Private Equity
Flexion Therapeutics, a Woburn, Mass.-based drug development startup, has raised $33 million in Series A funding. Versant Ventures led the round, and was joined by 5AM Ventures and Sofinnova Ventures. Flexion was formed in 2007 by Chorus co-founders Mike Clayman and Neil Bodick.
3 min read · 18 October 2009
American Capital has sold its equity stake in HomeAway Inc., an Austin, Texas-based operator of an online vacation rentals website, to existing shareholders. American Capital says the $15 million sale represented a $4 million gain. HomeAway has raised over $480 million in VC funding, from firms like Technology Crossover Ventures, Institutional Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Trident Capital, Austin Ventures and American Capital.
3 min read · 16 October 2009
Marval Biosciences, a San Diego-based developer of liposomal nanocarriers to deliver CT contrast agents, has raised $2.5 million in second-round funding. Backers include DFJ Frontier and DFJ Mercury. www.marvalbiosciences.com
1 min read · 16 October 2009
Fizzback, a UK-based operator of a cross-channel platform for real-time dialogue between businesses and their customers, has raised £1.6 million in Series B funding. Nauta Capital led the round, and was joined by return backer Advent Venture Partners.
4 min read · 16 October 2009
1 min read · 16 October 2009
Syneron Medical Ltd. (Nasdaq: ELOS) has agreed to acquire Primaeva Medical Inc., a Pleasanton, Calif.-based developer of a minimally-invasive RF device for the treatment of skin wrinkles and laxity. The deal includes a $7 million up-front payment in cash, plus up to $23 million in earn-out payments. Primaeva Medical had raised around $14 million in VC funding, from Affinity Capital Management, Delphi Ventures and Frazier Healthcare Ventures.
4 min read · 16 October 2009
A new Risk Capital Action Plan 2020 was unveiled at this year’s EVCA Venture Capital Forum in Berlin. Throughout the day panelists and speakers alike agreed that Europe needs more investment and less regulation if it wants to remain viable over the next few challenging years. If EVCA is successful, the new plan will see the European Union increase its investment program in venture. EVCA hopes that through the creation of a new pan-European fund-of-funds that will resemble the UK Innovation fund, European companies will have the incentive to stay in Europe. Anything from infrastructure, turnarounds, public to privates or cleantech will be included in the plan, however, EVCA are calling on the EU to match the venture allocation. EVCA General Secretary Javier Echarri was quick to point out that now is the optimum time to be making a case for venture to the EU. There is a new commission that wants to focus on technology, a new parliament and the EU is making decisions on what it is going to do over the next few years. But, being on the ground at this conference it is easy to see that many venture capitalists have their doubts about EVCA’s plan.
2 min read · 16 October 2009
Rohm Co. (Japan) has agreed to acquire Kionix Inc., an Ithaca, N.Y.-based provider of MEMS products. No financial terms were disclosed. Kionix has raised over $55 million in VC funding, from firms like Laurie Investments, Advantage Capital Partners, Allen & Co., Enhanced Capital Partners, Gefinor Ventures, Onondaga Venture Capital Fund, Rand Capital SBIC, Tompkins Trustco, Cayuga Venture Fund, CMI International Investment Corp., Integrated Acquisition & Development Corp. and Rocktech Inc.
4 min read · 15 October 2009
Barracuda Networks Inc., a Campbell, Calif.-based provider of email and Web security appliances, has acquired Purewire Inc., an SaaS-based Web gateway provider. No financial terms were disclosed. Barracuda raised a $40 million Series A round in 2005 from Sequoia Capital and Francisco Partners. Purewire has raised around $3 million from Intersouth Partners and the State of Georgia Seed Fund.
4 min read · 15 October 2009
Retroscreen Virology Ltd., a UK-based contract research organization focused on anti-viral research, has raised £2.6 million in new VC funding. Aquarius Equity Partners led the round, and was joined by IP Venture Fund.
2 min read · 15 October 2009
