Private Equity
Kensington Venture Fund, a venture fund of funds managed Canadian alternative assets firm Kensington Capital Partners, has made a commitment to the eleventh fund of Sierra Ventures, a San Mateo, Calif.-based venture capital firm. Sierra Ventures Fund XI recently closed at an oversubscribed US$170 million. Like its predecessors, Fund XI will invest in early-stage companies targeting enterprise and consumer technology markets. In mid-2015, the Kensington fund raised $237 million of its $300 million target in a third close.
2 min read · 27 January 2016
At the Global Corporate Venturing and Innovation Summit, New Intel Capital President Wendell Brooks promised a more active, engaged organization
1 min read · 27 January 2016
Rakuten Ventures has raised about $84 million for its new fund that targets Japanese startups. Managing Partner SaeMin Ahn and investment manager Hogil Doh will run the Singapore-based fund.
2 min read · 27 January 2016
From Norwest to BlueYard to Alta Ventures Mexico, a compilation of recent venture fundraising notes, with table of firms that closed on commitments
10 min read · 26 January 2016
EnerTech Capital, a venture capital firm with offices across Canada, has been named "Financial Investor of the Year" as part of the 2015 Global Cleantech 100 program. The award, which was accepted by EnerTech Managing Director Wally Hunter, is extended to investors with the highest share of Global Cleantech 100 companies in a given year's list. EnerTech is currently investing from its fourth energy and power venture fund, which raised $120 million in 2013. The Global Cleantech 100 program is produced by San Francisco-based Cleantech Group.
4 min read · 26 January 2016
Northleaf Venture Catalyst Fund (NVCF) has made $30 million in commitments to two Canadian venture capital funds: iNovia Investment Fund 2015, which held a $175 million final close this month, and Information Venture Partners II, which held a $72.5 million initial close. NVCF was the lead investor in both funds. A venture fund of funds managed by Northleaf Capital Partners, NVCF closed at its hard cap target of $300 million in mid-2015. To date it has deployed more than 75 percent of its capital. NVCF is managed by Northleaf Director Ian Carew.
4 min read · 26 January 2016
BDC Capital has made an additional $3 million commitment to a seed and early-stage information technology fund managed by Mistral Venture Partners, a Canadian venture capital firm. The investment, which brings BDC's total lead commitment to $6 million, will support Mistral's ability to undertake follow-on financings, BDC said. Founded in 2013, Ottawa-based Mistral is led by Code Cubitt, the firm's managing director, and Bernie Zeisig, its managing partner. Mistral's 2015 deals include The Better Software Co, a provider of SaaS solutions to small businesses, and CENX, a provider of orchestration solutions for software-defined and virtualized networks.
3 min read · 26 January 2016
TC Growth Partners has raised $300 million for its debut growth equity fund, according to an SEC filing. The Palo Alto, California-based TC Growth is a spin-out of Trident Capital's growth equity team.
1 min read · 26 January 2016
OMERS Ventures, one of Canada's biggest venture firms, plans to raise up to $300 million through the launch of a third fund in 2017 to invest in early-stage technology companies, its chief executive told Reuters. CEO John Ruffolo said he expects OMERS Ventures to eventually have about $1 billion of assets under management.
2 min read · 26 January 2016
Here are the trends we at Sapphire Ventures have been closely watching and what we think they imply for 2016.
8 min read · 25 January 2016
