The Business Software Alliance (BSA), the voice of the world’s commercial software industry, announced in a press release a settlement with Citrin Cooperman of New York, NY. Citrin Cooperman paid $385,000 to BSA to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Corel, Microsoft, and Symantec software installed on its computers. As part of the settlement agreement, the company agreed to delete all unlicensed copies of software from its computers, acquire any licenses necessary to become compliant, and commit to implementing stronger software asset management (SAM) practices. BSA was alerted to the unlicensed software use by confidential reports made on its web site www.nopiracy.org.

Citrin Cooperman is an accounting, tax and consulting firm that assists entrepreneurs to examine their businesses’ financial structure and provide new perspectives on business strategies. Currently they have offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and the Cayman Islands.

“Our firm has grown significantly in the last decade. We have always felt we were fully in compliance and had no idea there was any unlicensed software on our computers. When BSA asked us to check, we launched an investigation. Upon learning there was unlicensed software, we immediately contacted BSA and corrected it. We are happy to say that in addition to ensuring all of our software products are fully and properly licensed, BSA has helped us safeguard our IT systems from serious risks such as malware and viruses that pirated software often brings,” said Joel Cooperman, Managing Partner of Citrin Cooperman.

According to analysis conducted by the Business Software Alliance, nearly half of all suspected cases of corporate software piracy in America last year originated in six states. New York, California, Texas, Florida, Illinois and Michigan together produced 49.3% of the reports BSA received in 2010 from sources alleging that companies were using unlicensed software.

“Businesses that employ unlicensed or pirated software put their companies at risk and jeopardize the efficient and effective operations of their IT systems,” said BSA’s Vice President of Anti-Piracy and General Counsel Jodie Kelley. “Proper software asset management helps to maximize a company’s IT investment and ensure the highest level of software security. Unfortunately, the use of unlicensed software is a significant issue that impacts the technology industry and ultimately jeopardizes the spirit of innovation and creativity that is so critical to success.”

The Business Software Alliance is the leading global advocate for the software industry.

Source:http://www.ag-ip-news.com/news.aspx?id=27825&lang=en

With growing contingent of Google, Yahoo and Facebook staffers based here, it’s no surprise that more entrepreneurs in the Big Apple are going online.

In fact, over half of venture capital funding in the New York metro area in the second quarter went towards media, entertainment and software projects—most of which are Internet-based—according to a report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers and National Venture Capital Association on Friday.

“The Internet industry is alive and well, and attracting a good amount of venture funding. I wouldn’t say it’s unexpected. It continues to validate that New York is the center of the Internet industry,” said David Silverman, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The combined $209.2 million of investments in these sectors is almost three times as many as the volume at the same time last year, according to the second quarter MoneyTree report. The total number of deals in the New York City area increased by 13% from first quarter to 93. The overall funding, however, decreased by 35% to $381 million because there were fewer large investments.

Although more early-stage companies received funds this quarter than they have in the past year, the total amount of funding was at a three-quarter low because the companies that received money required less capital.

Some 28 companies in the New York area received $194.7 million this year for expansion projects, accounting for over half of all investments. This is over $82 million more funding than the same time last year.

The three largest investments in the area were for expansion projects. Online video advertising network Tremor Media Inc., on 26th St. between 6th and 7th avenues, received $40 million. Invite-only retailer Gilt Groupe, located on Park Ave. between 32nd and 33rd streets, received $35 million, and Vanderblit Avenue’s media service company TRA received $18.2 million.

Nationally, 906 companies received $6.5 billion this quarter. The clean technology sector set a quarterly record, with $1.5 billion going into 71 alternative energy, pollution and recycling, power supply and conservation projects. Seven large deals, none in New York, contributed to this. The Biotechnology and industrial and energy sectors also saw large gains. Semiconductors, financial services and telecommunications, however, saw up to 40% drops in investments.

But the funding is still only a fraction of the $100 billion annual investment across the U.S. seen during the tech bubble. According to the NVCA, the industry is on track to invest less than $30 billion this year.

“Even though we saw an uptick in the second quarter, the uptick is narrow,” says John Taylor, vice president of research for the NVCA.

Source:http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100716/SMALLBIZ/100719881