Canada

Robotiq secures $31 mln in Battery Ventures-backed round

Robotiq, a Lévis, Québec-based provider of tools and software for the collaborative robotics market, has raised $31 million in a first institutional financing. The investor was U.S. venture capital firm Battery Ventures. Spun out of Laval University in 2008 by CEO Samuel Bouchard, Vincent Duchaine and CTO Jean-Philippe Jobin, Robotiq makes equipment that can handle manufacturing tasks previously done by human hands. Today, the company partners with more than 190 distributors in 48 countries and sells its products to customers in electronics, aerospace, automotive and other sectors. Robotiq will use the funds raised for product development, global growth and support of its partner ecosystem.

Kayne and CIBC-backed CareWorx merges with Fully Managed

CareWorx Corp, an Ottawa-based managed service provider (MSP) focused on senior care, has merged with Fully Managed Technology Inc, a Vancouver-based MSP and cloud service provider. Terms weren't disclosed. The new business, which will be known as CareWorx Fully Managed, will have three divisions: managed services, enterprise service management and senior care. It will be led by CEO Mark Scott, who formerly led CareWorx. Joel Abramson, formerly CEO of Fully Managed, will serve as executive vice president and head of managed services. Financing for the deal was provided by Kayne Partners, which invested $17 million in CareWorx earlier this year, and CIBC Innovation Banking, also an existing investor.

Mysa raises $2 mln in VC to grow smart home tech solutions

Mysa Smart Thermostats, a St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador-based smart home technology startup, has raised more than $2 million in a follow-on financing. The round was backed by new and repeat Canadian investors, including Killick Capital, Pelorus Venture Capital, Conconi Growth Partners, Chris Huskilson and Nicholas Ponari. Founded in 2014 by CEO Joshua Green and COO Zachary Green, Mysa has developed a smart thermostat that helps people with electric heating systems cut down on their bill by as much as 26 percent. The funds raised will be used by the company for new and existing products.

Venture-backed SceneDoc acquired by Tyler Technologies

Tyler Technologies Inc (NYSE: TYL) has acquired SceneDoc Inc, a Toronto-based mobile-first, software-as-a-service platform for law enforcement agencies. Terms weren't disclosed. Tyler, a Plano, Texas-based public sector software company, said the acquisition enables its entry into the digital evidence market and enhances its offerings. Founded in 2011 by CEO Alex Kottoor and COO-CTO Adrian Bubalo, SceneDoc will become part of Tyler’s public safety unit. SceneDoc raised several venture capital financings, including a 2017 round led by Responder Ventures, Motorola Solutions Venture Capital and iGan Partners. Its other backers included MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund.

Pure Alumina looks to buy venture-backed Polar Sapphire

Pure Alumina Ltd has entered into negotiations to acquire Polar Sapphire Ltd, a Toronto-based maker of high-purity alumina (HPA). The parties are working to agree on the formal terms of a potential deal on or before January 31, 2019. Founded in 2013 by CEO Scott Nichol, Polar's low-cost HPA product is used in LED lighting, lithium batteries for electric vehicles, and other applications. The company's backers include ArcTern Ventures, Crux Capital Corp, MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund and Sustainable Development Technology Canada. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Pure Alumina is an HPA supplier.

OMERS Ventures joins Contentful's $33.5 mln Series D round

Contentful, a Berlin, Germany-based based provider of content infrastructure for digital teams, has raised US$33.5 million in a Series D financing. The round was led by Sapphire Ventures and joined by new and existing investors, including OMERS Ventures. Founded in 2013, Contentful provides content infrastructure for digital products and experiences, making content accessible via APIs and editable in a web app. It will use the funds raised for expanding strategic partnerships, enhancing the platform, and improving the practitioner experience.

Ride-hailing company Lyft files for IPO: Reuters

Ride-hailing company Lyft Inc beat bigger rival Uber Technologies Inc in filing for an initial public offering that will test investor appetite for high-profile but loss-making technology businesses, Reuters reported. The San Francisco-based company, which was last valued at about US$15 billion, did not specify the number of shares it was selling or the price range for the offering. The IPO is slated for the first half of 2019. Lyft's Canadian investors include Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Public Sector Pension Investment Board. In March, Canadian automotive parts supplier Magna International Inc also agreed to invest to US$200 million in Lyft.

BIOS to open Montréal office with $4.5 mln seed financing

BIOS, a Cambridge, U.K.-based neural engineering startup, has raised a US$4.5 million seed-stage financing backed by Canadian early-stage venture capital firm Real Ventures. Real, AME Cloud Ventures and Ariel Poler, founder of the human augmentation syndicate on AngelList, led the round, according to TechCrunch. BIOS will also be opening an R&D office in Montréal, Montréal International and Investissement Québec said. Founded in 2015, BIOS is developing technology to enable artificial intelligence-based healthcare treatments on human organs and nerve systems.

Canaccord Genuity invests in Family Office Networks

Canaccord Genuity Group Inc has made an undisclosed investment in Family Office Networks (FON), a West Palm Beach, Florida-based hub for family offices. Founded in 2013, FON helps family offices share information and intelligence, including about investment opportunities in such areas as real estate, venture capital, private equity and hedge funds. The deal will help FON to enhance its service platform and provide Canaccord Genuity with increased access to the global family office industry. Based in Toronto, Canaccord Genuity is an investment banking and financial services firm.

Lifestyle therapy brand Myodetox raises $2 mln from angel VCs

Toronto-based lifestyle therapy brand Myodetox has secured $2 million in financing from an undisclosed group of angel investors. Founded three years ago by CEO Scott Marcaccio and Chief Creative Officer Vinh Pham, Myodetox has developed a system of manual therapy and movement programming. Built around a personalized treatment framework, the system focuses on proactive and reactive body care, injury prevention, recovery and mobility. Myodetox, which also has an office in Vancouver, will use the round's proceeds to enter the U.S. market, beginning with a new clinic located in Los Angeles.