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  <channel>
    <title>OCA Ventures</title>
    <description>News for OCA Ventures</description>
    <link>http://www.ocaventures.com</link>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <generator>OCA Ventures News Generator</generator>
    <managingEditor>info@OCAVentures.com</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>admin@tecture.net</webMaster>

    
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[Whittl services listing startup raises $1.3M]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/technology/chi-whittl-services-20130617,0,5697217.story]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[6/18/2013 6:12:00 PM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[Whittl, a Chicago -based online marketplace for local services such as dog grooming and spa treatments, said Tuesday it has raised $1.3 million in its first round of venture capital funding.<div><br></div><div>Co-founders Mike Zivin and Hemant Kashyap, who met and became friends while working as management consultants at the same firm, launched their company as MyServista in February 2012. &nbsp;They later changed the name. &nbsp;Whittl's investment round was led by local firm Origin Ventures. &nbsp;Other participants included Chicago-based OCA Ventures, Amicus Capital of San Francisco and several unnamed angel investors. &nbsp;</div>]]>
      </description>
    </item>
	
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[Fitocracy: How 2 Non-Developers Created a Hit Fitness App]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2419771,00.asp]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[6/1/2013 12:00:00 AM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[If you have a great idea for an app or website but absolutely no experience as a developer, don't be discouraged and give up on your dream. &nbsp;Take it from Dick Talens and Brian Wang, co-founders of the workout tracking service and fitness social network Fitocracy.]]>
      </description>
    </item>
	
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[DocuSign acquires Cartavi realty software startup]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-cartavi-realty-software-startup-acquired-20130514,0,3491559.story]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[5/15/2013 12:00:00 AM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[Cartavi, a Naperville-based startup that makes real estate software, has been acquired by DocuSign, and electronic signature technology company. &nbsp;Cartavi's software allows real estate agents to manage their documents and transactions from their mobile devices. It offers a free version of its service; higher-priced monthly and yearly subscriptions offer more online storage and features. &nbsp;The partnership with DocuSign allowed Cartavi users to send out documents for electronic signature. &nbsp;DocuSign is the official e-signature company of the National Association of Realtors and said it has 37 million users in 188 countries. Cartavi co-founder and CEO Glenn Shimkus said the acquisition allows his company to accelerate its plans to hire additional staff and start adapting its transaction technology for other industries. &nbsp;Shimkus had started the company in November 2009 after seeing the challenges his wife, who had recently become a realtor, faced in efficiently managing transactions.]]>
      </description>
    </item>
	
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[Pangea Secures $1M in Oversubscribed Seed Round]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://www.gopangea.com/]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[5/14/2013 12:00:00 AM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[Pangea Payments, a new money transfer company based in Chicago, has raised over $1M from leading institutional and angel investors. &nbsp;After starting its operations in the Impact Engine venture accelerator, Pangea has closed its first $1M round of financing. &nbsp;Institutional investors that participated in the round are OCA Ventures, Origin Ventures, i2A Fund and FireStarter Fund. &nbsp;Angel investors include Larry Kaplan (Former CEO of NAVTEQ), Bill Gee (Executive at Cloverhill Bakery) and Bryant Keil (Founding Chariman at Potbelly Sandwich Works.)]]>
      </description>
    </item>
	
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[Safe Shepherd CEO Robert Leshner on Bloomberg TV]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://www.bloomberg.com/video/the-fight-to-maintain-privacy-online-N4D79zoWRpqIrBMjiYqx6A.html]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[5/13/2013 12:00:00 AM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[Safe Shepherd CEO Robert Leshner discusses online privacy with Pimm Fox on Bloomberg Television's "Taking Stock."&nbsp;]]>
      </description>
    </item>
	
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[Cleversafe Wins ITA Award]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://www.illinoistech.org/story.aspx/311412]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[5/10/2013 12:00:00 AM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[Storage-technology company Cleversafe won The Rising Star award. &nbsp;The Rising Star award is presented to the company that has the strongest potential to grow into a leader in the technology industry.]]>
      </description>
    </item>
	
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[Young Start-Ups Turn to Pitch Competitions as Launching Pads]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://www.cnbc.com/id/100720601]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[5/10/2013 12:00:00 AM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[Forget reality singing-show competitions. &nbsp;For the business-minded crowd, there's a growth of opportunity in college-based contests for aspiring entrepreneurs, hoping to catapult their budding ventures into the stratosphere. &nbsp;"The connections and resources provided by the good ones (competitions) are tremendous," said Steven Kaplan, a professor at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. &nbsp;He founded the New Venture&nbsp;Challenge, which helps launch companies. Competitions "really help the participant build their business and increase the likelihood that the business succeeds," Kaplan said. &nbsp;<div><br></div><div>"New Venture Challenge gives us credibility when we go to market and actually try to sell to these labs," said MouseHouse CEO and Co-Founder Imran Ahmad.</div>]]>
      </description>
    </item>
	
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[Time Inc named Fitocracy as one of ten NYC startups to watch in 2013]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://www.timeinc.com/pressroom/10nycstartups.php#&panel1-5]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[4/25/2013 10:51:00 AM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[With more than 1 million users, Fitocracy is a workout tracker and social network that empowers users to succeed at fitness by connecting them to communities just like them and providing guidance to help reach their goals.]]>
      </description>
    </item>
	
	<item>
      <title>
        <![CDATA[Startups Get Help Testing Apps Before Their Release]]>
      </title>
      <link>
      <![CDATA[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323346304578424670000609696.html]]> 
      </link>	  
       <pubDate><![CDATA[4/17/2013 12:00:00 AM]]></pubDate>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[A growing number of companies are helping Silicon Valley tech startups work out the kinks in their products before they are released, as app makers look for ways to refine their offerings and stand out in a crowded market.<div><br></div><div>EarliBird launched in October 2012 and has now had about 30 Bay Area clients, including online-education company LearnStreet Inc. and Safe Sh