8.21.14

Entertainment:

·         N3twork is a new app that filters and funnels online videos in a more traditional TV delivery style

o   http://www.wired.com/2014/08/finally-an-app-that-makes-online-video-as-watchable-as-regular-tv/

·         Soundcloud has launched an ad platform and preps to start a new paid subscription service to let listeners opt out of ads

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/21/soundcloud-launches-ad-platform-and-preps-ad-free-subscription-service/

·         UK’s Channel 4 is making a push into TV production with investments in Arrow Media, Lightbox, Popkorn, and True North

o   http://deadline.com/2014/08/edinburgh-channel-4-joins-acquisition-bandwagon-with-stakes-in-4-indies-822718/

·         ITV Studios Global Entertainment has renewed it deal with BBC Worldwide Australia

o   http://deadline.com/2014/08/global-showbiz-briefs-bbc-unveils-doctor-who-web-series-coronation-street-emmerdale-staying-on-aussie-tv-into-2020-822324/

·         Comic book and graphic novel publisher, BOOM! Studios, signs a first look deal with 20^th Century Fox

o   http://deadline.com/2014/08/boom-studios-first-look-deal-with-20th-century-fox-tv-822301/

·         Disney strikes a multiyear output deal with Mediacom

o   http://deadline.com/2014/08/disney-mediacom-sign-distribution-deal-822263/

·         AEG Live signs a deal to provide music clips to National CineMedia

o   http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/6222011/aeg-live-seals-deal-to-provide-music-clips-to-national-cinemedia

Tech:

·         Vine allows users to import video from your camera roll

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/20/with-a-billion-loops-every-day-vine-finally-lets-users-import-video-from-their-camera/

·         Fancred raises $3MM to build its social network dedicated to sports fans

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/21/fancred-gets-3m-to-continue-building-social-network-just-for-sports-fans/

·         Square launches ‘Analytics’, which expands on the daily reports that small businesses receive with their sales data

o   http://venturebeat.com/2014/08/21/square-launches-analytics-to-give-small-business-a-window-into-their-sales-data/

·         Facebook will pay people to find flaws in Oculus Rift

o   http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/20/6004113/facebook-will-now-pay-you-money-to-find-bugs-in-the-oculus-rift

·         Jaunt, a virtual reality company, raised $27.8MM to push for VR Hollywood cinema

o   http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/jaunt-aims-kick-start-hollywood-726666

·         Stellar, a story telling app, rolls out Stellar 2.0 that pushes the app more into social networking territory

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/21/storytelling-app-steller-becomes-more-of-a-social-network/

·         Shazam revealed that it is seeing 100 million monthly active users tagging songs and videos

o   http://venturebeat.com/2014/08/20/shazam-touts-tv-success-as-it-hits-100m-monthly-active-mobile-users/

Deals:           

·         Ticketfly acquired last-minute ticket app WillCall

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/21/concert-giant-ticketfly-acquires-last-minute-ticket-app-willcall/

Business:

·         Rubicon Project, an online ad tech provider, has announced it will power a private advertising exchange with Business Insider

o   http://www.socaltech.com/rubicon_project_wins_business_insider/s-0056567.html

·         eBay is considering spinning off PayPal and the stock is up 5%

o   http://www.businessinsider.com/r-ebay-considering-spinning-off-paypal-report-2014-8

·         BofA settles with US regulators for $16.65B over leading investors to buy into mortgage backed securities

o   http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/21/us-bankofamerica-settlement-idUSKBN0GL1A720140821

·         Comcast aims to hook college students on cable with live streaming TV over Wi-Fi with ‘Xfinity On Campus’

o   http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/21/6053029/comcast-xfinity-on-campus-aims-to-hook-college-students-on-cable

·         Uber opened up its software platform to nearly a dozen partner companies with mobile apps (Starbucks, United Airlines, Hyatt, and OpenTable) to make it more ubiquitous

o   http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-21/uber-teams-up-with-starbucks-united-airlines-opentable#r=hp-ls

Exec Moves:

Retail:

·         Gleam launches a B2B platform that lets brands pay a subscription fee to get real-time insights into how consumers interact with their products

o http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/21/gleam-launches-b2b-platform-based-on-data-from-its-fashion-app/

·         Toms shoes is valued at $625MM following its sale to Bain

o http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/20/toms-sells-half-of-itself-to-bain-capital/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Mergers%20&%20Acquisitions&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs&region=Body

Startups:

·         Double Dutch, an app that makes it easier to organize events and gather data from them, raises $15MM led by Peter Thiel’s Mithril Capital

o http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/peter-thiels-mithril-invests-in-doubledutch-an-events-app/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Venture%20Capital&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs&region=Body

Government:

Other:

·         The ALS Challenge has raised $41.8MM to date

o   http://www.thewrap.com/als-ice-bucket-challenge-raises-10-3-million-in-just-24-hours/