Katzenberg’s short-form video project raises $1 billion; SpaceX hosting mars landing conference; Nexus Technologies acquires Cal Net
Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo has raised its first funding round, netting $1 billion for its incubated mobile video streaming startup NewTV. The Business Journal reports the round’s backers included 21st Century Fox Inc., Walt Disney Co., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., and Viacom Inc. NewTV, which is expected to have a new name this fall, will focus on audiences aged 25 to 30 and offer 10-minute original programming with options to remove ads. Former Hewlett Packard Inc. executive Meg Whitman agreed to lead NewTV in March.
SpaceX Plans Mars Landing Conference
Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is hosting a “Mars Workshop” at the University of Colorado Boulder this week, Ars Technica reports. The event is designed to figure out how Mars missions could happen in the near future and is expected to include several leaders from NASA’s Mars exploration program.
Nexus Technologies Acquires Cal Net
The Business Journal reports managed IT service provider Cal Net Technology Group was acquired by ABRY Partners subsidiary Nexus Technologies Inc. (which does business as NexusTek) Aug. 6. The acquisition was part of a larger round in which NexusTek acquired two other companies based in Phoenix and Massachusetts.
