Delivery Agent snags $24.8M to supply entertainment e-commerce tools
Delivery Agent, a San Francisco-based provider of technology used to set up online stores — only geared toward the entertainment market and web publishers — has raised $24.85 million in a fourth round of funding, according to PE Hub. The company is backed by Bessemer… Continue Reading
BillShrink’s new recommendation engine tells you where to stash your savings
BillShrink, a startup that advises its users on how to reduce their monthly bill payments, today launched a new savings tool that recommends the best savings and CD accounts for conserving cash. Calling itself a decision engine, the Menlo Park, Calif. company says it analyzes… Continue Reading
MashLogic pulls in $2.5M for page view-lengthening browser add-on
MashLogic, maker of a contextual browser add-on that pulls in text and images related to the web site you’re visiting and displays them in pop-up windows, has raised $2.5 million in a first round of funding — touting itself to publishers as a way to… Continue Reading
Overseas Craigslist rival OLX brings in $5M to fuel rapid growth
OLX, a self-styled Craigslist competitor that has gained traction abroad, announced that it’s raised $5 million in a third-round of capital to continue its expansion in 87 countries and 39 languages. It will use the money to improve its site and beef up its marketing… Continue Reading
CPower snags $10.7M to reduce corporate energy use
Energy management firm CPower, which helps businesses optimize their operations while reducing their energy use (and glean financial rewards for doing so), has raised $10.68 million in a second round of capital from Mayfield Fund (in its first energy investment), among others. The New York-based… Continue Reading
Lights going out at faltering SV Solar?
Sunnyvale, Calif. solar company SV Solar is soon to be history after several executive departures and no new funding in two years, reports Greentech Media. While the company faced heavy odds — not helped by claiming to have special “prism” technology — it’s demise is… Continue Reading
Stealthy decision engine Hunch.com raises $2M
Hunch.com, the secretive self-dubbed “online decision engine,” announced that it brought in $2 million in a first round of funding — even though very little information is available about it anywhere on the web. For now, its web site is simply a form people can… Continue Reading
OMGPOP to turn its casual gamers into paying customers
OMGPOP, the new brevity-focused name for the casual gaming site formerly known as Iminlikewithyou, says its half a million users are spending more than 180 hours on the site each month. That activity has positioned the company to introduce a new subscription service, a virtual… Continue Reading
Public biotech firms Cadence, Affymax draw $128M from bargain-hunting VCs
Much has been written about how the IPO market froze out biotech companies in 2008, but it looks like times are also tough for those who went public before the economy soured. Cadence Pharmaceuticals has seen a dip in stock price from $9 to $7.53… Continue Reading
Ocarina-creator Smule raises $3.9M to make iPhones musical
Smule, which makes interactive music applications for the iPhone, has raised $3.9 million in a second round of funding.
The Menlo Park, Calif. company made a splash last year with its Ocarina app, which turns your iPhone into a musical instrument and allows you to share… Continue Reading
NextMedium sells off product placement assets to Newport Coast
NextMedium, provider of an online platform that allowed advertisers to get their brands into TV shows, movies and web videos, has sold its technology and other intellectual property to Newport Coast Investments. It had been a while since the company raised money, last bringing in… Continue Reading
Goodmail working on tool for more secure email transfer
Goodmail Systems, a company that administers secure email exchanges, just added $5 million to close a third round of funding. Based in Mountain View, Calif., it says it will apply the new money to develop its flaship product, CertifiedEmail, so that trusted messages containing multimedia… Continue Reading
Yodle lands $10M for local web advertising
Yodle, a company that helps small businesses buy online ads to market themselves locally, has raised $10 million in third-round funding to continue product development and expand sales nationally. An alternative to Yellow Pages, the New York-based company aims to turn click-throughs into direct-response phone… Continue Reading
Sylantro and BroadSoft merge to form VoIP powerhouse
The voice-over-internet-protocol space just got less crowded. Big name BroadSoft has just acquired long-time competitor Sylantro Systems for an undisclosed sum. The merger may portend many to come for VoIP companies in 2009 as the recession encourages further consolidation, industry insiders predict.
BroadSoft and Sylantro are… Continue Reading
Record your masterpiece on Smule’s iPhone app Ocarina
One of the coolest applications released for the iPhone is Ocarina, an app from Menlo Park, Calif. startup Smule that transforms your phone into a musical instrument. It’s showing up on a lot of year-end lists, both for best apps and best-selling apps. With the… Continue Reading
Tween mobile provider Kajeet bags $1M
Kajeet, the cell phone service provider for kids and tweens, closed a $1.05 million second-round of venture backing to continue product and market development. The Bethesda, Md.-based company is coming off a big win last week, striking a deal with Amazon to sell its phones… Continue Reading
Goodmail secures $20M for certified email
The average email inbox is stuffed with spam, disguised viruses and irrelevant junk. But Goodmail Systems, provider of the CertifiedEmail platform that delivers only trusted emails, just landed $20 million in a third round of funding to help its users rise above the fray.
The Mountain… Continue Reading
OpenCandy inserts recommendations when you install software
OpenCandy is a new company that serves recommendations to you when you are downloading software. It offers up suggestions of other software you may be interested in, based on your tastes.
For example, if you’re downloading Miro, a popular open source Internet TV and video player,… Continue Reading
Wikia cuts staff by 10 percent
Wikia, a company that provides wiki and search services and was started by Wikipedia cofounder Jimmy Wales, has let go about 10 percent of its employees. The layoffs came as part of a restructuring that will refocus the San Francisco company on sales and marketing…. Continue Reading
BillShrink gets $8M to help you save money
BillShrink, a startup that advises users on ways to reduce their bills, has raised $8 million in a second round of venture funding.
Menlo Park, Calif.-based BillShrink was founded in 2007. It launched in April this year with a tool to help people find the cheapest… Continue Reading