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Custom Fit Mens' Clothing Brand Bonobos Raises $16.4M From Accel; Lands Nordstrom Investment And Retail Deal
Apr 12, 12:21PM
Bonobos, a brand that sells custom fit mens clothing online, has raised $16.4 million led by retail giant Nordstrom, with Accel Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners participating. This brings the company's total funding to nearly $40 million. In addition to the funding, Nordstrom will now sell Bonobos clothing at a number of its stores and on Nordstrom.com. The news was originally reported by the New York Times. Bonobos is best known for launching an online site to help men find better-fitting pants. The company debuted in 2007 with their signature pants, and eventually expanded to offer a full menswear line, including dress shirts, suits, shorts, sweaters and more.Help Gratefully Received: On-Screen Web Guidance System WalkMe Picks Up $1M+ From Mangrove
Apr 12, 12:11PM
Microsoft has Clippy the Office Assistant to help confused users make their way around Word, and a startup from Israel called WalkMe earlier this month launched a service that offers the equivalent for the web: an interactive, on-screen guide that helps users get around complicated web pages. And two weeks out in the market, WalkMe has announced its first round of funding, from Luxembourg-based Mangrove Capital Partners. The exact value of the Series A investment was not disclosed but TechCrunch understands it is over $1 million.Microsoft Inks Its Biggest Cloud Deal Yet: 7.5M Students And Teachers In India
Apr 12, 11:34AM
Microsoft just moments ago announced that it has signed its largest-ever cloud services deal, an agreement with the All India Council for Technical Education to deploy Microsot's Live@edu service to some 10,000 technical colleges in the country, covering 7.5 million users. The deal is significant not just for its size but also as a mark of how cloud services are developing in two big areas at the moment: education and emerging markets -- and how Microsoft is staking out a claim to be a player in both.Livestream's New Livestream Broadcaster Will Let You Live Stream From Almost Any Camera
Apr 12, 11:30AM
Livestream, the premium live video streaming service, is announcing an interesting new product today: a $485 hardware encoder that can be connected to virtually any camera and that can stream HD video directly to the Web through a WiFi connection or most USB wireless modems. The small device is fully integrated into the new Livestream platform. The purchase price includes three months of free access to Livestream's ad-free HD streaming service (normally $45/month). Livestream describes the device as "the industry's first affordable unlimited ad-free HD live streaming end-to-end solution."With Punch, Tablets Get Their Own Humor Magazine
Apr 12, 11:04AM
Have you ever wanted a chance to dress Rick Santorum? What about listening to a playlist of your favorite dictators tackling your favorite musical standards? Now you can, thanks to a new app called Punch. Punch Media co-founder and CEO David Bennahum says the goal was to create "culturally relevant content that could only exist on a tablet" — not on a website or a printed magazine. The format is something called "The Culture Shelf," where you can tap on different icons leading to Punch's features. Most of those features are like op culture games, or are at least interactive in some way.How To Scale A $1 Billion Startup: A Guide From Instagram Co-Founder Mike Krieger
Apr 12, 10:32AM
Instagram's co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger have been noticeably silent since their photo-sharing app Instagram was bought by Facebook earlier this week for $1 billion. In the meantime there has been a lot written about that deal, from praise to backlash, parsing what it means and why. But if you'd like to hear a little (actually, a lot) about how Instagram got to where it did, read on.Selling Versus Selling Out
Apr 12, 8:39AM
"They could have done so much more," is a quip I've been hearing a lot the past few days, about, who else? Instagram. The news that the Silicon Valley darling sold to Facebook left so many people heartbroken. Paul Ford over at New York magazine even wrote a long article about why so many people were heartbroken and, gasp, threatening to delete their Instagram accounts.Sony Confirms 10,000 Jobs To Go As Part Of Its Big 'One Sony' Reorganization
Apr 12, 7:51AM
So the reports have proven to be true: Sony has now officially said that it will be reducing its headcount by 10,000 people worldwide, some six percent of its workforce, as the struggling electronics giant reorganizes under new management and its new "One Sony" plan. Sony says the employee reductions will be made over the course of this fiscal year, and will also include some employees leaving the company through sale and transfer. Meanwhile, the organizational restructuring will see Sony strengthen its focus on the core units of digital imaging, gaming and mobile; attempt to turn around its ailing TV business and expand in emerging markets. Altogether Sony estimates that the restructuring will cost it ¥75 billion ($926 million).LoveThis Launches Social Recommendation 'Anti-App' By Adding Facebook, Email Tips To The Mix
Apr 12, 6:56AM
Feeling overloaded by social recommendation apps? Get ready for another one hitting the market, although this one says it will come with a twist: LoveThis, the social recommendation service that launched last year with $2 million in funding, today has launched an iOS app to let friends recommend across 10 categories, from books and films to places to eat. But unlike apps like Amen or Foursquare that rely on people using the app to suggest or tag things, this one says it will also take into account recommendations made by contacts elsewhere, such as Facebook and email, who do not have to be signed up to LoveThis to put their two cents into the mex. And, unlike many other apps that focus first on scale before trying to work in the business model, Alex Dormandy, the CEO of the company, says LoveThis already has a plan here, too. LoveThis is free to use, but the idea will be that something recommended through LoveThis can subsequently be bought via the app. It's not there yet but is in the works.Viadeo Raises $32M To Expand Its Professional Social Network In China, Russia And Beyond
Apr 12, 4:55AM
Paris-based business social networking site Viadeo may have put a planned IPO into a holding pattern last year, but it is not having any trouble raising capital elsewhere as it forges ahead with its international expansion. Today, it has announced that it has picked up funding worth $32 million -- one of the largest recent tech investments in Europe and the biggest ever for a social network in the region. Investors in this round included government-backed funds the French Sovereign Wealth Fund and the Fonds Stratégique d'Investissement; institutional shareholders Idinvest and Ventech; and several new investors such as Allianz, Jefferies, and Middle Eastern private funds. This most recent round of funding, Viadeo's fourth, takes the total amount invested in the company to $50.2 million.Instagram Aftermath: It's Time For Entrepreneurs To Go All-In
Apr 12, 2:49AM
Q: What does the Instagram acquisition mean for startups? A: A LOT. At the close of 2011, there was a lot of uncertainty for startups. Stock market fluctuations, underwhelming talent acquisitions ("acqui-hires"), and structural investment problems threatened the prospects for startups.Walkie Talkie App Voxer Goes Big, IVP And Intel Lead $30 Million Round
Apr 12, 1:03AM
Voxer, a walkie talkie mobile app that lets you talk to friends across iPhones and Androids, looked like an overnight success last November when it soared to its current place as a top social networking app in the app stores. But the company is five years old and has been working hard to figure out the software and design it needed to win big. It's ready to go all the way, having just closed a funding round of more than $30 million led by Institutional Venture Partners, Intel Capital and numerous angels, I've heard from multiple sources. The company has confirmed the amount and agreed to share more -- but it didn't confirm the valuation, which I hear ended up at $180 million pre-money after a couple months of discussions with many interested investors.InnoSpring Launches First U.S.-China Accelerator & Seed Fund, Backed By Kleiner Perkins & More
Apr 12, 12:58AM
As research from the Startup Genome is beginning to show, the world has become a global entrepreneurial playing field, as cities from Tel Aviv to Santiago evolve into thriving startup ecosystems, becoming both regional and global engines of job creation. With such a large, increasingly Internet-connected population, China, too, has become an important part of this conversation for web startups. (See TechCrunch Disrupt Beijing.) In spite of the huge market opportunities, however, historically it's been tricky for foreign technology businesses to gain significant traction inside the Eastern power. Today, a consortium of Chinese and American financial institutions are looking to change that by launching Silicon Valley's first U.S.-China tech accelerator, called InnoSpring. The new incubator officially opened its doors today, giving the world a sneak peek at its first batch of 12 startups, which will be making their home in the company's new 13,500 square-foot facility in Santa Clara, Calif.Adfonic Announces TV-Style Mobile Ad Units
Apr 12, 12:43AM
London-headquartered Adfonic is getting into the video side of the mobile ad business today with the launch of its first video ad units. Chief Marketing Officer Paul Childs says that as smartphone and tablet usage grows, advertisers should be able to treat mobile as just another channel for their campaigns — so Adfonic wants to provide an easy way for them to bring the video content they're already creating for TVs and movie theaters onto mobile.Spotted: A TV Commercial For Payments Company Square
Apr 12, 12:22AM
I just happened to have my TV turned to the Cooking Channel (which is part of the Food Network) and saw a commercial for payments platform Square. This appears to be the first big commercial ad push for Square on TV. I've contacted Square for confirmation. The commercial was pretty straightforward and featured a number of merchants that all use Square to accept credit card payments, including a hairstylist, tailor and mechanic. The commercial showed the merchants actually swiping cards from customers, e-signatures on the app, and mentioned that Square can be used on Android and iPhones.Flower Subscription Service H.Bloom Raises $10 Million
Apr 12, 12:20AM
Subscription flower delivery Service H.Bloom, which once described itself as the 'Netflix of Flowers,' raised a $10 million Series B funding round today. The investment was lead by Shasta Ventures with the participation of a number of existing VC funds and angel investors, including Battery Ventures, Thomas Lehrman of Gerson Lerhman Group, and ShoeDazzle's Brian Lee. Shasta's Sean Flynn is also joining the H.Bloom board. In total, including this round, H.Bloom has now raised $18 million.The Hunt For An 'Instagram For Video' Is On, And Socialcam Wants The Crown
Apr 11, 11:51PM
By all accounts, Y Combinator's latest Demo Day held last month for its Winter 2012 class was a biggie. With 66 companies presenting their apps, it was pretty impossible to name a startup that was the clear star of the group. But judging from the buzz I've heard over the past few weeks, Socialcam, a mobile app for shooting, editing, and sharing smartphone videos, certainly emerged as one of the standout companies from this latest YC batch -- at least in the eyes of the venture capital investor set. That's why we were pleased have the chance to talk with Socialcam's co-founder and CEO Michael Seibel last week when we visited Founders Den, the co-working space in downtown San Francisco. Watch the interview above to hear Seibel talk about how Socialcam looks at growth just two weeks at a time, why they chose to work in Founders Den rather than renting out their own office, why now is an extremely good time to be a tech startup founder, and more. Of course, something big has happened since we sat down with Seibel: Now that Instagram has been snapped up by Facebook in an eye-popping $1 billion deal, it's become even more clear that the excitement around apps like Socialcam may just be getting started.Why Does The New Google+ Use So Much Whitespace?
Apr 11, 11:07PM
Google launched a massive redesign of Google+ earlier today. The reaction to this new interface for the company's fledgling social network have been generally positive, but most users are somewhat confused about why there is suddenly so much whitespace on the site. Indeed, the #whitespace hashtag is currently trending on the site and it's probably the most discussed "feature" of the new design. I think there is a reason behind this madness, though.Samsung's $249 Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 To Make U.S. Debut On April 22, We Go Hands-On
Apr 11, 11:00PM
Samsung teased the masses this past February when they revealed that one of their first Ice Cream Sandwich-powered tablets would be the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, a decidedly mid-range device that seemed lacking in the style department. At the time, Samsung made it known that the Tab would arrive in the U.K. Before trickling down to the rest of the world, a plan that didn't really pan out. These days, Samsung has been a bit more forthcoming with details for the U.S. market, and the company has just recently given me what I've been waiting for: a price and a release date. The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 will officially launch in the United States on April 22 with a pretty enticing $249 price tag attached to it. I'll be posting a more comprehensive review of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 after I've gotten the chance to play with it for more than a day, but here are a few of a my first impressions.Condé Nast Buys Recipe Startup ZipList
Apr 11, 10:51PM
Publisher Condé Nast has acquired ZipList, an online service that allows users to save recipes and turn them into ingredient shopping lists. AllThingsD's Peter Kafka is reporting that the acquisition price was $14 million, including earnouts for some employees. I've asked a company spokesperson to confirm the amount, but I haven't heard back. Last month, the company announced that it has been used by more than 1 million people. Founder and CEO Geoff Allen also told me that ZipList was focusing on a partnership strategy, where it provides recipe search and/or shopping list capabilities for partners like Martha Stewart, The Daily Meal, and Ming Tsai.If at any time you'd like to stop receiving these messages, just send an email to feeds_feedburner_com_techcrunch+unsubscribe-hmdtechnology=gmail.com@mail.feed2email.net.
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