Fundraising

Designer Fund aims to raise $40 mln for second fund

The Designer Fund, a San Francisco-based firm that makes seed-stage investments in tech startups with a strong design focus, has filed a regulatory document seeking to raise $40 million for its second fund. The fund is twice the size of its $20 million inaugural effort that was closed in 2016.

European VCs last year raise largest amount since 2007

European venture capital firms raised $7.35 billion last year, the largest amount since 2007, according to Invest Europe.

Toyota Research Institute announces $100 mln venture unit

Toyota Research Institute (TRI) announced that it has launched Toyota AI Ventures, a $100 million venture arm to back early-stage startup companies in artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous mobility and data and cloud computing. As part of the announcement of the corporate VC, Toyota AI Ventures disclosed it has already backed three companies, including Intuition Robotics, an Israeli developer of artificial intelligence robots for use by the elderly. Jim Adler, TRI’s vice president of data and business development, will take the role of managing director of Toyota AI Ventures. The corporate VC will be based in Los Altos, California, the site of TRI.

Loup Ventures targets $20 mln for debut fund

Loup Ventures is seeking to raise $20 million for its inaugural fund, according to an SEC filing. The Minneapolis and New York-based early-stage venture firm is focused on artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality and augmented reality.

Fund performance: Union Square, NEA, TCV lead early-decade venture portfolio at Washington State

Z Capital collects $286.5 mln for $1 bln-targeted fund

Z Capital has raised $286.5 million for its third fund, according to an SEC filing. The target is $1 billion.

LPs struggle to confront GP sexual misconduct

Venture investing rebounds in Q2, fundraising strong

CRV seeks Fund XVII and a growth fund

Bi-coastal venture firm CRV has filed two regulatory documents seeking funding, one for a new main fund that aims to raise $450 million, and the other is its first growth fund that is targeted at $400 million. Fund XVII is about 15 percent larger than Fund XVI, which closed in 2014 at $393 million.

Initialized Capital collects $125 mln for third fund

Initialized Capital, an early-stage venture firm, has raised $125 million for its third fund, according to an SEC filing. In August 2013, the firm raised $39.15 million for its second fund, reported a filing at that time. Garry Tan, Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and Alina Libova are listed as the firm's top executives.