Silicon Valley Wire

San Francisco-Based Say Media Raises $27 Million in Funding

San Francisco -- Say Media, the San Francisco-based digital media company, said on Thursday it has raised $27 million in a new round of funding, led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Other participants included Shea Ventures and Correlation Ventures, as well as previous backers August Capital, First Round Capital, Maveron, WPP, Focus Ventures and Neoteny. Paul Hsiao, a partner at NEA's Menlo Park office, has been named to the company's board of directors. Say Media was formed in late 2010 when online video advertising firm VideoEgg acquired Six Apart, the blogging software provider behind MoveableType and TypePad.
http://www.saymedia.com
http://www.nea.com
http://saydaily.com/2012/07/say-welcomes-new-investors.html

San Mateo-Based Edmodo Raises $25 Million in Third Round

San Mateo, Calif. -- Edmodo, the San Mateo-based developer of a free K-12 social learning network, said on Thursday it has raised $25 million in its third round of funding, led by new investor New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Previous backers Greylock Partners, Benchmark Capital, Union Square Ventures and Learn Capital also participated in the round, which increased its total funding to $47.5 million. Tony Florence, a general partner at NEA, has been named to the company's board of directors. Edmodo's platform allows teachers and students to connect with each other to share content and access homework, grades and school notices. The service currently has more than 8 million users.
http://www.edmodo.com
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/edmodo-secures-25-million-in-series-c-funding-round-led-by-nea-fuels-increased-growth-momentum-in-k-12-learning-2012-07-19

Pleasanton-Based Firespotter Labs Lands $15M in Second Round

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Firespotter Labs, a Pleasanton-based startup focused on making complex telephony products easier to use, said on Thursday it has secured $15 million in its second round of funding, led by Andreessen Horowitz. Previous backers Google Ventures also participated. Blake Krikorian, the co-founder and former CEO of Sling Media, joins Wesley Chan, a partner at Google Ventures, and Craig Walker, the chairman, CEO and co-founder of Firespotter Labs, on the company's board. Firespotter's first foray into the communications space was UberConference, which adds a visual interface to a traditional audio conference call. The company also has developed food industry apps Nosh and NoshList, and the social rating app Jotly. The company said it will use the financing to expand its engineering team and develop its telephony-based product line.
http://www.firespotter.com 
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/firespotter-labs-raises-15m-series-b-led-by-andreessen-horowitz-2012-07-19

San Jose-Based ISSI to Acquire Chingis Technology

San Jose, Calif. -- Integrated Silicon Solution Inc. (ISSI), a San Jose-based developer of high-speed and low-power chips, said on Thursday it has reached a deal to acquire Taiwan-based Chingis Technology through a cash tender offer valued at $33 million. The deal is expected to close in September. Founded in 1995, Chingis is a developer of flash memory technologies used in standalone and embedded applications with more than 80 worldwide patents and patents pending. Chingis reported revenue of $39.6 million and net income of $2.6 million in 2011. ISSI said the acquisition will strengthen its specialty memory product portfolio.
http://www.issi.com  
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68026&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1716323&highlight=

San Francisco-Based Atlassian Names Doug Burgum as Chairman

San Francisco -- Atlassian, a San Francisco-based developer of collaboration software for product teams, on Thursday named Doug Burgum as its chairman. Burgum is the former chairman of SuccessFactors and chairman and CEO of Great Plains Software. The company also named Murray Demo, the former CFO of Adobe Systems, Dolby Laboratories and LiveOps, and Kirk Bowman, venture partner at Accel Partners and former executive vice president of worldwide sales at both EqualLogic and VMWare, as directors.
http://atlassian.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120719005553/en/Atlassian-Expands-Board-Chairman-Members

Reuters: Pleasanton-Based Workday Confidentially Files for IPO

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Workday, a Pleasanton-based developer of web-based tools for human resources, payroll and financial management, has confidentially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its initial public offering (IPO), Reuters reported. The company reportedly filed a week ago, but so far has been able to shield details of the IPO through a newly enacted law called the JOBS Act. Citing unnamed sources, Reuters said the company plans to price this fall in what could be the largest IPO since Facebook. Workday has raised $250 million in funding since its founding in 2004 by former PeopleSoft executives Dave Duffield and Aneel Bhusr. Top backers include Greylock Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, T. Rowe Price, Janus Capital Group and Bezos Expeditions.
http://www.workday.com/
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/18/idINL2E8IHFC220120718

Alviso-Based TiVo to Acquire TRA for $20 Million

Alviso, Calif. -- TiVo, the Alviso-based developer of digital video recorders and programming services, said it will pay approximately $20 million to acquire New York-based TRA, developer of a platform designed to help advertisers by linking information about what viewers watch with what they buy. The deal is expected to close later this month. TiVo, which plans to launch a new unit called TiVo Research and Analytics, said the acquisition will significantly bolster its position in the television analytics business. "With this new level of unique audience insights and analytics, TiVo will be able to provide insights nobody else has in an industry increasingly seeking alternative ways to measure audience behavior accurately while increasing efficiencies in media spending," said Tom Rogers, the president and CEO of TiVo. TRA has more than 45 brand clients and 27 network clients including CBS, A&E Television Networks, ION Media, Procter & Gamble, Oscar Mayer and Starcom MediaVest Group.
http://www.tivo.com
http://www.traglobal.com
http://pr.tivo.com/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=CA934452BA6418EF&version=live&prid=909872&releasejsp=custom_150

GSA to Lease Six Floors at New World Trade Center

New York -- The General Services Administration (GSA) on Wednesday announced plans to return to the World Trade Center in New York. The agency said it has signed a lease with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Durst Organization to occupy approximately 270,000 square feet on six floors at One World Trade Center. "There will once again be a federal presence in the World Trade Center, as there was from its beginning," said Dan Tangherlini, acting administrator of the GSA. Under the terms of the agreement, the GSA will occupy floors 50-55 of the building for an initial term of 20 years, beginning in 2015. One World Trade Center, initially known as the Freedom Tower, will be the third tallest building in the world, measuring 1,776 feet high, when it opens in 2013.
http://www.gsa.gov 
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/federal-government-returning-to-world-trade-center-2012-07-18 

USA Today Launches Listings of Webisodes, Video Podcasts

McLean, Va. -- Acknowledging the nation's growing change in viewing habits, Gannett's USA Today said it has launched a daily online and print listing of popular webisodes and video podcasts available online. The feature, called "TV on the Web," includes listings ranging from web-only comedies and dramas to tech reviews, animation and family fare, all selected by USA Today editors and reporters. "With celebrities such as Tom Hanks and Jerry Seinfeld entering the web-only space, and alternative programming sites such as YouTube, Hulu and Netflix carrying exclusive programming, the time has come to reflect the changing media landscape," said Larry Kramer, the president and publisher of USA Today. "This is the natural evolution of where TV programming is headed."
http://tvontheweb.usatoday.com

Santa Clara-Based Openbucks Raises $4.8 Million in First Round

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Openbucks, the Santa Clara-based developer of a gift card payment network, said on Tuesday it has raised $4.8 million in its first round of funding, led by Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang. Terry Semel, Greycroft Partners, BV Capital, Clearstone Ventures, Morado Ventures, Novel TMT Ventures, Inspiration Ventures, CrunchFund, SV Angel and TiE Angels also participated. Openbucks' network enables consumers who don't have credit cards or a bank account, or who prefer to keep their financial information private, to pay for online goods and services using the gift cards of major retailers. The regular gift cards of Subway, CVS Pharmacy, Burger King, Shell, Circle-K and CITGO are now accepted through the network.
http://www.openbucks.com
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/openbucks-raises-48-million-series-a-for-its-gift-card-payment-network-2012-07-17

San Rafael-Based IntelliBatt Secures $22 Million in Funding

San Rafael, Calif. -- IntelliBatt, a San Rafael-based provider of UPS and battery monitoring systems and services, said on Tuesday it has raised $22 million and installed a new leadership team. Columbia Capital led the round, which also included participation by CBC-Capital, private investors and incoming executives. The company plans to use the proceeds to fuel growth initiatives and expand its product line. IntelliBatt also named Tom Barton as its CEO and Todd Ford as co-CEO and COO. Barton is the former CEO of Rackable Systems, and previously held senior management positions at Red Hat and Cygnus Solutions. Ford, meanwhile, was the president of Rackable Systems, CEO of FCC and CFO of Noosh. IntelliBatt founders Steve Cotton and Mike Brinck will maintain active roles in the day-to-day operations of the company as executive chairman and president, respectively. The company was founded in 1992 under the name Data Power Monitoring Corp. (DPMC).
http://www.intellibatt.com
http://www.intellibatt.com/news/press-intellibatt-secures-22-million-equity.php

San Francisco-Based Kiip Raises $11 Million in Second Round

San Francisco -- Kiip, the San Francisco-based developer of a mobile rewards network that delivers tangible rewards for virtual achievements, said on Tuesday it has raised $11 million in its second round of funding, led by Relay Ventures. Previous backers Hummer Winblad and True Ventures also participated in the round, which the company's will use to expand its network beyond gaming and launch new consumer-facing products. Kiip also said it plans to launch a new app, a mobile rewards wallet that consumers can use to store their rewards while exploring new apps and games that are Kiip-enabled. The app, called Kiipsake, is scheduled for release later this month. Currently, the company is tracking more than 100 million user achievements and progress milestones each month in the U.S. on more than 400 apps. Kiip currently works with more than 40 brands, including American Apparel, Best Buy, Disney, Dr Pepper, PepsiCo, Popchips, Sony Music, 1-800-Flowers.com and Wrigley.
http://www.kiip.com 
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120717005452/en/Kiip-Raises-11-Million-Funding-Fuel-Explosive

San Rafael-Based Autodesk to Acquire Socialcam for $60 Million

San Rafael, Calif. -- Autodesk, the San Rafael-based developer of 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, said on Tuesday it will pay approximately $60 million to acquire San Francisco-based Socialcam, the year-old developer of video capture, editing and sharing apps. The deal is expected to close by the end of October. "Video is an ideal medium for professionals and consumers alike to communicate and share their design ideas," said Samir Hanna, vice president of the Autodesk Consumer Group. "We are excited to have Socialcam join our growing portfolio of applications, services and communities." Socialcam is a smartphone app and web-based service that allows users to capture, edit and share videos. The app has been downloaded more than 16 million times by Apple and Android users since its debut in 2011.
http://socialcam.com/
http://www.autodesk.com
http://news.autodesk.com/news/autodesk/20120717005592/en/Autodesk-Signs-Agreement-Acquire-Socialcam

San Francisco-Based Loggly Lands $5.7 Million, Names CEO and CTO

San Francisco -- Loggly, a San Francisco-based developer of an online log management service, said on Tuesday it has landed $5.7 million in a new round of funding and named Charlie Oppenheimer as CEO and Jim Nisbet as CTO and vice president of engineering. The funding, from True Ventures, Trinity Ventures and Matrix Partners, will enable the two-year-old company to expand its team and accelerate growth. Oppenheimer previously served as the CEO of software companies Digital Fountain (acquired by Qualcomm) and Aptiva (acquired by Yahoo), and most recently was an executive-in-residence at Matrix Partners. Nisbet, meanwhile, has held CTO roles at RSA, Tablus and DataTools, and also has founded two software companies.
http://www.loggly.com/
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120717005335/en/Loggly-Secures-5.7M-Names-CEO-CTOVP-Engineering

Yahoo Names Former Google Executive as New CEO

Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Marking its fifth CEO since September, Sunnyvale-based Yahoo late Monday named former Google executive Marissa Mayer as its new head, tasking the 37-year-old with turning around the struggling Internet company. Mayer succeeds Ross Levinsohn, who in May replaced Scott Thompson on an interim basis after Thompson was forced to step down amid allegations that he misrepresented his academic credentials. The company's leadership carousel began in September, when it fired Carol Bartz, appointing Tim Morse as interim CEO. Yahoo said its latest higher signals a "renewed focus on product innovation to drive user experience and advertising revenue." Mayer most recently served as the vice president of local, maps and location services at Google where she oversaw products such as Google Maps, Google Earth, Zagat, Street View and local search. She also curated the Google Doodle program, celebrating special events on the company's homepage. Mayer joined Google as its first female engineer in 1999. "Marissa is a well-known, visionary leader in user experience and product design and one of Silicon Valley's most exciting strategists in technology development," said Yahoo co-founder David Filo.
http://pressroom.yahoo.net/pr/ycorp/236553.aspx

San Bruno-Based Dynamic Signal Raises $13.3 Million in Second Round

San Bruno, Calif. -- Dynamic Signal, a San Bruno-based developer of web-based enterprise marketing software, said on Monday it has raised $13.3 million in its second round of funding, led by Venrock. New investor Time Warner Investments and previous backers Trinity Ventures and Cox Enterprises also participated in the round, which increases the company's total funding to more than $21 million. Dynamic Signal said it will use the new capital to bolster its sales and marketing efforts, expand engineering and grow its client support organization. The company's Brand Amplification Platform is designed to identify high value fans, bloggers and influencers, recruit them and build one-to-one relationships with them across all social channels.
http://www.dynamicsignal.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120716005948/en/Social-CRM-Provider-Dynamic-Signal-Raises-13.3M

Tegal Acquires CollabRx; Combined Company to Be Based in S.F.

Petaluma, Calif. -- Tegal, a Petaluma-based developer of emerging technologies in medical devices and health care, said on Monday it has acquired CollabRx, a Palo Alto-based developer of interpretive content and data analytics tools used in genomics-based medicine. Under the deal, Tegal will issue about 236,000 shares, representing 14% of its total stake. The CEOs of the two companies, Thomas Mika of Tegal and James Karis of CollabRx, will serve as co-CEOs of the combined, publicly traded company, which will operate under the CollabRx name with headquarters in San Francisco. The companies first announced plans for the deal in early July.
http://www.tegal.com
http://www.tegal.com/news/press-releases/83-tegal-news/press-releases-2011/232-tegal-corporation-closes-acquisition-of-collabrx-inc-and-reports-inducement-grants-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4

S.F.-Based Francisco Partners Acquires Cross Match Technologies

San Francisco -- Francisco Partners, a the San Francisco-based private equity firm focused on technology, said on Monday it has acquired Florida-based Cross Match Technologies, a provider of biometric identity management systems, apps and services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 1996, Cross Match's technology is used to capture and process the unique physiological characteristics of individuals to verify their identities. The company has more than 5,000 customers worldwide, including the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, State Department and various state and local governments.
http://www.franciscopartners.com 
http://www.crossmatch.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120716005428/en/Francisco-Partners-Acquires-Biometrics-Provider-Cross-Match

Sunnyvale-Based Accuray to Acquire Morphormics

Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Accuray, a Sunnyvale-based developer of technology used in radiation oncology, said on Monday it will pay approximately $5.7 million to acquire Morphormics, a North Carolina-based developer of software designed to automatically recognize and extract anatomical structures from medical images. In 2008, Accuray began licensing Morphormics' autocontouring technology, which automatically identifies and draws the boundaries of the prostate and surrounding critical structures.  This enables the treatment planning software to focus the radiation dose on the prostate and minimize radiation to surrounding critical structures. Accuray said it now plans to extend these autocontouring capabilities to improve disease specific workflows.
http://www.accuray.com
http://www.accuray.com/media/press-releases/accuray-acquire-morphormics-inc