Pasadena-based LeisureLink , which operates an online marketplace and service for vacation rental booking, has raised $3.5M LeisureLink has previously raised funding from Clearstone Venture Partners, Group RCI, Kodiak Ventures LP, Mission Ventures, Pasadena Angels and the Tech Coast Angels. Tags: leisurelink vacation rental travel venture capita in a funding round. The round came to light through last week's PricewaterhouseCoopers/NVCA MoneyTree report.

Pasadena-based LeisureLink has signed on a loyalty and incentive company, Destination Rewards, as part of its travel services, the firm said earlier this week. The company is venture backed by Clearstone Venture Partners, Mission Ventures, the Pasadena Angels, the Tech Coast Angels, and others. LeisureLink, which provides online distribution and marketing of vacation lodging, said that it will offer consumer rewards and loyalty programs that can be used for vacation travel and merchandise. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Pasadena-based LeisureLInk , which operates an online platform for vacation rental and specialty lodging providers, said Wednesday that it has signed on a Florida luxury resort, Silver Lake Resort. LeisureLink provides online travel booking software used by vacation rental and specialty lodging operators, and is venture backed by Mission Ventures and Clearstone Venture Partners. Financial impact of the win was not disclosed. According to LeisureLink, the resort has implemented its booking engine on its web site.

Pasadena-based LeisureLink has closed on $6.2M LeisureLink, which provides a distribution and booking service for specialty lodging, said the round was led by Mission Ventures and Clearstone Venture Partners, and also included participation from its other insiders. Tags: travel booking venture lodging leisurelink capita in a first tranche of additional funding for the travel firm, the company disclosed today. LeisureLink helps specialty lodging and vacation rental providers to get bookings.

Pasadena-based Big Stage Entertainment , which is developing technology for creating 3D avatars, said Tuesday that the firm has hired on Patrick Barry as the firm's Vice President of Content Alliances. Big Stage Entertainment is venture backed by Mission Ventures, Selby Ventures, and the Tech Coast Angels and based on technology spun out of the University of Southern California. Big Stage said that Barry joins the firm from SK Telecom, where he was Senior Director of Corporate Development and Strategy. Barry has also served at Brilliant Digital, Warner Bros.,

Pasadena-based Big Stage Entertainment , a developer of 3D avatar creation software, has released new software today which allows users of the popular Skype voice calling application to lip synch spoken words through a photo-realistic avatar. Big Stage is venture backed by Mission Ventures, Selby Ventures and Tech Coast Angels, and is based on technology developed at the University of Southern California. Big Stage said its new beta software-- Blabber for Skype --is a free, plug-in for Skype's internet phone system, and works with avatars created in Big Stage using user provided digital photos of themself.

Pasadena-based Big Stage Entertainment , which develops 3D, avatar creation technology, has signed on a virtual world as a licensee of its technology. Big Stage is venture backed by Mission Ventures, Selby Ventures, and the Tech Coast Angels. Big Stage said that photo-realistic, 3-D virtual universe Blue Mars 2150 has licensed its 3-D, facial modeling technology. Financial impact of the win was not disclosed.

Pasadena-based Big Stage Entertainment , which develops 3D avatar technology, said today that it has partnered with video game company GGL Global Gaming, to provide free game content on its web site. The firm is venture backed by Mission Ventures, Selby Ventures, and the Tech Coast Angels; the firm's technology is a result of CIA-funded research efforts at USC. According to Big Stage, the deal will allow users on the site to insert the firm's 3D avatars into game photos and videos. GGL operates a video game social networking site, which provides news, communities,

Pasadena-based Big Stage Entertainment, which is developing 3D avatar technology, said today that it has opened up its proprietary 3-D facial modeling system to third parties. Big Stage is backed by Mission Ventures, Selby Venture, and the Tech Coast Angels. According to the firm, it will make its technology available via a program called PortableYou, to enable third parties to integrate the technology into video games, virtual worlds, web sites, mobile applications, and more. The firm said the program will include application programming interfaces (APIs), code samples,

Pasadena-based Big Stage Entertainment , the venture-backed startup which is developing photo-realistic avatar technology, has exited its beta and officially launched its site. BigStage is venture backed by Mission Ventures, Selby Ventures, and the Tech Coast Angels, and is based on research from the University of Southern California; the firm's CEO, Phil Ressler, was formerly a venture capitalist at Clearstone Ventures, and the firm was co-founded by Jon Snoddy and Jon Kraft, who also helped co-found music service Pandora. The firm said the official launch will allow users to create what the firm calls an "@actor" -- a 3D avatar which can be inserted into movie and TV clips, music videos, still images, and elsewhere.