Jean-Philippe Barade and Alasdaire Thomson have joined Morgan Stanley Private Equity as London-based executive directors. Barade was previously with Permira, while Thomon comes over from Apax Partners. www.morganstanley.com
Albireo has closed its Series A round at $40 million. The company was recently formed as a spinout of AstraZeneca's Swedish gastrointestinal research unit, and announced a $27 million first close from Nomura Phase4 Ventures, TVM Capital and Scottish Widows Investment Partnership. The expansion was provided by TPG Growth. PRESS RELEASE Albireo, a […]
Arrowhead Research Corp. (Nasdaq: ARWR) has sold subsidiary Aonex Technologies to AmberWave Systems, a Salem, N.H.-based provider of strained silicon technology for the semiconductor industry. The deal is valued at up to $7.95 million in earnouts. Aonex is a Pasadena, Calif.-based developer of materials integration technology for the solar, LED and laser markets. AmerWave has […]
Buzznet Inc., a Los Angeles-based social media community focused on music and pop culture, has acquired alternative music community Absolute Punk. No financial terms were disclosed. This is Buzznet's fourth recent acquisition, having previously bought Idolator, Qloud and Stereogum. It has raised over $30 million in VC funding from Interscope Records, Redpoint Ventures and Anthem […]
Spot Runner, a Los Angeles-based Internet ad agency for local businesses, has raised $51 million in Series C funding. New backers included Daily Mail & General Trust, Grupo Televisa, Legg Mason Capital Management and Groupe Arnault/LVMH. The company did not specify which existing investors also participated, but the company had previously raised over $60 million […]
Auspex Pharmaceuticals, a Vista, Calif.-based biotech startup focused on targeted deuteration of clinically validated drugs, has raised $13.88 million in Series B funding. Thomas, McNerney & Partners led the round, and was joined by return backers CMEA Ventures and Costa Verde Capital. www.auspexpharma.com
Jinni Ltd., an Israeli provider of personalized content search solutions, has raised $1 million in first-round funding from Start-Up Factory. www.jinni.com
Ceritca Solutions Inc., a Wakefield, Mass.-based provider of information management software for the K-12 education market, has raised $3.3 million. This is the company's first institutional funding round since its 2000 inception, and was led by Brook Venture Partners. PRESS RELEASE Certica Solutions, Inc., a Wakefield, Massachusetts-based provider of information management software solutions to […]
InnoCentive Inc., a Waltham, Mass.-based operator of an online collaboration forum for scientists and scientific companies, has raised $6.5 million in Series B funding. Spencer Trask Ventures led the round, and was joined by fellow insiders Eli Lilly & Co. and Omidyar Network. InnoCentive had spun out of Eli Lilly in 2005, via a $9 […]
MK Capital has sponsored a spinout of P2P multimedia delivery company Kontiki from VeriSign Inc. No financial terms were disclosed. VeriSign bought Kontiki in 2006 from a group of VC firms that included MK Capital. That deal was valued at $62 million, and followed over $42 million in funding. PRESS RELEASE Kontiki, the leading […]