At Amonix, we are privileged to be backed by sophisticated and experienced investors, who support the growth of the company's design and manufacture of CPV technology for utility-scale deployment.
Our investors include:
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
MissionPoint Capital Partners
Angeleno Group
PCG Clean Energy & Technology Fund
Vedanta Capital
New Silk Route
The Westly Group
Adams Street Partners
Goldman Sachs
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Coffee Drinkers
More than half of adults in the U.S., or 54 percent, are habitual coffee drinkers, according to the National Coffee Association. In fact, 146 billion cups are consumed in the U.S. each year, nearly three times more than tea.
Friday, April 23, 2010
What Now? You win the $250 million dollar powerball lottery and you are 29. And then?
A Missouri man who won a $258 million Powerball jackpot and plans to use some of the money to pay bills and take his children to Disney World says he hasn't decided yet if he'll quit his job at the convenience store where he bought the winning ticket. | Chris Shaw - a 29-year-old tattooed father of three who was raised by his grandparents in rural southern Missouri - came forward Thursday as the winner of the 10th-largest Powerball jackpot ever.
Amonix raises a boat load of cash from KP and others
With 20 years in business, 15 years of real-world CPV deployments, and seven generations of system development, Amonix is the proven best choice for utility-scale solar in sunny and dry climates. Designed for utility-scale installations, Amonix systems deploy quickly and achieve optimal performance and reliability while delivering renewable energy at industry-leading low operating costs based on 25% system efficiency (31% module, 39% production cell).
Amonix CPV technology has been rigorously field-tested at 16 locations throughout the Southwestern US and in Spain. This unparalleled real-world CPV experience, coupled with highly skilled employees and a management team with deep expertise in solar, finance, technology, and manufacturing, makes Amonix the clear leader in the CPV industry."
---
INVESTORS
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tynt: The copy and paste company
"Tynt Multimedia Inc. is focused on driving new revenue opportunities for content publishers by increasing traffic, increasing onsite user engagement, providing new methods of content discovery, offering a new option for ad delivery, and providing unique insights into user engagement. Tynt Multimedia is VC-backed by iNovia Capital and significant Angel investors. The Tynt patent pending technology is currently deployed on sites around the globe and has already tracked millions of user actions and recorded the copy of billions of words and images on hundreds of thousands of web sites."
--
Big team!
Read more: Tynt » Tynt Management and Board http://www.tynt.com/company/about-tynt/#ixzz0ltpkRzJC
--
Big team!
Management
Tynt’s Management Team has extensive startup experience with several successful ventures in the emerging tech industry.
Derek Ball – CEO
Derek has been a leader in the emerging technology industry for over a decade and a half. Prior to Tynt, Derek was CEO of Sonic Mobility Inc. which built software for mobile handheld devices and was acquired by Avocent Corp (NASDAQ: AVCT) in 2004. In between Sonic Mobility and Tynt, Derek served as Entrepreneur In Residence for Calgary Technologies Inc. coaching dozens of early stage tech ventures. Derek has extensive experience in early stage ventures having raised millions of dollars in capital for his own start-ups and working with strategic partners such as Microsoft, RIM, HP, Lockheed Martin and the US military. Derek has also published over a dozen books in emerging technology and has been a noted speaker worldwide for many years.
Dayton Foster – COO
Dayton has over a decade of experience growing start-up technology ventures. At Tynt, Dayton is responsible for guiding product development. Prior to Tynt, Dayton was Vice President of Research & Development for Sonic Mobility Inc. which built software for mobile handheld devices and was acquired by Avocent Corp (NASDAQ: AVCT) in 2004. In between Sonic Mobility and Tynt, Dayton served as Director of Mobile Technologies for Avocent Corp. Dayton has also co-authored 3 books in emerging technology for McGraw-Hill and is asked to speak to technology startup companies on topics as diverse as pricing theory, channel development and software development process.
Cameron Befus – VP Research and Development
Cameron has extensive experience developing commercial software in a number of diverse industries. In addition to proven skills in software architecture and design, Cameron’s strengths are in building and managing teams using agile processes to develop quality software quickly. Prior to Tynt, Cameron was with Avocent Corp for 5 years in different roles including Director of Systems Engineering in the LANDesk division based in Salt Lake City. At LANDesk, Cameron was responsible for development and maintenance of a product that generated $85 million per year in revenue and managed an international team of over 40 software professionals. Cameron has also been involved in several entrepreneurial companies, including Petrowave Solutions Inc., which produced web based software for the oil field drilling industry and was acquired in 2002.
Kerri McGovern – VP Business Development
Kerri has a decade of experience in the technology startup and financing world. Prior to joining Tynt Kerri ran the Innovation Center at Calgary Technologies Inc. (CTI) where she helped early stage tech companies develop their business model and financing strategy. Kerri also spent five years with the BDC Venture Capital software team based out of Vancouver, investing in dozens of software firms.
Kerri recently was a recipient of the “Top 40 Under 40″ award.
Board of Directors
Tynt’s Board of Directors includes Derek Ball, Dayton Foster and:
Allan Mackenzie – Executive Chairman
Allan has an exceptional investment and operational track record within the high technology and other industries. Allan is a high profile investor in the Calgary community having led or participated in the financing of several successful start-ups. (Exits include Teamplate, Sonic Mobility, WestJet Airlines, Quack.com, SideStep.) Along with this, Allan has also had the personal experience in building a rapid growth technology company. Allan was the CFO at Quack.com which was sold to AOL for $200 million one year after it was incorporated. Allan is presently a partner in Calgary based Octane Venture Partners.
Chris Albinson – Director
Mr. Albinson is a co-founder and Managing Director of Panorama where he focuses primarily on internet technology investments. Mr. Albinson was also a General Partner at JPMorgan Partners running the technology venture capital practice. Prior to JP Morgan Partners, Mr. Albinson helped grow four start ups most recently as Chief Strategy Officer for Digital Island, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISLD; acquired by Cable & Wireless, Inc. in 2001). Previously, Mr. Albinson held corporate development roles at Newbridge Networks, Inc. where he was involved in a $217 million corporate venture fund, which invested in 27 companies, including Juniper Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:JNPR), Cambrian Systems Corporation (acquired by Nortel Corporation), Abatis Systems Corporation (acquired by Redback Networks Inc.), Fastlane Technologies Inc. (acquired by Quest Software, Inc.), BNI Systems (acquired by Nortel Corporation), and PixStream Incorporated (acquired by Cisco Systems, Inc.). Mr. Albinson has been a speaker, panelist, and judge at Web 2.0 Summit, Next Generation Networks, Red Herring Top 100,Canada’s Top 10 Technology Start Ups, and the Gilder’s Telecosm conference.
Mr. Albinson holds a B.S. and an M.B.A. from the University of Western Ontario. He currently serves on the board of directors of JiWire, Federated Media Publishing, BelAir Networks., Cedar Point Communications, and Eltek-Valere Power, Inc. Mr. Albinson is also on the advisory board of Partners for Growth, a venture lending firm backed by Silicon Valley Bank.
Shawn Abbott
As a technologist, entrepreneur, executive, venture capitalist and educator, Shawn Abbott has over twenty years experience in technology-based businesses.
As President of Rainbow Technologies (NASDAQ: RNBO) commercial operations, he consolidated three divisions, built a management team to return the US$70 million business to profitable growth, and positioned it for a successful sale in 2004 at nearly one-half billion USD. As corporate Chief Technology Officer, he was responsible for strategy and instrumental in the creation and leadership of a new business that quickly grew to US$10 million revenue per quarter.
Prior to joining Rainbow, Shawn established and built the AND group, which pioneered the encryption-based CD-ROM software distribution system used on several million discs. Under his leadership, AND was consistently profitable and grew to twenty staff before sale.
Shawn has served as a board member to numerous private and public companies internationally and is an experienced angel investor. As a general partner with SpringBank TechVentures, he has helped numerous technology companies develop. He is an accomplished public speaker, having presented at more than one hundred conferences on Internet security and business topics, and taught software design courses in several countries. He is past chair of the Banff Venture Forum.
Shawn is a primary inventor of “USB Keys”, holding a key patent in the area. He has written numerous articles and feature pieces for industry publications, and contributed the chapter on hardware cryptography to McGraw Hill’s, “ICSA Guide to Cryptography”. He holds a B.Sc. in physics from the University of Alberta and has done post graduate study at the University of Calgary, Stanford, and UC Irvine.
Advisors
Tynt is grateful for the ongoing wisdom and experience generously offered by our elite advisory board.
Guy Kawasaki – Bestselling Author & Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures
Guy is a managing director of Garage Technology Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm and a columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine. Previously, he was an Apple Fellow at Apple Computer, Inc. Guy is the author of eight books including The Art of the Start, Rules for Revolutionaries, How to Drive Your Competition Crazy, Selling the Dream, and The Macintosh Way. He has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College. (View Guy’s blog.)
Chris Brahm – Partner and Director of Bain & Company
Chris runs the Technology practice for North America at Bain & Company – one of the top strategic consulting firms in the world. With broad experience in the technology industry, he advises top management of leading technology companies and other industries.
Mark Silva – Co-founder and CEO of Real Branding
Mark founded Real Branding in 1994 to pioneer the emerging field of digital communications for brands. He serves as senior consultant and agency sponsor for many of Real Branding’s long-term clients as well as emerging interests. Silva brings over 20 years of traditional and online advertising experience directing strategic planning, account and creative teams with his passionate, visionary approach to integrated communications.
At Real Branding Silva has lead online brand strategy for blue-chip companies including ABC, Anheuser-Busch, AOL, Coca-Cola, Corona, Diageo, Disney, HBO, Pepsi-Lipton, Scottish & Newcastle, Unilever and Warner Bros.
Mark assists Tynt with brand related strategy and opportunities.
Paul Perez – Managing Director, Northern Trust, NA
Paul is a Managing Director of Family Advisory Services at Northern Trust, the oldest and largest trust company in the US. Prior to joining Northern, Paul was the Director of Strategy for HRJ Capital, an $2.3 billion alternative investment firm. Prior to his affiliation with HRJ, Paul was Managing Member of Lyon Ventures, LLC, Managing Director of US Trust Company of New York, Chief Investment Strategist of The Scion Group LLC and Head of Portfolio Management at Credit Suisse Private Banking in New York.
Kelly Graves – Co-founder Loa PowerTools Inc.
Kelly is a veteran of the technology industry. He has been a principal, founder, or key advisor at many tech startups since the 1980s, and has guided many successful exits. He was co-founder of Net Effects which was acquired by Ask Jeeves. He is an experienced strategist and mentor, with deep connections and a surprising contact list in different tech industries all across North America. He is in high demand as a facilitator, and is a popular speaker at conferences and seminars. Kelly’s latest start- up mission is Loa PowerTools.
Serge Klimoff – President Parseca Inc.
Serge is one of the great technology minds at Parseca Inc. – the top technology delivery company for browser enhancements. Serge built the browser plug-in technology that powered successful companies including StumbleUpon, SideStep and the toolbar for Linked In.
Read more: Tynt » Tynt Management and Board http://www.tynt.com/company/about-tynt/#ixzz0ltpkRzJC
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Groupon Deal of the Day: $135m venture round, $1b+ valuation- kakaka ching
------------------------
Total dollars saved
$157,094,941
Total Groupons bought
4,054,928
Launched in November 2008, Groupon features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in a variety of cities across the United States. We have about 200 wonderful people working in our Chicago office (a handful of whom you can see to your right), along with a smattering of people in Groupon's other cities.
Our company philosophy is pretty simple: we treat our customers the way we like to be treated. That boils down to a few key things:
We sell stuff we want to buy. A great price is only half the battle - it's also got to be a great product or service. Between our top-rated business partners and unbeatable prices, you should feel comfortable venturing out and trying something new - just because it's featured on Groupon. We want Groupon to be an addiction you can feel good about.
No BS. We really want you to love Groupon. "Gotchas" and buried conditions that sour the experience are a terrible way to accomplish that goal. We want each Groupon purchase to feel too good to be true, from the moment you buy to the day you use it. If there's anything unusual about a deal (e.g. an inconvenient location), we go out of our way to point it out.
Unbelievable customer service. Like you, we've suffered through hour-long "transfer-athons" with customer service departments, or waited days for an email reply to to a simple question. If you contact us, we'll do what it takes to make things right - and we'll do it fast. Email us, or speak with a human (during normal business hours): (877) 788-7858
Groupon Origins
Groupon grew out of a website called The Point, a website launched in November 2007 that lets you start a campaign asking people to give money or do something as a group — but only once a "tipping point" of people agree to participate. By delaying action until enough people come together to have a real impact, The Point helps consumers, employees, citizens, activists, parents — or anyone — come together and solve problems that they couldn't solve alone. Learn more about The Point here.
We came up with the patent-pending idea for Groupon as an antidote to a common ailment for us city-dwellers: there's so much cool stuff to do, but the choice can be overwhelming. With so many options, sometimes the easiest thing is to go to a familiar restaurant, or just stay at home and watch a movie. As a result, we miss out on trying all the cool things our cities have to offer. By focusing on one good or service each day, Groupon makes it simple. And by leveraging The Point's framework for collective buying, Groupon is able to offer deals that make it very difficult to say no.
While we started Groupon as a side project of The Point, it's taken on a life of its own, and now occupies the vast majority of our time here at The Point.
Our People
The Groupon staff performs Bach BWV 248 No. 2 "Brich An, O Schones Morgenlicht" at the Chicago Lyric Opera, 10/27/09
Groupon's people are our most valuable asset. Everything about Groupon is a reflection of the interests and ethics of its wonderful staff.
Andrew Mason Founder/CEO (email, twitter)
Andrew Mason is the founder of Groupon as well as The Point, the collective action platform from which Groupon was born. Andrew's mostly unremarkable existence began in Pittsburgh, PA; he moved to Chicago in 1999 to attend Northwestern University, where he lives today with his girlfriend and over 20 cats. Andrew graduated with a degree in music, the uselessness of which served as a chief inspiration to not be useless. Out of college, Andrew became a software developer by no ambition of his own, but via a series of acquaintances offering to give him money to do incrementally harder stuff on computers. Excited by the power of technology to change the world, Andrew developed Policy Tree, a policy debate visualization tool, and won a scholarship to attend the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy in 2006. In school for only 3 months, the flighty Andrew dropped out after receiving an unexpected offer to fund the idea that would become The Point. The Point, a ground-breaking approach to online collective action and fundraising, launched in November 2007. One year later, Andrew founded Groupon, leveraging the collective buying technology of The Point to make it easier (and cheaper) to experience all the great stuff in Chicago. At various points in his life, Andrew has also started businesses to deliver bagels as if they were newspapers, and sell muffins with cranberries that he found in his backyard to people living on his street.
Ken Pelletier CTO (email, twitter)
Ken was born and raised in the Boston, MA area, and is a 14-year transplant to Chicago, IL. Ken studied Computer Science at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. and has been working professionally in technology for over 20 years. Ken was Director of Technology at an industry-leading software company, McCracken Computer, Lexington, MA. Following that, he participated in the development of a key public technology offering at The Open Software Foundation (OSF), an industry-wide software technology consortium in Cambridge, MA. As founder and principal of NiKA Software, an independent software consultancy, his clients included technology-forward companies in the US, UK, Ireland and France. Ken’s interest in emerging software technology led him to a position as a NEXTSTEP consultant with NeXT Computer, Inc. Most recently, as Senior Software Architect, Ken helped launch an online travel distribution platform at G2 Switchworks, Chicago, IL. Aside from software technology, Ken has a keen interest in visual design, cognitive science, linguistics, and has been a performing and recording musician.
Also check out Groupon's Board of Directors
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Greycroft Partners
"Greycroft Partners LLC, an early stage venture capital fund based in New York and Los Angeles announced today the completion of $130.7 million in fundraising for its second fund, Greycroft II. Greycroft II will continue to focus on businesses in the digital media space, broadly defined as products or services delivered through a wireless device or via the Internet.
As an indication of Greycroft’s commitment to being a small fund making modest investments, Greycroft II left additional commitments on the table and, as a result, had one closing. The small fund size is designed to support its investment strategy of funding companies with capital efficient models and initial investments of $500,000 to $5 million.
“This is a great time to be active in our area, particularly in New York and Los Angeles ” said Dana Settle, Partner and head of Greycroft’s Los Angeles Office. “We are seeing a growth spurt in the digital media industry, as the best and brightest talent start companies that are filled with potential.”
Greycroft II investors encompass a leading group of municipal and corporate pension funds and endowments led by JP Morgan Investment Advisors, in addition to individuals from across the corporate world. The General Partners of the new fund are the same as Greycroft I, Alan Patricof, Dana Settle and Drew Lipsher with the addition of Ian Sigalow, promoted from Principal.
“The firm’s industry focus and its presence on both coasts is particularly desirable as there is an increasing level of activity in these two cities with a groundswell of gifted entrepreneurs,” said Drew Lipsher, New York based Partner, Greycroft. “Additionally, in being bicoastal Greycroft is given the opportunity to strengthen our industry relationships and concentrate on business development.”
Previously, Greycroft I raised $75 million, completely from high net worth individuals. During its four years in operation, Greycroft I made over 30 investments in the digital media space including: Collective, Huffington Post; Paid Content, which was sold to Guardian Media; Digisynd, which was sold to Disney; and Pump Audio, which was sold to Getty.
About Greycroft Partners
Greycroft Partners is known for partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs to help them gain visibility, build strategic relationships and successfully bring their products to market through its extensive network of media and technology industry connections. Formed in 2006 by venture capital veteran, Alan Patricof, with offices in both Los Angeles and New York, Greycroft seeks to serve entrepreneurs in these two complementary, rapidly growing and previously underserved markets. We are focused on promising, digital media companies, including both business and consumer focused ventures and strongly believe that the best entrepreneurs build exceptional businesses through ingenuity and capital efficiency. Since inception we’ve invested in 32 companies and have had three successful exits. For more information, go to www.greycroftpartners.com."
Venture Capital Fundraising Experiences a Slow Start to 2010
"US venture capital firms raised $3.6 billion in the first quarter of 2010 from 32 funds, according to Thomson Reuters and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). This level marks a 31% decline, by dollar commitments, compared to the first quarter of 2009 and 44% decline by number of funds. It also represents the slowest opening quarter since 1993.
Fundraising by Venture Funds ----------------------------------------------- Venture Number of Capital Year/Quarter Funds ($M) ----------------------------------------------- 2005 243 29,042.7 ----------------------------------------------- 2006 243 32,094.9 ----------------------------------------------- 2007 253 36,206.4 ----------------------------------------------- 2008 225 28,530.7 ----------------------------------------------- 2009 140 15,820.7 ----------------------------------------------- 2010 32 3,617.8 ----------------------------------------------- 1Q'08 75 7,184.8 ----------------------------------------------- 2Q'08 83 9,294.6 ----------------------------------------------- 3Q'08 63 8,497.4 ----------------------------------------------- 4Q'08 49 3,553.9 ----------------------------------------------- 1Q'09 57 5,250.9 ----------------------------------------------- 2Q'09 32 4,203.7 ----------------------------------------------- 3Q'09 29 2,296.8 ----------------------------------------------- 4Q'09 44 4,069.3 ----------------------------------------------- 1Q'10 32 3,617.8 -----------------------------------------------
Source: Thomson Reuters and National Venture Capital Association
"There is no question that the bar has been raised for venture capital fundraising," said Mark Heesen, president of the NVCA. "Over the last two years, alternative asset allocations have declined and the exit market has suffered, putting venture firms in the unenviable position of communicating their value in an extremely challenging environment. Many firms have been waiting until the exit market improves before embarking upon their fundraising efforts. This wait has been considerably longer than many firms anticipated. Those firms that are successfully raising money today do have both a track record as well as vision for the future. As predicted, the next few years will see the industry consolidate with the strongest firms surviving."
There were five new funds and 27 follow-on funds raised in the first quarter of 2010, a ratio of over five-to-one of follow-on to new funds. The largest new fund reporting commitments during the first quarter of 2010 was Boston-based Longwood Founders Fund, which raised $50.7 million in its inaugural fund. A "new" fund is defined as the first fund at a newly established firm, although the general partner of that firm may have previous experience investing in venture capital.
VC Funds: New vs. Follow-On -------------------------------------- No. of No. of Follow- New on Total -------------------------------------- 2005 67 176 243 -------------------------------------- 2006 56 187 243 -------------------------------------- 2007 62 191 253 -------------------------------------- 2008 50 175 225 -------------------------------------- 2009 28 112 140 -------------------------------------- 2010 5 27 32 -------------------------------------- 1Q'08 12 63 75 -------------------------------------- 2Q'08 23 60 83 -------------------------------------- 3Q'08 14 49 63 -------------------------------------- 4Q'08 11 38 49 -------------------------------------- 1Q'09 5 52 57 -------------------------------------- 2Q'09 11 21 32 -------------------------------------- 3Q'09 9 20 29 -------------------------------------- 4Q'09 8 36 44 -------------------------------------- 1Q'10 5 27 32 --------------------------------------
Source: Thomson Reuters and National Venture Capital Association
The largest funds raised during the first quarter of 2010 were Battery Ventures IX, L.P. and Oak Investment Partners XIII, L.P which both saw $750 million in fund commitments during the quarter."
Friday, April 16, 2010
Prosper.com Raises $14.7 Million Series D Round
Prosper.com Raises $14.7 Million Series D Round
Prosper.com, provider of peer-to-peer lending marketplace with one million members and over 32,000 funded loans totaling over $194 million, announced that it has raised $14.7 million in a Series D round from investors TomorrowVentures, LLC and CompuCredit Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: CCRT) and existing investors Accel Partners; Benchmark Capital; DAG Ventures; Meritech Capital Partners; Omidyar Network; QED Investors; and Volition Capital (formerly Fidelity Ventures). Including this latest round of financing, Prosper has raised a total of $57.7 million to date.
Prosper also announced that Court Coursey, Managing Partner at TomorrowVentures, will join the company's Board of Directors. Prosper's other Board members include, Jim Breyer of Accel Partners; Larry Cheng of Volition Capital; Bob Kagle of Benchmark Capital; and Capital One Co-founder Nigel Morris of QED Investors.
Prosper is the world's largest peer-to-peer lending marketplace with approximately one million members and over $194 million in loans. Prosper pioneered peer-to-peer lending, which allows people to invest in each other in a way that is socially and financially rewarding. Prosper's auction model provides an open and transparent way to get a personal loan or invest in loans on terms that are favorable to everyone involved in the transaction.
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Chris Larsen is CEO and Co-founder of Prosper, America's largest peer-to-peer lending marketplace. Mr. Larsen holds an M.B.A. degree from Stanford University and a B.S. degree from San Francisco State University, where he was named the 2004 Alumnus of the Year.
Kirk Inglis
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
He consulted Wells Fargo Bank on the effectiveness of their online marketing programs. Prior to that, Mr. Inglis spent 9 years with Providian Financial Corporation.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Ouch: Venture capital fundraising hits 17-year low in U.S.
"U.S. venture capital firms' first-quarter fundraising was the lowest first quarter since 1993, according to Thomson Reuters and the National Venture Capital Association.
Thirty-two funds raised $3.6 billion in the quarter ended March 31, down from $4.1 billion in 44 funds in the previous quarter and $5.3 billion in 57 funds in the first quarter of 2009.
In the first quarter of 1993, 10 venture capital funds raised $219.3 million.
The largest new fund raised from a new firm in the most recent quarter was the $50.7 million Longwood Founders Fund.
The largest funds raised overall were $750 million each for Battery Ventures IX and Oak Investment Partners XIII."
--------------
From NVCA:
""There is no question that the bar has been raised for venture capital fundraising,” said Mark Heesen, president of the NVCA. “Over the last two years, alternative asset allocations have declined and the exit market has suffered, putting venture firms in the unenviable position of communicating their value in an extremely challenging environment.
Many firms have been waiting until the exit market improves before embarking upon their fundraising efforts. This wait has been considerably longer than many firms anticipated. Those firms that are successfully raising money today do have both a track record as well as vision for the future. As predicted, the next few years will see the industry consolidate with the strongest firms surviving.”
There were five new funds and 27 follow-on funds raised in the first quarter of 2010, a ratio of over 5-to-1 of follow-on to new funds. The largest new fund reporting commitments during the first quarter of 2010 was Boston-based Longwood Founders Fund, which raised $50.7 million in its inaugural fund. A “new” fund is defined as the first fund at a newly
established firm, although the general partner of that firm may have previous experience investing in venture capital. "
Thirty-two funds raised $3.6 billion in the quarter ended March 31, down from $4.1 billion in 44 funds in the previous quarter and $5.3 billion in 57 funds in the first quarter of 2009.
In the first quarter of 1993, 10 venture capital funds raised $219.3 million.
The largest new fund raised from a new firm in the most recent quarter was the $50.7 million Longwood Founders Fund.
The largest funds raised overall were $750 million each for Battery Ventures IX and Oak Investment Partners XIII."
--------------
From NVCA:
""There is no question that the bar has been raised for venture capital fundraising,” said Mark Heesen, president of the NVCA. “Over the last two years, alternative asset allocations have declined and the exit market has suffered, putting venture firms in the unenviable position of communicating their value in an extremely challenging environment.
Many firms have been waiting until the exit market improves before embarking upon their fundraising efforts. This wait has been considerably longer than many firms anticipated. Those firms that are successfully raising money today do have both a track record as well as vision for the future. As predicted, the next few years will see the industry consolidate with the strongest firms surviving.”
There were five new funds and 27 follow-on funds raised in the first quarter of 2010, a ratio of over 5-to-1 of follow-on to new funds. The largest new fund reporting commitments during the first quarter of 2010 was Boston-based Longwood Founders Fund, which raised $50.7 million in its inaugural fund. A “new” fund is defined as the first fund at a newly
established firm, although the general partner of that firm may have previous experience investing in venture capital. "
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Gemvara raises $5.2 million in Series B funding from Highland and Canaan. The Company previously raised $5.8 million in 2008
Gemvara raises $5.2 million in Series B funding from Highland and Canaan. The Company previously raised $5.8 million in 2008.
Per the Company's site - the term "Gemvara" is inspired by the ancient Sanskrit word for wish, "vara." Every beautiful piece of jewelry that Gemvara sells is available as you wish: customized to suit your style.
Ancestors wore brilliantly hued gemstones not just as adornment, but as powerful amulets that could help them realize their potential. At Gemvara, we believe that the jewelry you wear should reflect the many facets of your personality and symbolize the destiny only you can dream. Thats why each piece we create is made to your exact specifications. From your choice of metal, to the sparkle of a brilliant gemstone, creating one-of-a-kind necklaces, rings, or earrings is made easy using our unique jewelry customization process.
Customize each new treasure by selecting from thousands of designer concepts and an array of gems and precious metals. Each click transforms the look of the piece immediately. You may admire your creation and change every detail until you arrive at your perfect piece. Then, let one of our master craftspeople bring your vision to life, and deliver it to your doorstep.
Gemvara uses only the highest quality materials to create your one-of-a-kind jewelry piece. We source rare gemstones and luminous metals from around the world so you have the widest selection possible. All Gemvara jewelry is made with meticulous attention to detail in the USA. Because we believe in the power of jewelry to create lasting impressions, we construct all items so that they can be admired by future generations too.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
The iPad is finally here! Madness!!
The iPad is finally here! In celebration of the special day and just because we could not resist, the "iPad":
From Getty Images:
Friday, April 02, 2010
First guy in line for an ipad
BizInsider:
"Greg Packer is the first guy in line for iPad at Apple's Fifth Avenue store. We'd be impressed, but then, Greg Packer is always the first guy in line. He lives for publicity.
Here are some other things he has been first in line for (according to Wikipedia):
The Super Bowl victory rally for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2006.
The Super Bowl victory rally of the New York Giants,
The 2005 release of the novel Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Bill Clinton's first book signing.
Greeting President George W. Bush after his inauguration.
The iPhone launch.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-same-stupid-guy-whos-first-in-line-for-everything-is-the-first-guy-in-line-for-the-ipad-2010-4#ixzz0jvNn8O8O"
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)