– Germany-based media company ProSiebenSat.1 has acquired a minority stake in US-based online media provider Collective Digital Studio (CDS) through a “significant investment”. CDS has not revealed any previous funding. The deal followed in the wake of The Walt Disney Company’s $500m acquisition of another digital media provider, Maker Studios, earlier in the week, though Maker had raised $66m in equity prior to its acquisition.
– UK-based media and advertising corporate WPP has been on a deal streak of late, paying an undisclosed amount for a majority stake in UK-based digital advertising company Cognifide, which has revealed no previous investors, and agreeing to acquire premium and gift card service provider Shanghai Egift Design and Production through its subsidiary, JWT.
– Car producer Toyota’s corporate venturing unit, Toyota Tsusho, has failed in its bid to purchase a majority stake in Malaysia-based aluminium can maker Kian Joo Can Factory after Kian Joo accepted the initial bid, made by Aspire Insight, an entity backed by Malaysia’s state pension fund. Toyota Tsusho had bid $470m for a 51% stake, but was turned down despite making a higher offer than Aspire.
– Coffee Circle, a Germany-based online retailer of ethical coffee, has closed a seven-figure euro round featuring Tengelmann Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of retail group Tengelmann, Howzat Partners and elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization, according to Venture Village. Tengelmann Ventures previously funded Coffee Circle’s seed round in 2011. The company will use the capital to expand its operations.
– Persistent Venture Fund, the corporate venturing subsidiary of software company Persistent Systems, has invested an undisclosed sum in Hygenix, a US-based producer of wearable hand hygiene products for use in hospitals. Hygenix, which was founded in 1985, has not announced any prior equity funding.
– High Fidelity, the US-based startup formed by Second Life founder Philip Rosedale, has secured $2.5m from venture capital firm True Ventures, TechCrunch reported. Google Ventures, Kapor Capital and Linden Lab are also among High Fidelity’s past investors. The company has not yet disclosed what it specifically does, its website stating only that it is developing a “next-generation virtual reality system” as part of its work.
– India-based internet company Times Internet has invested an undisclosed amount in GradeStack, an Indian-based provider of online educational courses, according to Deal Curry. Another India-based online education company, iProf Solutions, closed a $9m series B round in January from IDG Ventures and Norwest Venture Partners.