A weekly roundup of must-read L.A. tech investments and acquisitions.
uBeam
$15 million
Type: Convertible debt
Location: Santa Monica
Investor: Undisclosed
Description: Wireless charging startup uBeam of Santa Monica is raising a $15 million convertible debt round, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The company declined to comment, but the filing said nearly $9 million had been raised from 23 investors since the offering was initiated July 10. UBeam’s technology promises to wirelessly charge electronics at a distance of up to 15 feet by converting electricity into ultrasonic waves, and then back again.
Related: UBeam Raising $15 Million Debt Round
Fuisz Media
$10 million
Type: Equity
Location: Santa Monica
Investor: Led by Evolution Media Capital, private equity firm TPG Growth and studio Participant Media, with other individual investors participating
Description: Fuisz Media’s interactive video technology allows viewers to click on people, products and scenes in videos. Agencies and studios are eyeing it as a way to enhance product placement in film and television, giving consumers a way to purchase the products they see on screen.
FreedomPop
$10 million
Type: Equity
Location: West Los Angeles
Investor: Axiata Group
Description: Free cell phone service company FreedomPop of Los Angeles has raised financing as part of a partnership with Malaysian telecommunications company Axiata Group to expand its service to Southeast Asia. FreedomPop will leverage Axiata’s telecommunications infrastructure, while Axiata will use FreedomPop’s voice over Internet and data-driven customer upselling technology.
Related: FreedomPop Chooses Funding Over Exit
Ouya
Value Not Disclosed
Type: Acquisition
Location: Santa Monica
Buyer: Razer
Description: Gamer hardware maker Razer USA Ltd. of Carlsbad announced it had acquired the brand and software assets of console company Ouya. The purchase included Ouya’s online store and catalog of Android-based games only, not its hardware. Razer will integrate Ouya’s catalog of games into its own Android TV hardware product called Forge TV and 15 members of Ouya’s staff, mostly in software development, quality assurance and publishing, will join the company.
Related: Razer Acquires Assets of Game Platform Ouya
Jukin Media
$2 million
Type: Equity
Location: Los Angeles
Investor: Samsung Ventures
Description: Jukin Media, which owns, manages and licenses a library of more than 20,000 viral videos, said it took on new strategic capital from Samsung Ventures for financial flexibility, even though it remains profitable and hasn’t “touched any previously raised investor capital.” The company has previously raised $3.9 million in capital.
Related: Worth a Look?
