Dan Primack

Today is a lot of things, and a Wednesday is among them. Since Wednesday is a weekday, that means we have yet another electric vehicle financing to report. This one is for Miles Electric Vehicles Inc., a Santa Monica, Calif.-based company that is in the midst of raising $40 million in Series B funding. So […]

Two weeks ago, peHUB asked some prominent VC supporters of Senators McCain and Obama to explain why other investors should follow their lead at the ballot box. Since today is E-Day, it seems appropriate to put them back on the homepage. Writing in favor of McCain is Bob Grady, founder of Carlyle Venture Partners and a former deputy assistant to President George H.W. Bush. The pro-Obama piece is co-written by Mark Gorenberg, a managing director with Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, and Julius Genachowski, a founding partner of LaunchBox Digital and a special advisor to General Atlantic: Why Venture Capitalists Should Support Barack Obama This is a defining moment in our history and the most important election of our lifetimes. We face unprecedented economic, energy, environmental, and healthcare challenges.Click here to read more about Obama. Why Venture Capitalists Should Support John McCain In his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, former President Bill Clinton correctly said that the two most important issues in this election are the future of the U.S. economy and America’s standing in the world.Click here to read more about McCain.

The presidential election is two weeks from today, so peHUB has asked some prominent VC supporters of Senators McCain and Obama to explain why other investors should follow their lead at the ballot box. Writing in favor of McCain is Bob Grady, founder of Carlyle Venture Partners and a former deputy assistant to President George H.W. Bush. The pro-Obama piece is co-written by Mark Gorenberg, a managing director with Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, and Julius Genachowski, a founding partner of LaunchBox Digital and a special advisor to General Atlantic:Why Venture Capitalists Should Support Barack ObamaThis is a defining moment in our history and the most important election of our lifetimes. We face unprecedented economic, energy, environmental, and healthcare challenges.Click here to read more about Obama.Why Venture Capitalists Should Support John McCainIn his speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, former President Bill Clinton correctly said that the two most important issues in this election are the future of the U.S. economy and America’s standing in the world.Click here to read more about McCain.

What follows are eight VC deals culled from recent Regulation D filings with the SEC. They have not been otherwise disclosed: * CaliSolar Inc., a Sunnyvale, Calif.-based developer of solar cells using “dirty” metallurgical grade silicon, has raised $51.9 million in Series B preferred stock funding. It also has secured another $50 million in convertible securities, for a round total of nearly $102 million. Hudson Clean Energy led the round, and was joined by return backers Advanced Technology Ventures and Globespan Capital Partners. Prior press reports say that the company plans to build a commercial plant in California next year. It had previously raised around $9 million. www.calisolar.com * Sriya Innovations Inc., a Marietta, Ga.-based biorefinery startup, has raised $15 million in Series A funding. Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers led the round with partners Ajit Nazere and Bill Joy taking board seats. * WiChorus Inc., a San Jose, Calif.-based developer of 4G core infrastructure products, has raised $18 million in Series C funding. Return backers include Accel Partners, Mayfield Fund and Redpoint Ventures. The company has now raised over $40 million in total funding. www.wichorus.com * Xtalic, a Marlborough, Mass.-based developer of nanostructured alloys for corrosion and wear resistance, has raised around $10 million in Series B funding. Backers include

There’s been some news of late about Martin Tobias, the onetime venture capitalist who last December quit as CEO of Seattle-based biodiesel maker Imperium Renewables. Katie, Eric and others report that he’s launched Kashless, a stealth startup that melds software with cleantech. I’d hate to just cite their work without adding anything, so how about: Kashless recently raised $5 million in Series A funding led by RRE Ventures. Stuart Ellman, co-founder and managing partner of RRE Ventures, will join the board. Tobias declined to comment on the company or the funding when I rang earlier today, but there are some clues on his personal blog. Specifically, he recounts difficulties in buying and selling

General partners and limited partners have become scared of the same thing: Each other. At least two dozen times in the past month, a GP has asked me something like: “Have you heard anything LPs not honoring their existing fund commitments?” At the same time, nearly as many LPs have asked me: “Have you heard […]

I just got finished interviewing Alan Patricof, as part of the North American Venture Capital Summit here in Quebec City. For the uninitiated, Patricof is a legendary venture capitalist who current manages a New York-based firm called Greycroft Partners. A few quick quotes and takeaways: * “We no longer invest with the idea of taking […]

Social gaming company Playfish this morning announced that it has raised $17 million in Series B funding, which brings its total venture capitalization to $21 million. Accel Partners and Index Ventures co-led the round, with Accel’s Kevin Comilli and Index’s Ben Holmes joining the London-based company’s board of directors. If you’re not familiar with Playfish, […]

Can you name the twenty-something celeb whose entourage recently rented out space in San Francisco, in order to begin exploring early-stage investments in digital media startups? And no, Ashton Kutcher is not still in his 20s. Hint: This person has guest-hosted SNL, and done it hilariously.

Venture capitalists invested nearly $7.2 billion into 907 U.S.-based companies during the third quarter of 2008, according to data released this morning by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the National Venture Capital Association and Thomson Reuters (publisher of peHUB). It represents the lowest quarterly tally since Q4 2006, and the fewest number of companies funded since Q1 2007. On […]