AAA February 2013 – Page 6

DuMont backs multi-corporate fund

Germany-based media group M DuMont Schauberg has merged its corporate venturing portfolio of 20 holdings into a new multi-corporate fund. Jörg Binnenbrücker (pictured), managing partner of DuMont Venture, has formed Capnamic Ventures with Christian Siegele, a former senior partner at UK-listed private equity firm 3i, as the other managing partner. Others in the team include Binnenbrücker’s… Continue reading DuMont backs multi-corporate fund

Temporal Power restored with $10m

Temporal Power, a Canada-based developer and manufacturer of flywheel electrical energy storage systems, has raised C$10m ($10m) in its series B round from a consortium including Enbridge Emerging Technology, a corporate venturing division of listed energy company Enbridge. Northwater Intellectual Property Fund, a fund managed by Canadian venture capital firm Northwater Capital Management, reinvested in the… Continue reading Temporal Power restored with $10m

Paperight wins O’Reilly Tools

Paperight, a South Africa-based print-on-demand service that allows photocopy shops to legally print books, has been named as one of the winners of the O’Reilly Tools of Change Startup Showcase, a publishing technology conference from the eponymous media group that runs the OATV corporate venturing unit. Paperight beat 10 finalists, according to news provider Ventureburn.com. … Continue reading Paperight wins O’Reilly Tools

Innovation: France

In France “It takes even more courage then usual to be an entrepreneur” replied Marc Westermann, principal of telecommunications and internet corporation SFR Développement, when asked about the current climate for French-based start-ups. In the recent Global Competitiveness Index 2012-2013, a report which globally ranks the pillars of institutions, in which each pillar represents an… Continue reading Innovation: France

Innovation: France

In France “It takes even more courage then usual to be an entrepreneur” replied Marc Westermann, principal of telecommunications and internet corporation SFR Développement, when asked about the current climate for French-based start-ups. In the recent Global Competitiveness Index 2012-2013, a report which globally ranks the pillars of institutions, France was ranked 21st, sliding down… Continue reading Innovation: France

Innovation: France

A country exploring new ways of corporate venturing, but suffering from a falling confidence in its public and private sector.

TA marches into Aicent

TA Associates, a private equity firm, has invested in Aicent, a US-based provider of data network, messaging and roaming solutions to telecom network operators, to provide an exit for its corporate venturing backers. In September 2008, Aicent raised an undisclosed amount from chip maker Intel’s corporate venturing unit, while peer Qualcomm Ventures has Aicent as… Continue reading TA marches into Aicent

NetQin completes IPO

NetQin, a China-based mobile device security provider subsequently renamed NQ Mobile, has raised $89m in its New York Stock Exchange flotation. NetQin sold 7.75 million American depositary shares, each representing five class A common shares, at $11.50 each. Venture capital firms GSR (22.6% pre-IPO), Ceyuan (16.3%) and Sequoia (9.7%) were listed in NetQin’s regulatory filing,… Continue reading NetQin completes IPO

Amdocs buys Streamezzo

US-based technology company Amdocs will acquire Streamezzo, a France-based mobile internet application development platform, for an undisclosed amount. In May 2009, Streamezzo raised €4m ($6m) from a consortium led by Innovacom, the corporate venturing unit of France Telecom, with participation by existing investors, venture capital firms Sofinnova Partners and Sofinnova Ventures, and strategic investors Qualcomm,… Continue reading Amdocs buys Streamezzo

Total breezes into LightSail Energy

LightSail Energy, a US-based compressed air energy storage technology, has extended its series D round by $5.5m from France-based oil major Total’s corporate venturing unit. LightSail initially raised $37.3m in its D round in November from angel investors Peter Thiel and Bill Gates and venture capital firm Khosla Ventures and Innovacorp, a Nova Scotia, Canada,… Continue reading Total breezes into LightSail Energy