Citysearch snaps up Insider Pages in local search race
Citysearch, the division of IAC focuses on local reviews of restaurants and other services, has acquired the struggling local review start-up, Insider Pages.
The purchase (amount undisclosed) comes at a time of increasing competition in the race to deliver a compelling local search services. Citysearch’s parent, IAC, has already bolstered its local search offerings, namely with Ask City, a property that packages everything from local search to local maps, reviews, and ticket services.
However, more entrants have… Continue Reading
Web 2.0 shakeout continued: What’s up at Insider Pages, Backfence, Meebo, others?
(Updated, rumor that Backfence is shutting down is wrong, see fresh post here)
Roelof Botha is one of the hotter venture capitalists these days. The Sequoia Capital venture capitalist led that firm’s investment into video-sharing site YouTube — and saw that company sold within a year to Google for $1.65 billion.
Now he’s apparently reviewing the progress of his companies. Palo Alto’s Meebo, the site that lets people use integrate their instant messaging service online, has been… Continue Reading
Portola Pharma gets $20M debt financing
Portola Pharmaceuticals, a South San Francisco biotech company developing cardiovascular and vascular disease therapies, has raised $20 million in debt financing from Hercules Technology Growth Capital.
Portola is already backed by venture firms Abingworth, Alta Partners, ATV, Frazier Healthcare Ventures, MPM Capital, Prospect Ventures and Sutter Hill Ventures.
The company said it has two drug candidates in clinical development: 1) an oral Factor Xa inhibitor in a Phase II trial for the prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis… Continue Reading
Local review site Yelp raises $10 million from Benchmark
Yelp, the Web site offering user-generated reviews of bars, restaurants and other places, has raised $10 million in venture capital from Benchmark Capital.
We recently mentioned Yelp’s wave-making with its parties.
Yelp, like other recent Internet companies, is challenging incumbent sites like Citysearch by developing a community of local reviewers. By encouraging loyalist users to review often, Yelp bets its site will be fresher and more compelling.
It is noteworthy that the venture money comes from Peter… Continue Reading