Kovio, a US-based maker of printed silicon semiconductors, has raised $15m in its series B round from a consortium led by Tyco Retail Solutions, a unit of industrial conglomerate Tyco International, as a new investor.
Venture capital firms DAG Ventures, Flagship Ventures, Harris & Harris Group, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Northgate Capital and Pangaea Ventures reinvested in the B round but there was no mention of Kovio’s other investors, which from its website are Japan-based corporate venturing units Mitsui Venture Partners, Toppan Forms, Yasuda Enterprise Development and Panasonic Venture Group and venture capital firm Jerusalem Venture Partners.
Kovio can make plastic chips for radio frequency tags to identify stock using mobile devices with Inside Secure first to use its barcodes in January. Amir Mashkoori, chief executive of Kovio, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with Tyco to bring to market the world’s first commercially available products that leverage Kovio’s printed silicon capabilities.
"By integrating our products with the offerings from Tyco Retail Solutions we are enabling new opportunities for retailers and brand owners."
Previously, Kovio raised $20m in what it called its E round in July 2009 and $11m in earlier rounds since 2001.