Friday, April 19, 2024Triller In Merger With AGBA
Los Angeles-based short form video app developer Triller--which competes against TikTok--is merging with a company called AGBA Group Holding Limited, the companies said this week. According to the two, the deal--worth $4 billion--will make AGBA 80 perecent owned by current Triller stockholders and restricted stock unit holders....Continue →
Thursday, April 18, 2024Angeles Equity Partners Rolls Up Another Company
Los Angeles-based private equity investor Angeles Equity Partners said this week that one of its portfolio companies, Data Clean Corporation, has acquired DC Canada, Inc., a provider of decontamination services for data centers across Canada. Financial details of the buy were not announced. Angeles Equity Partners and Data Clean said the acquisition is the fourth strategic acquisition by Data Clean since its acquisition by Angeles Equity.Continue →
Thursday, April 18, 2024CommentSold Launches AI-Powered Video Generator
Los Angeles-based CommentSold announced this week that it has launched a new, AI-powered software product which automatically pulls video from livestreams, aimed at helping to provide e-commerce sales. According to the company, the new product--AI ClipHero, uses AI to "sift through livestream content, pinpointing moments that are most likely to captivate audiences....Continue →
Wednesday, April 17, 2024Report: Former SpaceX Exec Launches New VC Firm
A former executive of SpaceX appears to have set up a new venture capital firm in El Segundo, according to a regulatory filing. The new venture firm is apparently named Interlagos Capital. According to reports, the new company is led by former SpaceX exec Tom Ochinero, who was most recently SpaceX's Senior Vice President of Commercial Business....Continue →
Tuesday, April 16, 2024BlackLine Names New CTO
Los Angeles-based accounting and finance software developer BlackLine announced this morning that it has named Jeremy Ung as the company's Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The company said Ung was most recently CTO at Apptio, and also had served at Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and MDA.Continue →
Tuesday, April 16, 2024MixMode Enhances AI Cybersecurity Product
Santa Barbara-based MixMode, which develops AI-powered cybersecurity software, says it has launched new enhancements to its platform. According to the company, the additions include AI-powered threat prioritization, which it says helps "surface the most severe and time-sensitive threats" to organizations. The company said the features are included to all of its customers as part of its latest release of its platform. MixMode is backed by PSG and Entrada Ventures....Continue →
Monday, April 15, 2024Ecotrak Gets $30M
Irvine-based Ecotrak, the developer of software used for facility management, has raised $30M in a funding round, the company said this morning. The funding was led by Respida Capital, and also included Carver Road Capital, plus Gala Capital Partners, an existing investor. The company said it will use the funding for product development and go-to-market....Continue →
Monday, April 15, 2024Yardi Adds Support For Federal Energy Rebate and Solar Programs
Santa Barbara-based Yardi said this morning that it has added new support for state and local agencies who are helping to implement programs under the Inflation Reducation Act (IRA) of 2021. According to the company, its new tool--Energy Relief from Yardi--helps state agencies administering programs such as Solar for All, Home Energy Rebates and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates....Continue →
Thursday, April 11, 2024BlackLine Joins AI Bandwagon
Los Angeles-based accounting software developer BlackLine announced a new, AI-powered feature, joining the trend of companies adopting AI in their software. According to BlackLine, its new product, Journals Risk Analyser, uses generative AI to "provide key trends, insights, and anomaly detection associated with journal entries"....Continue →
Thursday, April 11, 2024Wave Energy Company Plans Project At Port of Los Angeles
A European developer of a system for generating power from waves, Eco Wave Power Global AB, says it has signed a contract to demonstrate its wave energy systems at the Port of Los Angeles. The company said the demonstration project--run with a "major energy company"--will be its first project in the United States....Continue →
Thursday, April 11, 2024FloQast Gets $100M, Valued At $1.6 Billion
Los Angeles-based finance and accounting software developer FloQast said on Wednesday that it has raised $100M in a Series E funding round, which valued the company at $1.6 billion. The funding was led by ICONIQ Growth, and also included BDT & MSD Partners, WiL (World Innovation Lab), along with Meritech Capital and Sapphire Ventures. ICONIQ Growth's Roy Luo joins the company's board of directors as part of the funding. White Whitmire is CEO and co-founder of FloQast....Continue →
Wednesday, April 10, 2024FaceCake Rolls Out AI Shopping In AR
Los Angeles-based FaceCake said it is rolling out a new, AI shopping product called AVA. According to the company, the new AI-powered product stands for AVA (Acquire, Validate, Adapt), and will help provide personalized shopping in augmented reality, running in Google Cloud. FaceCake is led by CEO Linda Smith. The company said that AVA is a "cutting-edge AI personal shopper and stylist".Continue →
Tuesday, April 9, 2024USC To Hold Student Videogame Expo
USC Games, the game design program at the University of Southern California, is re-launching its annual showcase of student created games, the US Games Expo, according to the school. The showcase features 60 games created by students, along with a live esports tournament.Continue →
Tuesday, April 9, 2024Platform Science Gets $125M
San Diego-based Platform Science says it has raised $125M in new funding in a growth capital round, for the company's fleet and transportation software. The company said the funding came from C.R. England, Cummins, Daimler Truck, PACCAR, RyderVentures, and Schneider, along with new financial advisors Activant Capital, BDT & MSD Partners, and Manhattan Venture Partners, plus existing investors 8VC, NewRoad Capital Partners, and Prologis Ventures....Continue →
Tuesday, April 9, 2024Gavel Launches PDF Product
Los Angeles-based legal workflow automation software developer Gavel said today that it has launched a new PDF automation product. According to the company, the company's software allows users to answer questionnaires to automatically generate documents like court and government forms. The company says its software will automatically generate PDF document sets appropriately filled with the client information each time. Pricing on the software was not announced....Continue →
Tuesday, April 9, 2024B. Riley Financial's Targus Hit By Cyberattack
It's not ending up as a great month for Los Angeles-based B. Riley Financial. The company--already trying to work through its link to a failed hedge fund apparently has been hit by a cyberattack within one of its companies, mobile gadget maker Targus. According to a regulatory filing from B. Riley, a "threat actor" gained access to Targus, and it has shut down much of its network to deal with the intrusion. Targus was acquired by B. Riley in 2022 for around $250M....Continue →
Friday, April 5, 2024Wpromote Names Sales VP
El Segundo-based digital marketing agency Wpromote said this week that it has named David Gensler as the company's new SVP, Head of Sales. Gensler was most recently at Basis Technologies (formerly Centro) as the SVP of Client Development, and also ran his own consultantcy, GSD Consulting, plus has served at Time Inc., Liveintent, AOL, Millennial Media, and News America Marketing.Continue →
Thursday, April 4, 2024RinseKit Unveils Shower Facility Map
Carlsbad-based RinseKit, a developer of a portable, pressurized shower, says it has launched a new, online map to help truckers find shower facilities at truck stops. The company says its map allows allows truck drivers to quickly locate shower facilities, marked by blue pins for availability and red pins for absence....Continue →
Thursday, April 4, 2024Drata Gets AWS Certification
San Diego-based security and compliance automation software developer Drata said this morning that it has received Amazon Web Services (SWA) Security Competency status. Drata is venture backed by ICONIQ Growth, Notable Capital, Alkeon Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Cowboy Ventures, S Ventures, Leaders Fund, Okta Ventures, SVCI, SV Angel, Intuit Ventures, and others. The company has raised a significant amount of capital -- last raising a huge, $200M round back in 2022....Continue →
Wednesday, April 3, 2024Storiaverse Aims At Mobile Entertainment, Backed By $2.5M
Los Angeles-based Storiaverse said this morning that it has launched a new app aimed at helping writers and animators to create "immersive, animated content". According to the company its app--which runs on iOS and Android--combines animated video, audio, and text and delivers it as a story to consumers. The company's founders are David Kierzkowski (CEO) and Agnes Kozera (Chief Content Officer), who co-founded FameBit (acquired by Google in 2016), and Podcorn (acquired by Audacy)....Continue →
