Top Hires of the Day: Google Execs to Vente-privee, IndexTank Team to LinkedIn, BigBand Team to Arris Group

Vente-privee, an online fashion retailer, announced six new hires to its executive team. Jill Szuchmacher, former Director of Business Development at Google, is the new VP of Business Development. John Saroff, former Head of TV Ads and Strategic Partnerships at Google, is now VP of Digital Factory and Sales Production. Tim Quinn, former VP of Investments, Integration and Measurement at American Express, is now VP of Financial Strategy. Laure de Metz, former VP of Licensing at Marc Jacobs Intl., is now...

Click to read more ...

Today's Funding: Box.net, Zenprise, NGINX and Kiwi Crate ($116M, Four Companies)

Cloud storage platform Box.net raised $81M in Series D funding from Salesforce.com, SAP Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partner and NEA.

Box.net
Website: http://box.net/
Blog: http://blog.box.net/
Twitter: @boxsupport http://twitter.com/#!/boxsupport

Aaron Levie, co-founder and CEO
Twitter: @levie http://twitter.com/#!/levie
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/boxaaron

Click to read more ...

Enterprise Developer Creates Slick Mobile AngelList Site; Says API Still Needs Work

Startups and investors can now access AngelList content on an unofficial mAngel mobile client, thanks to entrepreneur and first-time mobile app developer Dale Emmons.

"The original idea came from a tweet from a random angel investor I didn't know that showed up in my twitter feed a few weeks ago," Dale tells LAUNCH via email. "He commented that the API had been out for a week or two and was looking for someone to put together a mobile app."

Dale built mAngel using the AngelList API, node.js and Amazon Web Services. Within the first few hours of launching, roughly 70 people have used the mobile web app, Dale says.

[ See screen shots after the jump. ]

Click to read more ...

Ecobee's Apps Get 85% of Owners to Program Their Thermostat, Triple the North American Rate

Just 23% of programmable thermostats -- commonplace in North American homes -- have been programmed.

That's why ecobee created apps to control its wifi-enabled Smart Thermostat, which has seen  more than 85% of its users program the device, an internal study found.  

The Smart Thermostat has an Android app (launched in February) and iOS app (November 2009) in addition to a web portal to monitor and update scheduled thermostat settings.

The company also notes that of users who have an ecobee app, more than 70% access their thermostat at least once a week...

Click to read more ...

Zeo Competitor EASYWAKEme Launches in UK at Higher Cost without iOS or Android Support

The health space continues to expand with the recent UK launch of Dreamtrap's EASYWAKEme sleep monitoring and waking system.

The alarm clock is designed to wake you up at the most optimal time, which sounds a lot like Zeo [ see our profile here ]. EASYWAKEme is a vibrating alarm and wristband that monitors body movements, and analyzes your sleep cycles to determine the most natural time to wake up.
  
[ See screen shots after the jump. ]

Click to read more ...