Mark Boslet
Cisco Systems said it will acquire Composite Software, Inc., a San Mateo, Calif., developer of data virtualization software. Cisco will pay about $180 million in cash and retention-based incentives with the acquisition expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2014.
Stratasys Ltd. said it would acquire desktop 3D printer maker MakerBot for $403 million with an addition $201 million in compensation possible through performance earn outs. Stratasys will issue about 4.76 million shares for the desktop 3D printer maker and permit the startup to earn an additional 2.38 million shares through the end of 2014. Makerbot has sold more than 22,000 3D printers since 2009.
I-Bankers Direct said Humphrey Polanen joined the company as a managing director based in Palo Alto, CA. The company operates an crowdfunding site.
Blue Coat System’s acquisition of Solera Networks is the latest exit of a venture-backed security company, and a lucrative one, too. Allegis Capital, an early backer of Solera, expects a return of more than 10x on its first money. Trident Capital also is turning a tidy profit.
Yahoo’s $1.1 billion purchase of blogging site Tumblr is the largest exit of a pre-public venture-backed New York-based company in the city’s history, according to CB Insights.
PeHUB took a look at this year’s 18 venture-backed IPOs to see where the action has been. Its analysis shows that companies trading above their IPO price greatly outnumber those that have sunk below it. The score is 12 above to six below.
SAP Ventures has more than doubled the size of its HANA fund of fund and expects to shortly close a second venture capital fund larger than its first. The dual moves represent a substantial expansion of its venture activities.
Matrix Partners said its raised a $450 million 10th fund with a focus on early stage technology investing. The Boston-based firm with offices in Silicon Valley, China and India said the fund is its third consecutive $450 million fund.
PerspecSys Inc., which provides cloud data protection solutions for enterprises, has raised US$12 million in a Series B financing round co-led by Paladin Capital Group and Ascent Venture Partners, and joined by existing investor Intel Capital and other institutional investors. The company has raised more than US$20 million. PerspecSys, which has offices in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, first received start-up financing in 2007 from Canadian venture capital firm GrowthWorks.
Allegis Capital has begun raising a special opportunities fund, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm did not offer a target size for Allegis Special Opportunities Fund or list which partners will be associated with it. The fund has not yet had a closing, the document states.