A round up of all the latest news on www.globalcorporateventuring.com for our subscribers.
Weekly corporate venturing deal net: 9-13 March 2015
Each Friday the Global Corporate Venturing Deal Net rounds up the week’s smaller deals and tracks the emerging companies accessing corporate funds.
Big Deal: Nextdoor welcomes $110m
The fast-growing neighbourhood-based social network, backed by Comcast and Google, has now raised $210m in total as it prepares to monetise elements of the service.
Fundraising
Sandwich serves up corporate venturing unit
Sandwich has launched a unit that will take equity stakes worth $100,000 in return for its corporate video production services.
Renaissance displays fundraising artistry for second fund
Whirlpool and Roush have joined backers including Ford, Meijer, Dow, Kellogg, CMS Energy and DTE Energy for the venture capital fund’s $79m second fund.
People
Kuiper starts Innovation Family
Corina Kuiper, who previously held a corporate venturing position at Philips, has co-founded a venture capital support organisation for corporates and startups.
Exits
Johnson & Johnson-backed cancer drug developer Aduro has filed for an initial public offering, following a $51.4m series D round in January.
Amazon calibrates 2lemetry acquisition
Salesforce-backed internet of things company 2lemetry has been bought by online retailer Amazon for an undisclosed sum.
Google begins acquisition talks with InMobi
Mobile advertising platform InMobi, which has received more than $200m in funding from SoftBank, would be valued at up to $2bn in the deal.
Pengai seeks cash injection from IPO
Cosmetic surgery chain Pengai Hospital Management is set to go public in Hong Kong after raising $13.6m from investors including IDG.
The Renren-backed alternative lending platform is looking to go public later this year at a $3.5bn valuation, more than double that at which it raised money last month.
Catalyst Biosciences merges with Targacept
Novartis and Johnson & Johnson-backed Catalyst has signed an agreement to form a newly merged company with Targacept, and will retain a majority stake of 65%.
Insulin pump maker Valeritas sets IPO range
Kaiser Permanente-backed Valeritas could raise up to $80m from the initial public offering, and will use the lion’s share to market its insulin delivery device.
PayPal buys cybersecurity company CyActive for $60m
The Siemens-backed cybersecurity startup, founded in 2013, had reportedly raised about $2m in funding.
SugarCRM acquires Stitch in time
Stitch, the developer of an assistance app for salespeople, raised $3.25m in seed funding last year from investors including Google Ventures.
IT
Sapphire fancies Looker in $30m series B
Data platform Looker has now raised $48m in less than two years and added SAP-affiliated venture firm Sapphire Ventures to its investors.
Elastica makes Telstra connection for series B
Telstra was among the investors in the cloud app security company’s $30m series B round, which will be used to expand its workforce.
Blippar augments growth with $45m in funding
The Qualcomm-backed developer of an augmented reality and image recognition platform has attracted $45m from undisclosed investors.
Simplivity eases into $175m series D
The Swisscom-backed IT infrastructure technology provider raised the cash at a valuation of more than $1bn, and has now secured $276m in funding altogether.
Price comparison site PricePanda merges with GetPrice
The newly merged company, Next Commerce, will cover nine countries across Asia Pacific and serve more than four million customers.
Health
Corporates help treat PhaseBio to $40m
Pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are among the backers of the drug developer’s series C round, which took its total funding to $105m.
Sprint catches startups for Mobile Health Accelerator
Telecommunications company Sprint has revealed the 10 startups that will take part in its Techstars-powered Mobile Health Accelerator, with up to $120,000 on offer for each.
Media
Snapchat aims to capture $200m of Alibaba cash
The messaging service is raising $500m, though reports differ as to whether Alibaba’s $200m investment would be made as part of that funding or in addition to it.
The digital-first music talent platform raised $6.5m from backers including Qualcomm, which invested for a second time, and Gree.
Lamabang nurtures $100m series C
Mother-focused social network operator Lamabang, backed by investors including VIPshop, has now raised about $130m in overall funding.
Consumer
58.com decks out $200m To8to series C
Interior decoration marketplace To8to has closed a huge series C round, $34m of which was provided by e-commerce company 58.com.
Second-hand designer fashion marketplace Rebelle has attracted several million euros in a funding round backed by High-Tech Gruenderfonds.
FoodPanda feeds acquisition spree with $110m
In the wake of a series of acquisitions, the online food delivery service raised $110m in its latest round, increasing its total funding to approximately $218m.
A new day, new funding for Ensogo
Hedge fund Ward Ferry Management is set to invest $7.6m in the daily deals site, a week after it secured $5m from e-commerce company VIPshop.
The Tencent-backed restaurant and services reviews site is set to close an $850m round, just over a year after it raised funding at a reported $2.5bn valuation.
Alibaba begins talks for $1bn Snapdeal investment
Alibaba would invest the cash at a valuation of about $5bn, only months after SoftBank invested $627m in Snapdeal at a $1.9bn valuation.
The bank-backed Business Growth Fund has invested in the UK-based menswear brand, taking a minority stake of undisclosed size in the company.
IDG Ventures has invested an undisclosed sum reportedly sized at several million dollars in the e-commerce company.
Financial
Bitcoin technology developer 21 reveals $116m in funding
Qualcomm is one of the investors backing 21, which is still operating in stealth but is reportedly looking to harness bitcoin technology for consumer products.
The insurance price comparison platform raised the money in an American Family-backed series B round that will fund hiring and carrier growth.
Energy and Natural Resources
RayVio turns on for $9.3m series B
The ultraviolet disinfection technology company raised the cash in a round featuring Applied Materials’ corporate venturing arm.
Transport
Ola revs up for $400m series E
The car and taxi marketplace will reportedly raise the cash from investor including SoftBank, the telecommunications firm it received $210m from late last year.
Alibaba hitches a ride with SAIC Motor
Car manufacturer SAIC Motor and internet company Alibaba are set to invest $160m in a connected car venture that will be opened to other investors in future.
Lyft accepts $530m fare as Rakuten invests $300m
The ride sharing company has now raised more than $860m after Rakuten led a round that valued it at $2.5bn.
Services
Decolar takes off with $270m Expedia investment
Expedia has increased its reach into Latin America by purchasing a 20% stake in Decolar, which provides online travel agency services in 21 countries.
Investors hand $32m to Highfive
Video conferencing technology provider Highfive has boosted its overall funding to more than $45m with its second Google Ventures-backed round.
BGF judges McMillan Williams worthy of $7.6m
Bank-backed Business Growth Fund has invested $7.6m in the law firm, which plans to now expand using the funding.
