Phiily Tech TidBits 1/18/2011

TechCrunch reported that the amount recently raised by Conshohocken's Viridity Energy was $14 million. The investors were Braemar Energy Ventures and Intel Capital. Viridity's software and systems help businesses create "microgrids" to optimize energy consumption and buy off and sell to the main grid.

First Round Capital now shows 100 companies as being in its portfolio, though that includes a few exits.

The Open Angel Forum is coming to Philly on March 16. OAF is a group started by Jason Calacanis to provide a no-fee venue for startups to present to angel investors. They are now accepting applications. Morgan Lewis is hosting the event.

PennApps Mobile was held at Penn this past weekend, and 23 of the 31 teams that started the hackathon produced a demonstratable application. The Grand Prize winner was an app called MeepMe. Teams surveyed overwhelmingly chose Android as their development platform.


The Harrisburg Patriot-News has an article detailing the many failures of Pennsylvania's wine kiosks, which were removed from grocery stores late last month for an attitude adjustment. A few kiosks are being reinstalled and tested this week before a decision is made about reinstalling the rest. The machines were developed by Simple Brands of Conshohocken.

West Chester's QVC has chosen IBM's recently acquired Netezza data warehousing system to analyze user-generated content from its web forums. QVC says it expect to achieve a greater understanding of its customer needs "based on the online conversations they are having about our products and services".

Bipin Shah, the primary architect of CoreStates Financial's Money Access Center (MAC) ATM network back in the 1980s, is behind a new Radnor-based venture,Universal Business Payment Solutions Acquisitions Corporation , which aims to raise $72 million for a "blank check corporation" which would seek to make acquisitions and roll up smaller companies in the payroll processing, debit and credit card transaction processing, and prepaid plastic markets. The company is awaiting an SEC response to its proposed public offering (via Flying Kite Media)

Former Detroit Lions star Barry Sanders, who has stayed largely out of the public eye since his early retirement from the game, is making a comeback-sort of. He is helping to promote Comcast Business Services in the State of Michigan.


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