The Tech Coast Angels is reporting this morning that its members have now invested a total of $100M in Southern California companies, since it started in 1997. The angel investing group said the $100M was invested in more than 150 California-based companies, and included firms in the life sciences, software, Internet, biotechnology, media, business services, and consumer products areas. In addition to the lifetime total, the TCA released stats on its recent investing activity, and said it invested in 15 first-time financing and 16 follow-on funding rounds in 2008. ...Tags:

We thought today for our interview, that we'd get an update on the angel investment environment here in Southern California from Scott Sangster , the incoming President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Tech Coast Angels , the biggest angel investment group in Southern California. Scott sat down with us last week and gave us some hints and tips about finding angel investment nowadays, and how the economy has affected local angel investors. It It seems that the economy hit angel investors pretty badly over the last couple of years, along

Irvine-based eGuardian , a provider of service aimed at protecting children on the web, has partnered with safety education firm i-SAFE, according to investor the Tech Coast Angels. As part of the deal, i-SAFE will offer eGuardian's products as part of its educational program for schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. Tags: eguardian safety tech coast angels angel investment eGuardian develops technology for verifying the age, gender, and location of children on web sites. i-SAFE

Last night I attended a DealMaker Media (whom I love because they always host such great discussions) panel on raising angel money moderated by Dan Gould and with panelists Rob Hayes (First Round Capital, more seed or A round than angel), Scot Sangster (with OrganicStartup and the best spokesperson for Tech Coast Angels that I have met to date), Tom McInerney (TGM) and Jarl Mohn (who invests on his own “account” and whose track record is truly humbling). recently wrote a post on angel financing covering the topic of convertible notes but

Sid Mohasseb, one of the Tech Coast Angels, just emailed out about a new “entrepreneur happy hour” the group is running in Orange County, which got me thinking about how entrepreneurs should (or shouldn’t) approach angel and venture investors. I’m sure there are many opinions out there, but based on my time working with angels and investors, here’s some of my random advice for would-be entrepreneurs going to the event (or similar ones): 1. Don’t start your conversation telling them the terms of your fundraising effort.

We brought together Peter Cowen of Groundwork Equity , Mark Suster of GRP Partners , Rick Smith of Crosscut Ventures , and Richard Yen of Saban Ventures -- all of who will be on the judging panel for the Tech Coast Angel's Fast Pitch on February 24th, to give us a their hints and tips about pitching to venture capitalists. Richard Yen: The first thing I look for, is something unique in the product or service--not a me-too. For this morning's interview, we thought we'd try something different, and put together a virtual panel of venture capitalists to give us a few tips on pitching your company.

Irvine-based Integrien , a developer of IT analytics software, announced today that it has added Carol Dingle, most recently VP Product Development and Shared Services at Digital Insight/Intuit, to its technology advisory board. Integrien is backed by Acartha Group, Clearstone Venture Partners, and the Tech Coast Angels. Dingle spent the last 12 years at Digital Insight serving as VP Operations and Infrastructure. READ MORE>> ...Tags:

Transcepta is backed by the Tech Coast Angels, and offers electronic invoicing products used to eliminate paper invoices. Aliso Viejo-based Transcepta , which develops electronic invoicing services, said Wednesday that it has partnered with credit card payment processing firm Transcom, which is a division of Merchant e-Solutions. Transcepta said the relationship allows accounts payable departments to use corporate purchasing cards to pay invoices in its system.

Los Angeles-based Mobile-XL , an angel-backed developer of mobile phone applications, said today that the firm has partnered with Nairobi, Kenya-based KenyaBuzz , which operates a local event service in Kenya. Mobile-XL, which is angel backed by the Tech Coast Angels, said that information from KenyaBuzz will now be available to mobile phone users via its XLBrowser product. READ MORE>> ...Tags: Financial impact of the deal was not disclsoed. Tags: mobilexl application kenya mobile information news africa wireles

WiSpry, which develops RF semiconductors used for mobile phones, laptops, and other wirelss products, said that Boore joins the firm from Newmerix SA in Switzerland. Bass Associates, the Tech Coast Angels, and Western Technology Investment. READ MORE>> ...Tags: Irvine-based WiSpry announced today that it has hired on Lewis Boore as the firm's Vice President of Marketing and Sales. The firm said that Boore has over 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry.