Luisa Beltran

PE HUB First Read

To start your morning, EgyptAir 804 has vanished from radar, Netflix has launched Fast.com to help users determine how fast their internet connection is and should Amazon consider the race of its customers.

Teckst raises $2.5 mln

Teckst said May 17 it $2.5 million in funding. Investors include Composite Capital, Gaingels, Kernel Capital and Zelkova Ventures along with angels Walter Burr, Adam Press, Dan Porter and Kevin Mahaffey. New York-based Teckst is a market service that aims to enable two-way text messaging for customer service teams.

Agenovir raises $10.6 mln

Agenovir Corp said May 17 that it raised $10.6 million in a Series A financing led by Data Collective. Celgene Corp, Lightspeed Venture Partners and several individual investors also participated. Agenovir is developing antiviral therapeutics.

Bark & Co raises $60 mln

Bark & Co, the New York company behind BarkBox, said May 17 they raised $60 million in new funding led by August Capital. Return investors RRE and Resolute Ventures also participated. BarkBox is a monthly box of treats and toys for dogs.

Platina Energy refinances U.K. wind farms

Platina Energy Partners LLP said May 18 that it secured 28 million pounds ($40.37 million) of new funding to refinance their 28 MW Danu II wind farm portfolio. This consists of two operational 14MW on-shore wind farms in the UK.

PE HUB First Read

To start your morning, we have news that the Department of Justice is investigating Lending Club, Trump says he would dismantle nearly all of Dodd-Frank if elected and a study suggests that eating potatoes could raise blood pressure.

Pearl Energy, NGP commit $125 mln to Teal Natural Resources

Pearl Energy Investments and Natural Gas Partners have committed to invest a combined $125 million in Teal Natural Resources LLC. Each firm is providing $62.5 million. Dallas-based Teal is a newly formed oil and natural gas exploration company. Teal was advised by Winstead PC. Pearl Energy Investments and Natural Gas Partners were advised by Thompson & Knight LLP.

PartyLite to combine with Candle-lite Company

The Carlyle Group said it is combining its portfolio company, PartyLite, with Candle-lite Company, which is backed by Centre Lane Partners LLC, to form Luminex Home Décor & Fragrance Holding Corp. Financial terms weren’t announced. Cincinnati-based Candle-lite designs and makes candles and home fragrance products for the mass merchant, food, and drug retail outlets in the United States. PartyLite is a home décor and fragrance direct selling company

Q4 Inc raises $22 mln

Q4 Inc said May 17 it closed a $22 million Series B round led by OpenText Enterprise Apps Fund (OTEAF). Other investors include Information Venture Partners, HarbourVest Partners, Emerillon Capital and Kensington Capital Partners. Series A investors Plaza Ventures and Accomplice also participated. Toronto-based Q4 provides communication and intelligence solutions to the IR market.

Hall Capital buys 4Knines

Hall Capital Partners said May 7 that it acquired 4Knines. Financial terms weren’t announced. Phoenix-based 4Knines markets fabric-based protective liners and seat covers for autos, trucks and other motor vehicles.