Digital music startup Slacker Inc. has raised $9.8 million from an equity sale, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Slacker has no comment on the sale, said Anders Steele, a Slacker spokesman.
Slacker sells a portable music player that downloads music according to preset “stations” reflecting user tastes.
SoCalTech, a Web site that tracks investments, reported the transaction on Wednesday, the date of its filing.
Archive for June, 2009
Slacker Inc. Raises $9.8 Million
By: Bradley Fikes — June 18th, 2009UCSD’s Frank Shu Wins $1M Shaw Prize in Astronomy
By: Bradley Fikes — June 17th, 2009Frank H. Shu, a professor of physics at UC San Diego, has been awarded the $1 million Shaw Prize for his research in astronomy.
Shu, a resident of Solana Beach, was honored for his stellar research into the beginnings of solar systems and stars. His theory explained how vast magnetic fields and turbulence worked with gravity to bring together thinly dispersed matter to form stars and planets. Previous theories relied on gravity to explain the process.
For example, the spiral shape of galaxies and the rings of Saturn are explained by Shu’s work. The shapes were created by density waves as matter aggregated billions of years ago, according to a theory he co-developed in the 1960s.
The award, sometimes called the “Nobel Prize of the East,” goes to scientists who have made exceptional discoveries in astronomy, mathematical sciences or life sciences and medicine. Hong Kong media mogul Run Run Shaw established the award, administered by the Shaw Prize Foundation in Hong Kong.
On the Realside – On Hiatus
By: Zach Fox — June 9th, 2009Reporter Zach Fox is no longer with the North County Times, having relocated to the East Coast. “On the Realside” may resume as other reporters cover real estate issues in North San Diego and Southwest Riverside counties. In the meantime, you may send your real estate and business news tips to business@nctimes.com.
Animal Spirits: My New Column On Innovation and Entrepreneurship
By: Bradley Fikes — June 9th, 2009UCSD contest gives fledgling company a lift
In recessions, most businesses retrench and focus on the immediate future. But the drive to innovate means there’s always new companies forming and new products being developed by entrepreneurs. Their energy and imagination creates new jobs, making up for those lost by traditional industries. So I am launching
This new column in the North County Times focuses on the world of innovation and entrepreneurship. It will be in the paper later, but the Internet-wise like you can see it here first.
Easy money encourages a proliferation of new companies. But in a recession, scarce money makes investors a lot more selective. To get funded, you’ve got to be really good.
Biological Dynamics, a new biotechnology company, faces that challenge. It has invented a cancer detection device that rapidly extracts cancer “biomarkers”, molecules that indicate the presence of cancer, from whole blood.
While the idea sounds impressive, the cancer diagnostic field has lots of competition. Also the company’s founders aren’t the experienced veterans investors prefer. They’re graduate students at UC San Diego, where they developed the technology.
The company’s first-place win for its business plan in the UCSD Entrepreneur Challenge may open some doors for the newly-minted entrepreneurs. Biological Dynamics brought home a $40,000 prize. Second and third-place winners got $20,000 and $10,000. (more…)