Enterprise Ireland, the enterprise support agency owned by the Irish government, is one of the most active startup investors Global Government Venturing tracks. In 2016 the agency supported a record 229 startups, an increase of about 5% over the previous year. A total of €32m ($34m) was spent on these startups, up from €31m in 2015,… Continue reading Ireland’s efforts to foster a startup ecosystem pay off
Month: March 2017
The UK’s post-Brexit funding conundrum
The UK university sector is currently a net beneficiary of EU research funding, but with the country set to leave the EU following the June 2016 referendum, the future of science and innovation funding is now uncertain. At a higher education conference organised by Westminster Forum Projects – a company that runs cross-party public policy… Continue reading The UK’s post-Brexit funding conundrum
Balancing agility and rigour in corporate venturing
Andrew Gaule talks to Iain Bomphray, chief technology specialist at Williams Advanced Engineering
Deal numbers drop in February
The number of corporate-backed deals fell in February compared with the same time last year – 148 funding rounds versus 162 in the second month of 2016 – the second straight month of declining deal volume. Comparative investment value dropped by about 9%, to $4.38bn from $4.77bn in February 2016, and only one company raised… Continue reading Deal numbers drop in February
Philips and EDBI connect further for healthtech funding
Royal Philips and the Singaporean state-owned EDBI will accelerate a digital health investment partnership that has just made its first deal.
SmartZip grabs Reach150
National Association of Realtors will record an exit as SmartZip agrees to acquire referral management platform Reach150 for an undisclosed sum.
Microsoft helps provide Prevedere with $10m
Predictive analytics software producer Prevedere has raised $10m in a Norwest Venture Partners-led series B round that featured Microsoft Ventures.
AgroSavfe grows series B round
VC firm Sofinnova Partners has invested in the biopesticide developer, boosting a Globachem-backed round to $11.7m.
Schöfer looks to make mark at Merck
Sebastian Schöfer has joined Merck Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Germany-based pharmaceutical firm Merck Group, as a senior associate. Schöfer moved from High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), the VC fund backed by a range of corporate limited partners. He had been an investment manager at the fund since 2014 after stints at solar system provider… Continue reading Schöfer looks to make mark at Merck
CIC hands over $100m to Airbnb
The $1bn Alphabet-backed series F round recently closed by Airbnb reportedly included a $100m investment by sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp.
DraftKings wins $100m in series E1 funding
Investment firm Eldridge Industries has led a round that increased the corporate-backed daily fantasy sports company’s overall funding to about $630m.
Alteryx aligns IPO terms
The data analytics provider has set the range for an initial public offering that will raise between $108m and $126m and which will allow Thomson Reuters to exit.
RiskSense quantifies $14m series A
Jump Capital has joined a consortium of existing investors including telecom company CenturyLink to supply a $7m extension to RiskSense’s series A round.
OncoResponse calls final close on series A
The company has closed its series A round at $22.5m, with its backers including Shire, Helsinn and cancer treatment centre MD Anderson.