North America

Billion Dollar Fund for Women comes to Canada to sign up more VCs

Billion Dollar Fund for Women, a global initiative that aims to increase investment in women-founded companies, has arrived in Canada to recruit local venture firms. The launch was announced today by Lally Rementilla, the fund’s Canada lead and president of Quantius, a Toronto intellectual-property lender and one of the fund’s early supporters. Rementilla told PE Hub Canada that Billion Dollar Fund is looking to spread awareness in Canada about the gender financing gap. It also offers a plan of action involving pledges by VC firms to invest a portion of their capital in tech startups created by female entrepreneurs.

Ten Eleven Ventures raises $200 million for early-stage cybersecurity deals

Burlingame, California-based Ten Eleven Ventures, which exclusively backs cybersecurity deals worldwide, announced it has raised $200 million for its second fund. TEV II will invest in Series A and B rounds. The firm, founded in 2014 by Alex Doll and Mark Hatfield, separately raised a $140 million second growth fund last year.

Venture-backed Interset acquired by Micro Focus

Interset, an Ottawa-based security analytics software provider, has been acquired by Micro Focus (LSE: MCRO, NYSE: MFGP) for an undisclosed amount. Founded in 2001 as Gridiron Software, Interset uses behavioural analytics, machine learning, big data and risk forensics to provide solutions for insider and targeted outsider cyber-threat detection. The company has been led by CEO Mark Smialowicz. Micro Focus, a Newbury, U.K.-based enterprise application software company, said the acquisition adds depth to its security, risk and governance portfolio. Interset raised financing from Canadian and U.S. venture capital firms, including Anthem Venture Partners, In-Q-Tel, Toba Capital and Telesystem.

K9 backed HiHello raises $2.5 mln in August Capital led seed round

HiHello said it raised $2.5 million of seed capital in a round led by August Capital and joined by K9 Ventures and TenOneTen Ventures. HiHello had previously raised $250,000 in pre-seed financing from K9.

GN Audio acquires Altia Systems for $125 mln

GN Audio has acquired Cupertino, California-based Altia Systems, a provider of video communications solutions, for $125 million. Altia was backed by Naya Ventures.

Patient experience AI platform NarrativeDx amasses funding

NarrativeDx, an AI platform for patient experience, has secured an undisclosed amount of funding. Christiana Care Health System, Summation Health Ventures and The Texas Medical Center led the round with participation from HealthX Ventures and Cultivation Capital.

Kleiner Perkins leads Series A round for Loom

Loom, a work communication tool that helps people get their messages through instantly shareable videos, has raised nearly $11 million in Series A financing. Kleiner Perkins led the round. In addition to the funding, Ilya Fushman, a partner at Kleiner Perkins, will join Loom's board of directors.

Pointivo nets $7 mln Series A

Atlanta-based Pointivo, a provider of automated analytics for drone and manned aerial platforms, has raised $7 million in Series A funding. BIP Capital led the round.

Nasuni picks up $25 mln

Boston-based Nasuni, a provider of cloud file services, has secured $25 million in funding. Telstra Ventures led the round with participation from other investors that included Goldman Sachs, Sigma Prime Ventures, North Bridge Venture Partners and Flybridge Capital Partners.

Children's frozen meals brand Kidfresh attracts funding

New York-based Kidfresh, a frozen meals brand for children, has secured an undisclosed amount of funding. Monogram Capital Partners, Emil Capital Partners and AccelFoods led the round.