Private Equity
Redwood City, California-based AltspaceVR, the social platform for virtual reality, said in a blog post that it would shut down on Aug. 3. “It looked like we had a deal for our next round of funding, and it fell through,” the blog post says. “Some combination of this deal falling through and the general slowness of VR market growth made most of our investors reluctant to fund us further.” The company was founded in 2013 and raised $15.7 million, the website says. AltspaceVR's backers included Tencent, Dolby Family Ventures, Raine Ventures, Lux Capital, Western Technology Investments, Maven Ventures, Rothenberg Ventures and Comcast Ventures.
1 min read · 28 July 2017
FilterEasy, a subscription-based HVAC air filter service, has raised $6.9 million in Series B funding. Arsenal Venture Partners led the round with participation from other investors that included NC State Endowment Fund, Bonaventure Capital, Cofounders Capital, IDEA Fund Partners, John Replogle and Triangle Angel Partners.
1 min read · 28 July 2017
Chinese startup Ofo is in talks to raise $1 billion in a new funding round led by Japan's SoftBank Group, sources told Reuters, in what would be the largest fund-raising in the nation's bike-sharing business.
3 min read · 28 July 2017
Boston-based Toast, a restaurant technology platform, has secured $101 million in financing. Generation Investment Management and Lead Edge Capital led the round with participation from other investors that included Bessemer Venture Partners.
1 min read · 28 July 2017
Leadpages, a creator of software for digital marketers that helps them develop and expand relationships with customers, has promoted John Tedesco from chief operating officer to CEO. His appointment becomes effective August 1. Tedesco will succeed Clay Collins, who will transition to board chairman. Leadpages is backed by the Foundry Group, Drive Capital and Arthur Ventures.
3 min read · 28 July 2017
Santa Monica, California-based FanAI Inc, an AI-driven audience monetization platform focusing on esports, has raised an undisclosed amount of funding. Deepen Parikh of Courtside Ventures led the round with participation from other ivnestors that included Greycroft GC Tracker Fund, BDS Capital, CRCM Ventures, Sterling.VC, Loot Ventures, Expansion VC, QB1 Ventures, Rosecliff Ventures and Jason Robins, founder of DraftKings.
1 min read · 28 July 2017
A new fund called Gigafund, led by two members of Founders Fund, is seeking $100 million in capital, according to a regulatory filing. The listed partners at Gigafund are Luke Nosek, one of the early employees of PayPal and a partner at Founders Fund, and Stephen Oskoui, who's LinkedIn profile says he is a venture partner at Founders Fund. The listed address of Gigafund is 1220 Seaport Blvd. in Redwood City, California, the same address as law firm Gunderson Dettmer.
1 min read · 27 July 2017
Cool Cousin, a social travel app, has raised $2 million in seed funding, according to a source at the firm. Elevator Fund led the round. The capital infusion will be used to scale up the platform.
1 min read · 27 July 2017
Northern Light Venture Capital is seeking to raise $30 million for its fifth fund, according to an SEC filing. The Chinese venture firm focuses on tech and consumer service companies.
1 min read · 27 July 2017
San Francisco-based Megacool, a mobile game tech startup, has secured $1.5 million in seed funding. Alliance Venture led the round.
3 min read · 27 July 2017
