The one group of investors you can count on to support you in a crisis are your Angels, and I saw two examples over the Holidays. Over a few short weeks during the Holidays, groups of Angels, one  led by Dave Berkus, raised enough money to secure the futures of these companies. Emergency cash is never free, even from Angels. MORE >>

At a recent accelerator event on the West Side, a friendly young founder told me that he had been coached by his mentor not to talk to Angel groups.  As a Pasadena Angel, I wanted to be shocked, but I wasn’t.  The Angel funding process can be arduous.  We know we’re short of capital, particularly in LA.  MORE >>

Mission Viejo-based OptionEase , the developer of software-as-a-service for tracking stock options and equity, as well as valuation and compliance, has been acquired by Solium Capital Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. Solium Capital is a developer of cloud software for equity administration, financial reporting and compliance. MORE >>

The firm is headed by Rick Stollmeyer, and has also received backing from the Pasadena Angels, Tech Coast Angels, and Frontera Capital. Tags: mindbody software saas venture capital Mindbody develops scheduling and business management, software-as-a-service for the wellness, health, spa, and related businesses. MORE >>

The latest numbers from the PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association MoneyTree report were released today, finding that a total of $683.7M billion in venture capital. Los Angeles had a total of $311.25M in deals for the quarter, followed by Orange County with $197.8M, then San Diego, with $174.6M in funding. MORE >>