Outbrain, the news story recommendation service, gets $12M
Outbrain, a company that gives blog readers a way to rate and recommend news stories (see its widget at the bottom of this story), has raised another $12 million in a second round of funding.
VentureBeat first covered Outbrain in detail last year. It uses a recommendation technology similar to Amazon’s feature that offers up other items people like you have already enjoyed. While there are several such “collaborative filtering” recommendation engines on the market, few… Continue Reading
Novafora closes $255.6M Transmeta purchase
Video processor maker Novafora just finalized its $255.6M acquisition of Transmeta Corp., a semiconductor and portable microprocessor company. The deal will give Cupertino, Calif.-based Novafora access to Transmeta’s low-power technology, allowing it to provide products for a wider range of applications.
Previously, Novafora raised $18 million in venture capital from Gemini Israel Funds and Vortex Venture Capital.
Virtualization startup Neocleus raises $11.4M
Neocleus, a company that provides “endpoint virtualization,” has raise $11.4 million in a second round of funding.
Endpoint virtualization involves creating an isolated virtual environment for IT on laptops and desktop computers. Jersey City, NJ-based Neocleus says its solution stands out because of its flexibility and security.
The round was led by Battery Ventures and Gemini Israel Funds, who were Neocleus’ initial investors.
Prime Sense claims to have the best 3D game controller
A few months ago, VentureBeat editor Matt Marshall highlighted the various players in the gesture recognition technology space, speculating that “one day, very soon, you’ll be able to control an avatar or character on a screen with a mere gesture of your hands or body.”
That day is here, says Prime Sense CEO Inon Beracha. The Tel Aviv, Israel-based company believes it will be the “Intel inside” for the 3D peripheral world, and with a new… Continue Reading
Roundup: Search-within-search causes angst, secretive Modu raises $100M, Sun tries optical photonics & more
Here’s the latest action:
Google’s search-within-search bugs some publishers — Apparently some folks such as the Washington Post aren’t looking too kindly on a feature Google added earlier this month, which lets people search within publications like the Post directly from Google. The feature lets you search for a publication on Google, for instance the Post or other sites like Wikipedia, The New York Times, and Wal-Mart, and then gives you a secondary search bar to search… Continue Reading
Outbrain, a news recommendation widget, raises $5M
Outbrain is a new start-up that gives blog readers a way to rate and recommend news items, by using a recommendation engine that is similar to Amazon’s feature that offers up other items that people like you have already enjoyed.
While there are several such “collaborative filtering” recommendation engines such as Amazon’s on the market (there’s Last.fm for music, for example), there are few services that focus solely on news. There’s a competing service Spotback, but… Continue Reading
Vestopia helps you invest by watching the pros
If you’re looking to invest online, you’ve got the choice of everything from “fantasy portfolios” to social networks. But what amateur investors really need, says San Francisco company Vestopia, is to look over the shoulders of the professionals.
Like famed Watergate journalists Woodward and Bernstein, Vestopia hopes to make a name for itself by following the money. In this case, the money belongs to professional money managers – Vestopia has struck deals with a handful of… Continue Reading
Branson’s Virgin Fuels backs Metrolight, to sell efficient lamps
Metrolight, a company that produces technology for so-called HID lamps, used in expansive areas such as streets, factories and warehouses, has raised $9 million from Virgin Fuels and others.
Lighting absorbs about 26 percent of electricity generated in the U.S. Fluorescent lighting has gotten the most attention as a source of energy saving, because it is an alternative to residential lighting. HID, however, makes up 22 percent of all lighting, according to the U.S. Department of… Continue Reading
Adap.tv raises $10 million for online video ads
Adap.tv, a San Mateo, Calif. company that provides ads for online videos, has raised $10 million — as a slew of competitors, including Google, try to do the same.
The company’s technology provides contextually relevant advertising that runs at the bottom of a video as it plays (our early coverage here). This is sometimes called in-line ads, which are distinct from many other video-ad providers that include ads that take over the video player before, during… Continue Reading