New York and Rio de Janeiro based venture capital firm Astor Capital has made a strategic investment in the US based operator of El Corral®, a gourmet hamburger brand in Latin America. The investment will help fund the company’s geographic expansion and accelerate the growth of the El Corral brand.
2 min read · 28 November 2012
This morning's First Read unveils a different kind of exit; Silicon Valley's ageist tendencies and a start-up that turns water into electricity.
1 min read · 28 November 2012
Big data analytics company Datameer has appointed Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers' partner Matt Murphy to its board of directors. Prior to joining the Datameer board, Murphy was a board observer at Google from the time of its initial investment to its IPO and also advised several companies that were later acquired by the likes of Google, Dell, Groupon, and RIM.
2 min read · 27 November 2012
Software-as-a-service provider Bizible has raised a $1.7M Series A round of financing led by Madrona Venture Group. MHS Capital and Seattle angel investors also participated.
3 min read · 27 November 2012
Jenner & Block has appointed M&A attorney Mark A. Harris as a partner in its Chicago office. Harris will join Jenner & Block's corporate practice and become co-chair of the firm's private equity practice.
4 min read · 27 November 2012
Investcorp has completed the sale of US truck and trailer parts distributor FleetPride to TPG for over $1 billion. Since its acquisition of FleetPride in 2006, Investcorp has supported 31 different add-on acquisitions by the company, strengthening its cross-country supply chain and adding total acquired sales of over $270 million.
2 min read · 27 November 2012
International financial services firm Baird has appointed Satoshi Matsumoto to the firm’s investment banking group as a managing director and director of Japan mergers & acquisitions. In the newly created role, Matsumoto will work with Baird’s investment bankers to coordinate the firm’s M&A activity between Japanese businesses and companies based in the US, Europe and other parts of Asia. He will be based in the firm’s Chicago office.
4 min read · 27 November 2012
Lincolnshire Management has acquired National Pen Company, a global provider of direct mail promotional pens and other products. National Pen was a portfolio company of Berwind Corporation. Harris Williams & Co acted as the exclusive advisor to National Pen.
3 min read · 27 November 2012
Dr. Jim Budzynski has joined Open Prairie Ventures as a venture partner. Dr. Budzynski’s focus will be to assist with capital raising and identification of initial investment opportunities for the OPV III Fund to be launched in January 2013. In addition, Dr. Budzynski will also manage some existing investments in the Open Prairie Ventures II Fund.
2 min read · 27 November 2012
Advanced materials architect Nanosys has closed a $15 million sixth round of funding. The company will use the funding to expand its quantum dot manufacturing capabilities.
2 min read · 27 November 2012
