9.29.14

Entertainment:

·         Dreamworks Animation is in talks with Softbank to be acquired for $3.4B, the stock is currently up by 25%

o   http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/source-dreamworks-animation-sale-talks-736164

o   http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/29/business/media/japanese-company-is-said-to-bid-for-dreamworks-animation.html?gwh=7C0792B94B972EEBBBDFCF67B16104C1&gwt=pay&assetType=nyt_now

·         UK producers Liza Marshall and Kris Thykier have launched Archery Pictures

o   http://deadline.com/2014/09/uk-producers-liza-marshall-kris-thykier-launch-archery-pictures-842853/

·         UK Broadcasters to copy the US broadcast business model to capitalize on retransmission fees

o   http://deadline.com/2014/09/itv-channel-4-retransmission-fees-bskyb-virgin-media-841061/

·         Rupert Murdoch made $29.2MM last year

o   http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rupert-murdochs-21st-century-fox-733133

·         Amazon Studios sets ‘Alpha House’ season 2 for binge-viewing release

o   http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/amazon-sets-alpha-house-season-2-premiere-for-binge-viewing-mode-1201316210/

·         UMG has partnered with ad placement agency Mirriad and Havas

o   http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/6266592/umg-partners-with-science-fictional-ad-placement

·         Telefonica’s Movistar TV has increased its subscriber base by 31% since last year

o   http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2014092935462/movistar-tv-increases-subscribers-in-struggling-market.html#axzz3EiuxNaQh

Tech:

·         GoPro announced three new cameras today, the new flagship Hero4Black can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second, and the stock is up roughly 6%

o   http://www.wired.com/2014/09/go-pro-hero-4/

·         Facebook launched Atlas to better compete with Google Ad Sense

o   http://www.wired.com/2014/09/facebook-launches-atlas/

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/09/28/facebook-atlas-relaunch/

·         Garmin has unveiled Vivosmart, a smartwatch and activity tracking device

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/09/29/garmin-vivosmart-review-part-activity-tracker-part-smartwatch-all-awesome/

·         365Scores, an app to keep sports fans updated with the latest sports news, raised $5.5MM

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/09/29/365scores-5m-funding/

·         OurCrowd, Israel’s AngelList, plans to invest $100MM in startups next year

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/09/26/ourcrowd-2/

·         Google rolls out new display ads for mobile devices

o   http://venturebeat.com/2014/09/29/google-rolls-out-new-display-ads-for-mobile/

·         Shyp, an app that sends someone to your home to package and ship your goods, launched in NYC

o   http://venturebeat.com/2014/09/29/shipping-startup-shyp-comes-to-new-york-and-soon-miami/

·         GumGum has rolled out a new programmatic ad platform for in-image advertising

o   http://www.socaltech.com/gumgum_rolls_programmatic_ad_platform_for_images/s-0057138.html

·         Samsung to offer the Google Play Music Service free in Brazil

o   http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/global/6266580/samsung-to-offer-google-play-music-service-free-in-brazil

·         Instagram is reportedly blocked in China amid Hong Kong protests

o   http://recode.net/2014/09/28/instagram-reportedly-blocked-in-china-amid-hong-kong-protests/

·         Please see below for an interesting article on investing like a ‘tech tycoon’

o   http://online.barrons.com/news/articles/SB52784017629588234037504580174334015580258?mod=BOL_hp_highlight_1

Deals:

·         Tibco Software announced that Vista Equity Partners will take the company private for $4.3B

o   http://venturebeat.com/2014/09/29/tibco-goes-private-for-4-3-billion/

·         Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, a leading bagel making company, was acquired by JAB Holding Company for $374MM

o   http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/29/joh-a-benckiser-to-buy-bagel-maker-einstein-noah-for-374-million/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Mergers%20&%20Acquisitions&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs&region=Body&_r=0

·         Lenovo will close its $2.1B acquisition of IBM’s x86 on Oct. 1^st

o   http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/29/us-lenovo-ibm-deals-idUSKCN0HO08N20140929

Business:

·         Yahoo! to shut down Qwiki, Yahoo Education, and The Yahoo Directory

o   http://techcrunch.com/2014/09/26/yahoo-to-shut-down-qwiki-yahoo-education-and-the-yahoo-directory/

o   http://www.vox.com/xpress/2014/9/29/6863825/rip-old-yahoo

·         Microsoft has launched the Xbox One in China

o   http://venturebeat.com/2014/09/28/its-official-finally-microsoft-launches-xbox-one-in-china/

·         Alibaba paid $459MM for a 15% stake in the Chinese hotel tech company - Beijing Shiji Information Technology

o   http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/28/us-alibaba-deals-idUSKCN0HN0I920140928

Exec Moves:

·         Shine Group’s CEO, Alex Mahon, will leave the company and Sophie Turner Laing will step in as the new CEO

o   http://deadline.com/2014/09/sophie-turner-laing-ceo-merged-shine-endemol-core-842681/

·         Lisa Eisenpresser has been hired as a consultant at Relativity Digital

o   http://deadline.com/2014/09/relativity-hire-raises-eyebrows-lisa-eisenpresser-842083/

Retail:

Startups:

·         Anki, a racing game that uses AI and robotics, has raised $55MM in its Series C from JP Morgan, Andreessen Horowitz, and others

o http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/anki

o http://recode.net/2014/09/26/robotic-toy-carmaker-anki-raises-55-million/

Government:

·         The ISIS Campaign spend nears $1B

o http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2014/09/29/isis-campaign-already-costs-close-to-1b.html

Other:

·         Today is National Coffee Day

o   http://mashable.com/2014/09/29/national-coffee-day-2014/