Chubbies, a US-based producer of vintage-styled shorts for men, has secured $4m from IDG Ventures, the corporate venturing subsidiary of media company IDG, several angel investors, and venture capital firm Rothenberg Ventures, which previously kicked in seed funding for Chubbies in 2012. The company will use the funds to expand its sales and marketing activities.
NTT Docomo Ventures, the venture capital subsidiary of Japan-based mobile network operator NTT Docomo, has invested an undisclosed amount to take a share in Japan-based Eltes, the provider of a service that helps combat slanderous statements online. The company said it acquired the shares through a third party.
Japan-based anime and game news source Tokyo Otaku Mode has secured ¥270m ($2.6m) in a round led by Itochu Technology Ventures, the corporate venturing unit for trading conglomerate Itochu. Also participating were GaiaX Global Marketing Ventures, which acts as the investment unit for social media company GaiaX, as well as 500 Startups, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, and Suneight Investment.
Internet company Google’s corporate venturing subsidiary, Google Ventures, has participated in a $2.3m seed round for US-based storage and delivery company Boxbee. The round also featured Floodgate, 500 Startups, TechStars and Ludlow Ventures, which provided some earlier seed funds for Boxbee in 2012.
Space Monkey, a US-based data storage company backed by Google Ventures, has picked up an undisclosed sum in a round led by VC fund Alta Ventures Mexico. The company, which picked up $2.25m from Google Ventures, Venture51 and Data Collective in 2012, secured the funds as it moved production of its cloud storage devices from China to Mexico and will use the cash to expand internationally.
US-based healthcare informatics provider AdverseEvents has closed a $2m seed round led by market intelligence company Evaluate and also featuring Euromonitor founder Trevor Fenwick and former Jobson and Thomson Reuters CEO Michael Tansey. AdverseEvents will use the funding to expand its sales and analyst teams, and to grow its presence in the market.
Network-1 Technologies, the operator of a portfolio of intellectual properties, has made a second investment in US-based data application developer Lifestreams Technologies, providing part of a $2m funding round. Network-1 now owns an 11% stake in Lifestreams, which will use the capital to further develop and launch its timeline engine technology.
US-based enterprise digital marketing software developer ReadyPulse has closed a $2m series A round featuring software producer Moxie Software, Divergent Ventures, Harmony Capital, and assorted angel investors. Moxie originally provided seed funding for ReadyPulse in 2012 and backed an additional $1m seed round a few months later that featured various angels and commercial space provider Harmony Investments.
Holding di Iniziativa Industriale the investment vehicle for consultancy In Prendo, has paid €1m for a 20% stake in Italy-based digital marketing company Insem. The funding agreement also includes a provision for Iniziativa Industriale to increase its stake to 45%.
India-based paint producer Asian Paints has agreed to take a 51% stake in Ethiopia-based paint, coatings and adhesive maker Kadisco Chemical Industry for an undisclosed sum.
Bass Manager, the US-based developer of an app for bass anglers, has raised $250,000 in seed funding from P.G. Media, a Phiadelphia-based technology firm that acquired ownership of the app through the investment. Launched in 2013, the Bass Manager app features a cloud-based journal where anglers can record their catches, as well as a bait inventory and instant weather statistics.