The US-based industrial holding company owned by businessman Len Blavatnik helps GetTaxi raise funds, as Access Industries' portfolio company QuickOffice sells to search engine Google.

Access Industries, the US-based industrial holding company owned by businessman Len Blavatnik, has helped GetTaxi, a US-based smart phone taxi business, raise $20m, which the company said would support a launch in New York.

The round was also backed by GetTaxi’s founders Shahar Waiser and Roi More. GetTaxi is operative in the UK, Russia, and Israel.

Last year GetTaxi raised $8m in series A funding, according to data provider CrunchBase. In 2010 it raised $2m in seed funding.

Separately QuickOffice, a US-based developer of software compatible with Microsoft Office, also backed by Access Industries, sold to Google on June 5.

In 2009, QuickOffice raised $1.75m.  In 2008 it raised $6.2m through the sale of equity and $3m through the sale of warrants, according to two filings with the Securities and Exhange Commission. Previously it raised $7m in 2007, which took it to $26m raised in its history. Other backers included venture firms Mayfield Fund, Advantage Capital Partners, Shepherd Ventures and Shea Ventures.