US-based music streaming service Rdio has formed a marketing, content and promotion partnership with Canada-based media company Shaw Communications that will involve Shaw investing an undisclosed sum in Rdio’s holding company, Pulser Media. Rdio previously raised $17.5m in 2011 from investors including Atomico and Mangrove Capital Partners.
BookBub, a US-based free service that helps readers discover bargain e-books, has seured $3.8m in a series A round backed by Bloomberg Beta, a corporate venturing fund run by media company Bloomberg, as well as NextView Ventures, Founder Collective and Avalon Ventures. The startup will use the funding to increase its staff, expand internationally and launch additional products.
Algal Scientific, a US-based producer of algae-based chemicals for the food and beverage industry, has closed a $3m series A round from backers including corporate-backed venture firm Formation8 Partners. Other participants were Evonik Ventures, Independence Equity, Envy Tech Fund I, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund and First Step Fund.
US-based online media news source MediaRedef has raised $2.25m in a seed round led by Bloomberg Beta that also included Chernin Group, Greycroft Partners and a selection of angel investors, Re/code has reported. The cash will be used to convert the startup from a links-based daily newsletter into a monetisable service, for which it will hire additional staff.
FIH, a manufacturing service affiliate of Foxconn, has invested $2.2m in Singapore-based Project Goth, the operator of social platform Mig33. Project Goth, which had already raised $32.4m from Redpoint Ventures, Accel Partners, DCM and Technology Venture Partners, will receive another $7.4m from FIH if it completes a merger with ASX-listed Latin Gold.
Trietrue, the Japan-based provider of location-based search engine Pathee, has raised ¥130m ($1.3m) in seed funding from e-marketing firm OPT and Daiwa PI Partners, a subsidiary of investment bank Daiwa. The company previously graduated from Tokyo-based incubator Samurai Incubate in early 2012.
SupportPay, a US-based platform that automates child support payments, has completed an oversubscribed seed round. Draper Associates led the round, which also featured cloud computing company Salesforce.com, TEC Ventures, Broadway Angels, Aspect Ventures and RPM Ventures.