8 Miles, the $200m private equity fund backed by rock star activist Bob Geldof (pictured), has invested $5m in a start-up company that plans to build commodity exchanges across Africa and improve food security. Eleni, a newly-formed company based in Nairobi, Kenya, was co-founded by Eleni Gabre-Madhin, the former head of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange.… Continue reading Geldof fund makes first investment
Month: May 2013
Google’s Startup Lab adds second partner
Google Ventures has added Ken Norton (pictured), a group product manager at parent company Google, as a partner at its Startup Lab. In October 2011, Rick Klau, previously product manager at US-based video website YouTube and an ex-Google executive, joined Google Ventures, the US-based technology company’s corporate venturing unit, to run Startup Lab.
Start-ups of a feather flock together
Digg spin-out Wefollow snaps up Aol spin-out about.me.
Google-backed Nest Labs buys MyEnergy
US thermostat maker backed by Google swoops in on MyEnergy.
3M backs Zephyr Technology again
Zephyr Technology Corp raises $2.4m from trio including return backer 3M.
Cardio3 BioSciences raises €19m
Belgian-based biopharmaceutical company Cardio3 Biosciences has unveiled a €19m ($24.4) funding round that saw previous investors inject €7m in new equity alongside the conversion of €12m in existing convertible loans. The formal capital increase was approved at a shareholder meeting and is expected to complete by the end of May 2013. The fresh capital will allow… Continue reading Cardio3 BioSciences raises €19m
Microsoft mulls Nook Media
US-based technology firm Microsoft is offering to buy the digital assets of Nook Media for around $1 billion, according to TechCrunch. Microsoft already has a stake in Nook Media, the maker of the eponymous reading device, which was formed by book retailer Barnes & Noble Inc. Shares in Barnes & Noble, America’s biggest books retailer,… Continue reading Microsoft mulls Nook Media
Facebook in talks to buy Waze
Social networking company in talks to acquire Qualcomm-backed traffic navigation app.
CapLinked boosts series A round to $2m
US virtual data room start-up CapLinked raises $2.1m from consortium of VCs and entrepreneurs.
Citrix to accelerate Tuebora
US-based software maker Citrix Systems backs Indian software start-up Tuebora with $250,000.
Astellas enters third virtual venture
Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma has entered a partnership with New Jersey-headquartered Drais Pharmceuticals, its third such partnership to date. Under the terms of the deal, on May 7, 2013, Astellas’ corporate venture arm Astellas Venture Management is joining with venture capital firms InterWest Partners and Sutter Hill Ventures to invest $15m in Tacurion Pharma. … Continue reading Astellas enters third virtual venture
NovaQuest raises $80m fund
NovaQuest Capital Management, the corporate venturing unit which was spun off from US-based healthcare provider Quintiles Transnational in 2010, has raised $80 million for a new fund, NovaQuest Co- Investment Fund I, LP, according to a regulatory filing on 3 May. Novaquest’s existing fund, NovaQuest Pharma Opportunities Fund III, LP, launched in November 2010, had… Continue reading NovaQuest raises $80m fund
Portola sets IPO price range
Biogen Idec-backed Portola Pharmaceuticals set to raise around $103.2m on Nasdaq with $469m market cap
Maveron in Panna Cooking’s $1.35m funding pot
Maveron, the venture capital investor in consumer businesses, co-founded by Starbucks executive chairman Howard Schultz, has participated in the $1.35m Series A financing of Panna Cooking, a bi-monthly video cooking magazine for iphone and ipad. The financing was led by venture capital investor Anthem Ventures. Other investors include Lerer Ventures (a seed-stage venture capital fund),… Continue reading Maveron in Panna Cooking’s $1.35m funding pot