$86.2M Inogen IPO puts Goleta startups in play
By Stephen Nellis / Friday, December 6th, 2013 / Banking & Finance, Technology, Top Stories, Tri-County Public Companies / Comments Off on $86.2M Inogen IPO puts Goleta startups in play
Goleta-based Inogen, a maker of portable oxygen concentrators founded by UC Santa Barbara students, has filed for an initial public offering to raise up to $86.2 million. While many successful companies have been spun out of UCSB by professors and doctoral students, Inogen would likely be the first company founded by an undergraduate team to go public. Inogen won the program’s very first business plan competition in 2001.
Transphorm, Fujitsu partner on GaN plant
By Stephen Nellis / Friday, December 6th, 2013 / Technology, Top Stories / Comments Off on Transphorm, Fujitsu partner on GaN plant
Transphorm, the Goleta-based energy efficiency chipmaker spun out of UC Santa Barbara that has raised $110 million in venture capital, is partnering with Tokyo electronics giant and one-time rival Fujitsu Ltd. to create a new company in Japan.
UCSB snags $48M in Army funds for biology-related research
By Staff Report / Thursday, December 5th, 2013 / South Coast, Technology, Top Stories / Comments Off on UCSB snags $48M in Army funds for biology-related research
UC Santa Barbara said Dec. 5 that the U.S. Army has renewed its contract with the university’s Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies, providing an additional $48 million over three years to support biology-related research.
The new funds extend a decade of unclassified research in areas such as biotechnology tools, futuristic materials, energy generation and storage, systems and synthetic biology and neuroscience.
Paso groups agree on water plan
By Staff Report / Thursday, December 5th, 2013 / Agribusiness, Central Coast, Top Stories / Comments Off on Paso groups agree on water plan
With potentially expensive lawsuits looming in the background, two of the groups jockeying to shape the future of a water district in Paso Robles wine country have put aside their differences in hopes of avoiding years in court and millions of dollars in legal fees.
Santa Maria Energy to raise $40M, go public
By Stephen Nellis / Thursday, December 5th, 2013 / Central Coast, Top Stories, Tri-County Economy / Comments Off on Santa Maria Energy to raise $40M, go public
Santa Maria Energy is going public and raising at least $40 million in new capital — and possibly much more – which could put the firm’s total funds raised at an estimated $90 million.
Santa Maria Energy’s contentious project to drill 136 new oil wells in North Santa Barbara County received approval from the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors last month. The Supervisors imposed strict limits on the project’s carbon emissions, essentially implementing a 10,000-ton-per-year cap and requiring the company to buy carbon credits if it goes over that limit.
Marshalls building on State Street sells for $14.3M
By Staff Report / Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013 / Real Estate, South Coast, Top Stories / 1 Comment
The Marshalls-occupied building at 900 State St. in downtown Santa Barbara has been sold for $14.3 million in an all-cash off-market deal, marking a 43 percent premium over the last time the property changed hands.
Sansum-Cottage deal heads to FTC for review
By Marlize van Romburgh / Friday, November 29th, 2013 / Health Care & Life Science, South Coast, Top Stories, Tri-County Economy / Comments Off on Sansum-Cottage deal heads to FTC for review
The future of health care in South Santa Barbara County became considerably clearer in recent days, with the biggest merger in decades headed off for regulatory review and hiccups in the delivery of care through the state insurance exchange and to the poor largely resolved.