US-based equipment maker Juniper Networks has joined Japan-based Toshiba's America Electronic Components subsidiary as an investor in Violin Memory's $35m B round.

Violin Memory, a US-based developer of computer memory systems backed by strategic investor Toshiba, has raised $35m in its series B round.

US-based equipment maker Juniper Networks has joined Japan-based Toshiba’s America Electronic Components subsidiary as an investor in the B round alongside other undisclosed corporate partners, crossover investment funds, high net worth investors and private equity firms.

Scott Nelson, vice-president at the memory business unit at Toshiba America Electronic Components, said: "We are pleased to expand our relationship with Violin and help accelerate the penetration of flash memory arrays in the performance-driven enterprise data centres."

RK Anand, executive vice-president of data centre business at Juniper Networks, said: "[Violin’s] innovative flash memory array will play an important role in delivering tiered and near-server storage capabilities to help advance the requirements of cloud computing and network-driven data centre consolidation."

Violin Memory raised more than $20m from technology company Toshiba and other investors in April, according to news provider VentureWire. Violin was founded in 2005 and raised $10m in its series A from venture capital firm Rationalwave Capital Partners among others, according to VentureWire.

In June, Violin bought the assets of venture capital-backed peer Gear6, which had raised more than $24m from VCs Horizon Ventures, US Venture Partners and InterWest Partners since 2002 and has more than 30 customers.

 

James Mawson

James Mawson is founder and chief executive of Global Venturing.