Managers

PSERS's struggling late-stage portfolio shunned brand-name funds: VCJ

The Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System favored late-stage managers, dodged brand name funds, pledged money inconsistently and is struggling with the returns on its venture investments, affillate magazine Venture Capital Journal reports.

Online mortgage lender Privlo rakes in $353.8 mln

Privlo, an online mortgage lender based in Santa Monica, Calif., has received $353.8 million in funding. This amount includes $3.8 million from Spark Capital and QED Investors as well as up to $350 million in debt financing from an undisclosed New York-based private real estate investment fund.

Venture fundraising continues to spike

Deal and M&A value also up, but IPO proceeds drop in June, compared to activity the month before

Report lists most consistently performing VCs and buyout firms

Preqin reports Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, Altor and Rhone Capital, among others, are providing the most consistent returns.

LPs need to hit the brakes on VC commitments or risk another crash

Given the seven-year high for venture fundraising, now may be a good time for LPs to exercise caution, writes guest columnist Michael Nugent, CEO of Bison.

Accelerator Corp raises $51.1 mln for fourth fund

Accelerator Corp. said Tuesday that it has raised $51.1 million in the first close of its fourth fund. The pool's investors include Alexandria Venture Investments, ARCH Venture Partners, WRF Capital, Eli Lilly, Harris & Harris Group, Johnson & Johnson Development Corp., The Partnership Fund for New York City and Pfizer Venture Investments. Based in Seattle and New York City, Accelerator Corp is a biotech investment firm.

Neuroscience deals a no-brainer

The human brain may be complicated, but more VCs are finding it easy to back drug developers focused on neurological conditions

Polaris hires ex-Pfizer general counsel as venture partner

Amy Schulman, a longtime biopharmaceutical exec, joins firm as it’s in the midst of raising new fund

Which public pension is best at picking PE funds?

Limited partners are fond of ranking the funds they invest in. We thought we’d turn the tables a bit and rank the LPs themselves based on how well their funds have performed.

People Page: Small forward Anthony hopes wearable investing is a slam dunk

Draper’s Six Californias plan gains steam; VC auction brings in more than $100,000