Private Equity
When evaluating a venture capitalist’s request for a new fund, obviously a performance track record goes a long way in swaying a limited partner for or against. Another key factor is “brand.”
1 min read · 15 June 2015
Genesys Capital has launched its third life sciences venture fund on the strength of several recent portfolio wins, including the public debut of medical device provider Profound Medical. Genesys Ventures III LP hit the fundraising trail in April, targeting $150 million in committed capital. That’s more than twice the size of its predecessor, which closed in 2007.
3 min read · 15 June 2015
New venture firm Root Ventures has raised over $31.4 million for its debut fund, according to an SEC filing. Avidan Ross, a former chief technology officer at the CIM Group, is the founding partner of Root Ventures, which will focus on connected devices, engineering tools and data science.
1 min read · 12 June 2015
Rowanwood Ventures, a venture capital investor in digital health, Internet and software sectors that is sponsored by iGan Partners, has completed the first close of its second fund. Rowanwood Investment Fund II LP, which is targeted to raise $50 million, brought in initial capital commitments totalling $26 million. The fund received the backing of iGan and a number of family offices. Rowanwood, which deployed $50 million to eight early-stage companies in its first investment vehicle, is expecting a final close of Fund II to take place in the third quarter of 2015. Rowanwood and iGan are based in Toronto.
3 min read · 11 June 2015
Venture capital has been wringing its hands for several years about the lack of diversity in its investment ranks. Intel Capital’s announcement today of a $125 million Diversity Fund offers a positive approach. But it is a small step in a bigger campaign.
2 min read · 09 June 2015
Clarus Ventures, a life sciences venture firm, raised $500 million for its third fund, sweeping past its initial $375 million target.
1 min read · 09 June 2015
Intel Capital unveiled a $125 million Diversity Fund on Tuesday with the goal of investing more capital in companies run by women and under-represented minorities. The fund dovetails with Intel's broader Diversity in Technology Initiative aimed at increasing the diversity of its workforce. Already it has made investments in four companies: Brit + Co, CareCloud, Mark One, and Venafi.
4 min read · 09 June 2015
Early-stage investor Fuel Capital is seeking to raise $35 million for its second fund, according to a regulatory document. The San Francisco-based venture firm, which has ties to Ignition Partners, previously raised $25.5 million for its first fund, which closed in 2013, according to Thomson Reuters.
1 min read · 04 June 2015
Seattle-based Tola Capital, which focuses on enterprise software companies, has filed a regulatory document seeking to raise $116.4 million for its inaugural fund, called Tola Ventures. The filing appears to be a continuation of its ongoing fundraising efforts in which it is seeking to raise $150 million for its inaugural fund. Last fall, the firm closed on $33.6 million from 18 investors.
1 min read · 04 June 2015
Kensington Venture Fund, a venture fund of funds managed by Canadian alternative assets investor Kensington Capital Partners, has raised an additional $33 million in its second close. New limited partner Torstar Corp and existing investors, including Richardson GMP, provided commitments, which bring the fund's total to $193 million. Kensington Venture Fund, which is also backed by Ottawa's Venture Capital Action Plan (VCAP), raised $160 million in a first close last November. To date, it has made commitments to six Canadian venture capital funds and direct investments in four Canadian companies. Kensington, which has its headquarters in Toronto, opened a new office in Calgary in April 2015.
3 min read · 04 June 2015
