’m hearing that the price could … Continue reading “Vertica Acquisition by HP Signals a Business Intelligence Battle in the Bay State”

Cooliris Dilates by $9.6M

Palo Alto, CA-based photo management startup Cooliris said today that it has raised $9.6 million in Series C venture financing from existing investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the T-Venture group of Deutsche Telekom, DAG Ventures, and The Westly Group. The company, known mainly for its desktop browser-based “3D Wall” interface for browsing photos, also released … Continue reading “Cooliris Dilates by $9.6M”

Zendesk Gets an iPad App

At Xconomy we shy away from pure product-release stories, but there’s word today of a product from a San Francisco company I admire (Zendesk) on a platform I love (the Apple iPad). Starting today, employees at companies that use Zendesk’s online customer support management platform (which we profiled here last August) can download the new … Continue reading “Zendesk Gets an iPad App”

PariSoma “Innovation Loft” Is Movin’ On Up; A Taste of Parisian Startup Community in San Francisco

Let’s say you left the Bay Area in 2009 and spent all of 2010 assisting ornithologists in Antarctica, or writing cookbooks in Provence, or whatever it is that adventurous startup types do on their getaways. Arriving back in San Francisco today, one of the first things you’d notice is the explosion of incubators and coworking … Continue reading “PariSoma “Innovation Loft” Is Movin’ On Up; A Taste of Parisian Startup Community in San Francisco”

CloudMade Receives New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=824eef1e-1243-4118-b0a1-0c4a4e7db323&Preview=1 Date 2/14/2011 Company Name CloudMade Mailing Address 1370 Willow Rd., Second Floor Menlo Park, CA 94025 Company Description CloudMade provides you with access to a range of innovative tools and APIs that allow you to make the most of map data. We source our map data from OpenStreetMap, the community mapping … Continue reading “CloudMade Receives New Round”

Uber Garners $11,000,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=d16db86d-1f96-4282-83d2-14215b05e1d9&Preview=1 Date 2/14/2011 Company Name Uber Mailing Address 182 Howard St. San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description The company has created a mobile application that allows users to request car service to pick them up wherever they are located. Website http://www.Uber.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $11,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Uber Garners $11,000,000 New Financing Round”

Greplin Receives $4,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=58f06e14-8351-4d5c-bbf7-29e49788acba&Preview=1 Date 2/14/2011 Company Name Greplin Mailing Address Undisclosed San Francisco, CA 94123 Company Description The company provides an online personal search service. Website http://www.greplin.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $4,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Sequoia Capital

Cooliris Receives $9,600,000 Series C Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=65553828-8488-4b26-b0d3-ab5e814fd33d&Preview=1 Date 2/14/2011 Company Name Cooliris Mailing Address 3000 El Camino Real Building 4 Palo Alto, CA 94306 Company Description Cooliris, Inc. was founded in January 2006 with a simple mantra: Think outside the browser. We are dedicated to building products that make accessing and discovering the Web more exciting, efficient, and … Continue reading “Cooliris Receives $9,600,000 Series C Funding”

InVisage Technologies Garners New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2d6ff3fc-a50b-4262-bda7-e5f5c3999c6a&Preview=1 Date 2/14/2011 Company Name InVisage Technologies Mailing Address 978 Hamilton Court Menlo Park, CA 94025 Company Description QuantumFilm was developed by InVisage after years of research under the guidance of notable scientist and InVisage CTO Ted Sargent. It is based on quantum dots — semiconductors with unique light-capture properties. It works … Continue reading “InVisage Technologies Garners New Funding Round”

Rearden Commerce Lands $46,982,791 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=86cbff05-315e-4e34-8edc-551f8863e306&Preview=1 Date 2/14/2011 Company Name Rearden Commerce Mailing Address 1051 E Hillsdale Blvd, 6th Floor Foster City, CA 94404 Company Description Rearden Commerce is revolutionizing the way people and businesses buy and sell services, with the first online marketplace for services of all kinds. Rearden Commerce is one of the leading forces … Continue reading “Rearden Commerce Lands $46,982,791 New Financing”

Spirent Communications Acquires Fanfare Group for $15,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=29e96d62-e7e6-47e2-b73d-1c81e6bab0cc&Preview=1 Date 2/14/2011 Company Name Fanfare Group Mailing Address 1091 N. Shoreline Blvd. Mountain View, CA 94043 Company Description The Fanfare Group was started for a simple reason: To simplify device testing for equipment vendors, while helping them improve the quality and competitiveness of their products. Website http://www.fanfaresoftware.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction … Continue reading “Spirent Communications Acquires Fanfare Group for $15,000,000”

Pandora IPO Filing is Music to Investors’ Ears

Oakland, CA-based Pandora, the vastly popular personalized streaming music service, filed an S-1 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission today in preparation for an initial public offering this year. In the filing, the company said it hopes to raise as much as $100 million in a sale of common stock, and revealed that it … Continue reading “Pandora IPO Filing is Music to Investors’ Ears”

$5.8M for GT Nexus

Oakland, CA-based GT Nexus has raised $5.8 million in an equity-based financing round, a regulatory filing published today shows. The company makes a software platform that helps companies simplify global trade and logistics. Léo Apotheker was a member of GT Nexus’s board until his appointment as CEO of Hewlett-Packard.

Shocking Gets $5.2M Jolt

Shocking Technologies, a five-year-old startup in San Jose, CA, that’s developing polymer dielectric materials that help electronics manufacturers deal with electrostatic discharge, has raised $5.2 million out of a potential $6 million in a sale of equity, according to a regulatory filing. Investors in the round weren’t identified, but previous Shocking Technologies investors include Arch … Continue reading “Shocking Gets $5.2M Jolt”

Raptr Scores $15M

Raptr, the Mountain View, CA-based creator of a social platform for gamers, said today that it has collected $15 million in Series B funding, bringing its total venture cash to $27 million. DAG Ventures led the round, which also included new investor Tenaya Capital and existing investor Accel Partners. Founded in 2007 by gamer and … Continue reading “Raptr Scores $15M”

Cartoon Raccoons Lampoon Startup Life

I was too busy to write a regular column this week. Or maybe I’ve simply run out of weighty things to say about mobile gadgets, digital media, the future of journalism, and the like. In any case, I thought I’d entertain you instead with a few of my favorite startup cartoons. These animated shorts all … Continue reading “Cartoon Raccoons Lampoon Startup Life”

Fluidigm Completes IPO on 2nd Try, Geron CEO Exits, Amgen Pushes ‘Son of Dmab,’ & More Bay Area Life Sciences News

We’re starting to see a little—just a little—bit of life get injected into the IPO market for life sciences companies. Nothing much to get too excited about yet, but it’s worth monitoring. —South San Francisco-based Fluidigm had an epic yarn of a story when it first IPO attempt was botched during the financial crisis of … Continue reading “Fluidigm Completes IPO on 2nd Try, Geron CEO Exits, Amgen Pushes ‘Son of Dmab,’ & More Bay Area Life Sciences News”

One Kings Lane Lands $23,000,000 Series B Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a296cea8-8ee3-4f9b-9f97-4e945a37197a&Preview=1 Date 2/11/2011 Company Name One Kings Lane Mailing Address Undisclosed San Francisco, CA 94105 Company Description The company operates a website that provides flash sales information for the home decor, furnishings and accessories market. Website http://www.onekingslane.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $23,000,000 Transaction Round Series B Proceeds Purposes Mack says … Continue reading “One Kings Lane Lands $23,000,000 Series B Financing”

GT Nexus Obtains $5,753,046 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2a1eab0b-1539-4aa8-9443-58b23e5e2eff&Preview=1 Date 2/11/2011 Company Name GT Nexus Mailing Address 300 Lakeside Drive Oakland, CA 94612 Company Description Build a comprehensive set of global trade and logistics software solutions, invest in the global infrastructure and service provider connections to support those solutions, then deliver the entire platform as a service, over the Web, … Continue reading “GT Nexus Obtains $5,753,046 New Funding Round”

Shocking Technologies Lands $5,211,232 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=367497b7-fba8-4700-9e23-cddc2380b761&Preview=1 Date 2/11/2011 Company Name Shocking Technologies Mailing Address 5870 Hellyer Avenue San Jose, CA 95138 Company Description Shocking Technologies develops applications for it’s patented voltage switchable dielectric materials. Applications include ESD protection for Printed Circuit Boards (PCB’s) and Semiconductor Packages. Website http://www.shockingtech.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,211,232 Transaction Round … Continue reading “Shocking Technologies Lands $5,211,232 New Funding”