Private Equity
Nutrien Ltd (TSX, NYSE: NTR), a Saskatoon-based crop inputs and services provider, has agreed to acquire Agrible Inc, a U.S. provider of predictive analytics tools that deliver field-specific data and forecasts to growers and other companies. Nutrien agreed to pay US$63 million for Agrible. The deal is expected to close this month. Nutrien, formed in January by the merger of Agrium Inc and Potash Corp, said the acquisition will provide it with digital capabilities that support the growth of its retail business. Founded in 2012, Agrible was backed by Archer Daniels Midland Co, Flyover Capital, Maumee Ventures, Serra Ventures and other investors.
4 min read · 18 July 2018
Last week, Mimecast Limited, a publicly traded email and data security company, announced it has acquired venture-backed Ataata Inc, a cyber security training and awareness platform designed to reduce human error in the workplace. Terms of the acquisition weren't disclosed. Late last year, Ataata had raised $3 million in sed funding led by Next Frontier Capital with participation from TEDCO, 2M, SaaS Ventures, ARRA Capital and others. Next Frontier said the acquisition is the firm's first exit.
1 min read · 17 July 2018
Izea Inc has agreed to acquire Silicon Valley-based TapInfluence, a platform and online marketplace for brands and agencies to execute influencer marketing campaigns. The total consideration for the transaction in cash and stock is estimated at $7.08 million. TapInfluence's backers include Grotech Ventures, Noro-Moseley Partners and Access Venture Partners.
3 min read · 12 July 2018
Canada’s Canopy Growth Corp is buying Toyko Smoke cannabis owner Hiku Brands Co Ltd for $269.2 million, the latest deal in a fast-consolidating sector ahead of legal recreational marijuana sales, Reuters reported. West Kelowna, British Columbia-based Hiku owns cannabis lifestyle brands such as Tokyo Smoke, DOJA and Van der Pop. The equity value of the deal is based on 140.95 million outstanding Hiku shares, according to Thomson Reuters. Before becoming part of Hiku in 2017, Tokyo Smoke was backed by Aphria Inc, Green Acre Capital, Globalive Capital and other investors.
2 min read · 11 July 2018
Otsuka has agreed to acquire Visterra, a developer of antibody-based therapies for the treatment of patients with kidney diseases and other hard-to-treat diseases, for about $430 million in cash. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year. Visterra is backed by Polaris Partners, Flagship Pioneering, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, MRL Ventures Fund, Vertex Ventures HC, Serum Institute of India Private Ltd., Temasek Holdings, Omega Funds, Cycad Group, Lux Capital, Alleghany Financial Group Ventures, CTI Life Sciences Fund and Alexandria Equities.
4 min read · 11 July 2018
AT&T plans on acquiring San Mateo, California-based AlienVault, a cybersecurity and crowd-sourced threat management platform. No financial terms were disclosed. AlienVault's backers include Institutional Venture Partners, Trident Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, GGV Capital, Correlation Ventures, Intel Capital, Jackson Square Ventures and Top Tier Capital Partners.
3 min read · 10 July 2018
Sofinnova Partners has sold ReCor Medical to Otsuka Holdings. No financial terms were disclosed. ReCor Medical is a medical device company focused on treating hypertension.
5 min read · 10 July 2018
Canopy Growth Corp (TSX: WEED) has closed its acquisition of a 33 percent stake of cannabis production brand BC Tweed Joint Venture Inc not owned by the company. Canopy Growth issued $374 million of shares to BC Tweed's minority investors. Payments will be released over three years with the achievement of milestones. Launched in 2017, BC Tweed today has over 1.7 million square feet of licensed production to meet forthcoming recreational cannabis demand. It was spun out of SunSelect Produce Inc, a Delta, British Columbia-based vegetable producer backed by Canadian investors Avrio Capital and InvestEco Capital.
3 min read · 05 July 2018
Canadian blockchain venture firm TJ Game Capital has acquired CGC, a blockchain technical team and its gaming platform CGCG. No financial terms were disclosed. Andrea Lavezzoli, a member of CGC, will head the gaming platform team as CTO.
2 min read · 29 June 2018
Amazon said June 28 that it agreed to buy PillPack. Financial terms weren’t announced but press reports pegged the deal at about $1 billion. PillPack, of Manchester, New Hampshire, is an online pharmacy that offers pre-sorted doses of medications and home delivery. PillPack is backed by investors including Accel, Accomplice VC, Astral Capital and Charles River Ventures, according to PitchBook.
3 min read · 29 June 2018
