A weekly roundup of must-read L.A. tech investments and acquisitions.
$40 million
Type: Equity
Location: Santa Monica
Investors: Led by New York’s Eminence Capital, with participation from Greycroft Partners, William Morris Endeavor and Ziffren Brittenham
Description: Whipclip allows users to find and share clips of just-aired TV shows and sporting events, as well as search for specific moments from past episodes. Clips can be shared within Whipclip’s app, but also on different platforms, such as Facebook. The company said its videos have been viewed more than 10 million times during the last three months within its app and on other websites.
Related: Clip-Sharing App Whips up $40 Million
$15 million
Type: Equity
Location: El Segundo
Investors: Unknown
Description: Navitas manufactures power management integrated circuits that enable high-frequency, high-efficiency and high-density power electronics. The semiconductor company said it has a research and development partnership with the Hughes Research Lab and more than 100 patents.
$240 million valuation
Type: Merger
Location: West Los Angeles
Merging Companies: Collective Digital Studio and Studio71
Investor: Prosieben
Description: Collective Digital Studio, a West Los Angeles YouTube multi-channel network, announced it had merged with Studio71, a multi-channel YouTube subsidiary of German media conglomerate ProSiebenSat.1 Group. The resulting company, called Collective Studio71, will be 75 percent owned by ProSieben and 25 percent owned by the founders of CDS. ProSieben will invest $83 million in the venture, giving the new company a post-investment valuation of $240 million.
Related: Collective Digital Studio Merges with ProSieben Subsidiary
$100 million
Type: Acquisition
Location: Venice
Acquirer: Zealot Networks
Description: In its biggest acquisition to date, Zealot Networks purchased viral content website ViralNova. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but media reports suggested it was valued at $100 million in stock, cash and potential earn-outs. Zealot has been reverse engineering an online entertainment behemoth, rolling up 15 advertising and talent agencies and small media companies since its launch last August.
Related: Zealot Enters Content Market With Latest Purchase
Technology reporter Garrett Reim can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @garrettreim for the latest in L.A. tech news.
