VCJ Staff

Cisco Buying Jabber

Cisco has agreed to acquire Jabber Inc., a Denver-based provider of presence and messaging software. No financial terms were disclosed. Jabber raised an $8.2 million VC round in 2003 from Intel Capital and an investment arm of France Telecom.

VOSS Raises $12 Million

VOSS, a UK-based provider of unified communications service delivery software, has raised $12 million in Series B funding. Eden Ventures and XAnge Private Equity were joined by return backer Pyrford Enterprises.

Markets Thrash IPO Stocks

Covington Assumes Control of Genesys Capital Funds

Covington Capital has taken over management of two venture capital funds -- New Generation Biotech Equity Fund and New General Biotech Balanced Fund – from Genesys Capital Partners. No financial terms were disclosed. In related news, NGBE has sold portions of its positions in Affinium Pharmaceuticals, Epocal and NeurAxon to “an institutional purchaser.”

GE Backs Advanced Electron Beams

Advanced Electron Beams, a Wilmington, Mass.-based developer of electron beam technology for advanced manufacturing processes and environmental contro, has raised $4 million in new VC funding from GE Energy Financial Services. It had previously raised around $27.5 million from firms like Atlas Venture, General Catalyst Partners and Rockport Capital Partners.

Lumira Capital Raising New Fund

Brian Gray Leaving Fox for Polaris Venture Partners

Brian Grey has agreed to join Polaris Venture Partners as an executive-in-residence, effective in October. He’ll work out of the firm’s Silicon Valley office, and previously was senior vice president and GM of Fox Sports Interactive.

Challenge Games Raises $10 Million

Challenge Online Games of Austin, Texas has raised $10 million in Series B funding. Globespan Capital Partners led the round, and was joined by return backer Sequoia Capital. Challenge Games previously raised a $4.5 million Series A round, and makes the fantasy game Duels and the fantasy baseball game Baseball Boss.

Soteira Raises $12 Million

NanoH2O Raises $15 Million

NanoH2O Inc., a Los Angeles-based developer of reverse osmosis membranes for water desalination and reuse, has raised $15.05 million in Series B funding from Oak Investment Partners and return backer Khosla Ventures.