OnDeck, a US-based alternative loan lender to small and medium sized business, has raised $77m in a deal led by Tiger Global Management. Other investors this round included Google Ventures and SAP Ventures.
Month: March 2014
DocuSign seals $85m deal
DocuSign, an electronic signature platform, has raised $85m in deal led by a group of large institutional funds that are choosing to remain undisclosed. Google Ventures, SAP Ventures, and Comcast Ventures also participated.
Big deal round-up: China flexes its large-deal muscles
Notably many large deals this year are now happening in China rather than in the US, as a potential reflection of its larger market for internet users and competitive ecosystem.
Aquinox IPO just what the doctor ordered
Aquinox Pharmaceuticals, a Canada clinical-stage pharmaceutical company discovering and developing novel oral drug candidates to treat inflammation and cancer, has listed on Nasdaq as part of an initial public offering. Corporate venturing investors include Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. The net proceeds of the IPO were about $47m.
New units in the spotlight: KPMG Capital
Global Corporate Venturing spoke to Mark Toon, who is chief executive of KPMG Capital, the recently formed corporate venturing unit of the Anglo-Dutch accountancy firm which was launched in November.
FreeWheel: Comcast a spell on me
Comcast, the media group that owns Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal, has acquired FreeWheel, a distributor of advertising content on and offline for television networks. The deal has been confirmed to news group Reuters. The financial details have yet to be made public, but sources have put the transaction at the $360m mark.
Gamer’s delight for SoftBank Ventures Korea
SoftBank Ventures Korea, the corporate venturing unit of Japanese telecommunications and internet group SoftBank, has invested an undisclosed amount of capital to acquire a 23% stake in Ini3 Digital, a Thai online game operator, it has been reported.
Atomico puts Quipper to the test
Atomico, a venture firm with backing from Skype co-founder Niklas Zennström, is investing once again in the e-learning sector. Existing portfolio company Quipper, a UK company that offers online quiz content that focuses on academic courses and professional qualifications, as well as trivia and news quizzes, has raised $5.8m in a second tranche of a… Continue reading Atomico puts Quipper to the test
Tencent makes strategic move with JD.com stake
Tencent Holdings, the corporate investing unit of China internet group Tencent, has formed a strategic partnership with China e-commerce site, JD.com, which included Tencent acquiring a 15% stake in the business for a reported $214.7m. The move will enable Tencent to gain traction in the China market and beef up its competitiveness against the likes of other internet commerce sites, such as Alibaba.
Monthly analysis
Our map shows activity by sector. We will be expanding this into a more in-depth data analysis every month from the next issue.
Innovative region: The east side story goes on
A university focus innovative region piece covering the eastern US, highlighting the best content from our sister title Global University Venturing
Google shares in Secret
Secret, creators of an iOS App that allows users to share their thoughts and feelings anonymously, has raised $10m in funding led by Google Ventures.
EU Inc – a turnaround case
I think my last incursion into the world of European institutions dates back to 1994. At that time, I was still in business school in Strasbourg, so at the heart of it, and I remember vividly being acquainted with the subtleties of the whole thing – the rules, the laws, the process. Twenty years… Continue reading EU Inc – a turnaround case
Quikr going with Kinnevik
India classified ads business Quikr raises $90m growth funding, led by Kinnevik and supported by current investors including Nokia Growth Partners and eBay.