“Any college will do” and CampusExplorer raises $2.25M to help you find it
Now is a good time to be in the business of helping people find the school that’s right for them — and that’s within their budget. CampusExplorer is one of a crop of web companies trying to do so; it announced a second round of $2.25 million earlier this week, following up on a year of strong growth. I spoke with serial entrepreneur and company chief executive Jerry Slavonia recently to learn more about how… Continue Reading
Digital Performance ropes in $3.2M for online auto market
Digital Performance, a web marketplace for car parts and accessories, raised $3.2 million in first round funding from Rincon Venture Partners, Arcturus Capital and Momentum Venture Management, the last of which provided the company’s $500,000 seed round in 2006.
The Newport Beach, Calif. company maintains a database of parts that can be searched by make, model and year of the car in question. It plans to use the new money to power up its sales efforts… Continue Reading
Concentrating solar outfit Soliant Energy gets General Electric investment
General Electric seems to be covering its bases when it comes to solar power. The company, which four months ago bought a controlling stake in thin-film solar panel maker PrimeStar Solar, has added concentrating solar to its portfolio with a $2.5 million bet on Soliant Energy, based in Monrovia, Calif.
The two startups are about as different as they come. Whereas thin-film solar, such as PrimeStar makes, is very low efficiency but dirt cheap, Soliant makes… Continue Reading
Campus Explorer, a student search engine, raises cash
Los Angeles-based Campus Explorer, a site allows students and prospective students to search for information on colleges and universities according to field of study, location and degree type, has raised an undisclosed amount of venture capital.
Santa Barbara-based venture capital firm Rincon Venture Partners is an investor, according to SoCalTech.com
Little else is known.
Practical Instruments joins solar gold rush, raises $8M
Updated
Practical Instruments has raised $8 million in a first round of funding to develop what it says is the most powerful solar “concentration” technology yet.
It uses solar panels that track the sun as it moves. The panels use mirrors to concentrate the sunlight for the photovoltaic process, thereby boosting performance.
It is the latest in a wave of entrants in the booming solar power industry, and will compete against a number of other “concentration” companies, including… Continue Reading