Three European corporations have committed an undisclosed amount to Emerald Technology Ventures’ Cleantech Fund III, which invests in early and expansion stage companies in the energy, water, and materials sectors with particular focus on Europe and North America. Emerald said the three corporate venturing units on behalf of Evonik Industries, Mahle and Cofisa (Sibelco) joined… Continue reading Three add to Emerald’s lustre
Month: January 2013
AppGratis gains $13.5m deal
AppGratis, a France-based daily deal provider for applications, has raised $13.5m in its series A round from a consortium led by multi-corporate venture firm Iris Capital. The company’s blog said it was a company that needed no external funding to grow to seven million users but “now was the perfect moment to push the hyperspace button”… Continue reading AppGratis gains $13.5m deal
Healthbox treats London
Seven start-ups pitched the audience for early stage investment, at the inaugural European event of Healthbox, the incubator backed by Sandbox Industries.
‘The unexamined life is not worth living’
The good news is that corporate venturing is likely a positive activity, if recent research, by the Corporate Venturing Research Initiative at Switzerland-based university ETH Zurich in collaboration with US-based consultancy firm Bain & Company, is correct.
Corporate venturing transforms parents
A new study by Switzerland-based business school ETH Zurich in collaboration with US-based consultancy firm Bain & Company which partly uses Global Corporate Venturing data, finds more than three quarters of corporate venturing units transform their parents.
Sungevity powers to $40m
Local home improvement retailer Lowe’s and impact investment fund Brightpath Capital Partners invested $40m alongside venture capital firms Vision Ridge Partners, Craton Equity Partners and Eastern Sun Capital Partners.
Arlon chews on Chia
VO2 Partners, the family office of Gary Comer, who founded Lands’ End and sold it to Sears Roebuck in 2002 for $1.9bn, and Arlon Group, a private investment group that invests Continental Grain Company’s permanent capital alongside select third-party capital, have made a minority equity investment in the Chia Company. As part of the investment,… Continue reading Arlon chews on Chia
Symform adds property
Constance Freedman, managing director of Second Century Ventures, will join the Symform board.
Kabam explodes for peer
US-based online game maker Kabam has acquired Canada-based peer Exploding Barrel Games for an undisclosed amount.
Ikea GreenTech cleans up
Ikea GreenTech, a corporate venturing unit of the Sweden-based homeware retailer, has published details of its latest investments. It has invested and committed €12m ($15m) between 2010 and 2012 in four companies working with environmental technologies and a clean technology venture capital fund. The companies are: Exibea (energy management, Sweden), BoFood (vegetarian food, Sweden), El-Seed… Continue reading Ikea GreenTech cleans up
GMPVC backs Urbanara
GMPVC German Media Pool, a Germany-based venture firm backed by media companies, has made its first investment in Urbanara, a Germany-based online shop for textiles. Niko Waesche, managing partner of GMPVC, said: “At GMPVC, we are very proud to announce our first investment. We are backed by three major media groups, among them one of… Continue reading GMPVC backs Urbanara
GMPVC carves 1.5% of MediKompass
Jointly with its media partner Regiocast, GMPVC will provide MediKompass “a significant radio campaign based on infomercials in several German regions”.
GMPVC backs Pauldirekt
The investment is part of a rebranding initiative by Pauldirekt, which will see it have a ten-month, seven-digit TV campaign on N24, a Germany-based news and information channel and GMPVC partner.
GMPVC, Euro Serve Media back Twago
Euro Serve Media, the publisher of Germany’s Yellow Pages, Gelbe Seiten, and GMPVC, a venture firm backed by media corporates, have invested €2.25m ($3m)in a cash and media investment in Twago, a marketplace for online work. Twago’s marketplace connects freelancers and agencies with small medium customers of freelance work on the other side. Jointly with… Continue reading GMPVC, Euro Serve Media back Twago