I've been a business reporter for a while. I've covered Wall Street, venture capital and now private equity. I'm always looking for a scoop or something to talk about. I'm the eternal optimist and am still waiting for the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series. Yes, I believe.
Metaps Inc. said Thursday it completed a $36 million Series C round of financing. The company did not disclose the investors but said the round was led by pre-existing and multiple new stakeholders in Japan. A Silicon Valley VC firm also invested. Tokyo-based Metaps provides an app monetization platform.
3 min read · 12 February 2015
Anthemis Group led a $2.5 million seed round of financing for Bento for Business. Other participants in the round include Blumberg Capital, LionBird and Pivot Investment Partners. San Francisco-based Bento for Business provides financial services for small businesses.
4 min read · 12 February 2015
Landmark Partners said Wednesday that James Clarke has joined the firm as Director - Investor Relations. He will be based in New York. Clarke will focus on IR initiatives following Landmark’s recent close of its fifteenth secondary fund at $3.25 billion in December.
3 min read · 11 February 2015
Actis said Wednesday it committed $230 million to Ostro Energy, an Indian renewable energy platform. Ranjit Gupta was named CEO of Ostro. The platform’s first project is Tejuva, a 50.4MW wind project, already under construction in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. London-based Actis, with $7.6 billion in funds under management, invests in emerging markets such as Asia, Africa and Latin America.
3 min read · 11 February 2015
AssuredPartners Inc., a portfolio company of GTCR, said that Matthew Gardner was named regional president. Gardner will build and integrate the company’s existing operating platforms within the mid-Atlantic region. Gardner most recently led the integration of Bollinger Inc. into Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Lake Mary, Florida-based AssuredPartners buys and invests in insurance brokerage businesses.
2 min read · 11 February 2015
Sofinnova Partners has sold GlycoVaxyn to GlaxoSmithKline for $212 million. Schlieren, Switzerland-based GlycoVaxyn develops conjugate vaccines to treat bacterial infections. GSK was a minority investor of GlycoVaxyn.
2 min read · 11 February 2015
Frazier Healthcare said that Brett Moraski has joined the growth buyout team as an Operating Partner. Previously, Moraski was a Senior Operating Advisor at LLR Partners and Corporate VP of Transformation at WellPoint. With offices in Seattle and Menlo Park, California, Frazier provides venture and growth capital to healthcare companies.
2 min read · 11 February 2015
NGP Energy Capital Management said late Tuesday that Chris Carter, MD and Chief Investment Coordinator, was appointed to the firm’s Executive Committee and named a Managing Partner. Robert Edwards, NGP managing director, is also relocating to Houston and will manage the firm’s office there, a statement said. The Carlyle Group is an investor of NGP, an energy investor.
2 min read · 11 February 2015
Sigfox said Wednesday it secured a $115 million round of financing. Investors include Telefonica, SK Telecom, NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Elliott Management Corp. and GDF SUEZ, Air Liquide, Eutelsat. Labège, France-based Sigofx provides a cellular network dedicated to the Internet of Things.
10 min read · 11 February 2015
AP Exhaust Technologies, a portfolio company of Audax Group, said it named Chris Ostrander as its new chief executive officer and president. Evangelos "Vange" Proimos, the current CEO, will continue as executive chairman. Goldsboro, N.C.-based AP Exhaust makes OE replacement exhaust and emission products for the automotive, light truck, heavy-duty, agricultural, and industrial markets.
3 min read · 11 February 2015
