Startups

Amidst your Friday product releases and celebratory beers to cap a great week, I wanted to remind you that SXSW Accelerator applications are due TODAY! Similar to DEMO and TechCrunch Disrupt, the Austin-based conference is holding a showcase to feature the most exciting startups around. There are categories for Innovative Web Technology, Social Media and Social Networking Technology, Entertainment Technology, News Technology, and Music Technology.

Last Thursday night, December 2nd, was not your average Thursday night in LA. Not just because it was yet another sold-out Startup Nights but because it was the 6th LA Startup Nights, and was attended by some of LA’s best in the tech space, as well as, marked a turning point for Startup Nights.

After launching in 2009, Mobile Roadie has become the premier platform for anyone to create and manage their own mobile application.

Tech Coast Angels is the largest angel investor group in the US, with nearly 300 members and $100M personally invested in startups over the last decade. Some of their major hits include Sandpiper Networks (acquired by Digital Island for $630M) and Green Dot (NYSE: GDOT). And in recent years, they’ve been involved in some interesting SoCal startups such as Zag, SodaHead, and Vokle.

If you’ve ever wondered what your customers think while on your website, you’ll love KISSinsights. If you’ve ever wanted to ask questions to your users, you’ll love KISSinsights. If you’ve ever read a post by Steve Blank or Eris Ries, you’ll love KISSinsights. If you’re a freedom-loving Republican gubernatorial candidate in Tennesee…heck, you might love KISSinsights too.

Groupon ushered in the new era of group buying, and now hyper local and vertical deal sites are the name of the game. One such company, Santa Monica, Calif-based FamilyFinds, launched this week with $5.75 in funding from Split Rock Partners.

Somrat goes over the beginnings of Miso and how they are striving to be the ultimate TV companion. Somrat and Amanda discuss how the check-in craze is just a feature and how Miso is working on delivering true value to the consumer.

If you’re an LA entrepreneur and have not been to Coloft yet, you’re seriously missing out. Located just a few blocks from 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, this co-working space has evolved into the central meeting place for the Los Angeles startup scene. Avesta Rasouli and Cameron Kashani founded Coloft with the hopes of building an incredible environment for creative and technical talent to work, without having to spend an arm and a leg on office space. And, it seems that there’s no better event that highlights this goal than Startup Nights.

Remember the first time you used Google Docs? Magical, right? Well, Kyle Ellicott (serial entrepreneur and FIDM web lead) and Brian Robinson (founder of ndmweb) thought that web developers should get a taste of that collaboration innovation as well.

Namesake aims to create a better way to match and route opportunities that come across your desk every day. Create a network on the platform by importing your Twitter and Facebook contacts.