Erin Griffith

Culled from regulatory filings, here are some recent private equity and venture fundraising updates. Permal Capital Management, based in Boston, has raised $81.2 million toward a set of parallel private equity and venture funds of funds. Permal Private Equity Holdings V LP has $300 million target. The vehicle is split into two segments of $150 […]

Unless you've picked up a box of Wheaties or browsed a Sky Mall lately, you may not have heard of Spira Footwear. It may be time to pay attention-its managers are attempting to position the company to "revolutionize the shoe world" with its WaveSpring technology. That is, "if we don't screw this up," said CEO and co-founder Andy Krafsur. Designed by a former aerospace engineer, the technology has been endorsed by Dick and Rick Hoyt and has even raised controversy over whether it was legal to wear in races like the Boston Marathon, given claims that it gives wearers an unfair advantage. The El Paso, Texas-based company has been slowly and steadily growing since it began in 2000. It's raised $8 million from angel investors to date and is seeking an additional $5 million from institutionalIt's raised $8 million from angel investors to date and is seeking an additional $5 million from institutional investors as it expands the use of its technology into work boots, military footwear and other types of shoes. The company had $6.4 million in revenue last year and expects $7 to $7.5 million this year. Spira's initial gross margins are 55%, which is higher than the industry average of 35%, Krafsur said.

5AM Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on life sciences, has passed $150 million fundraising target on its third fund, according to a regulatory filing. It now has $159.2 million in capital commitments from 34 accredited investors, compared to $119.25 million disclosed in an April filing. The firm's second fund closed in 2006 with $150 million. Based in Waltham, Mass., and Menlo Park, Calif., 5AM was formed in 2004, raising a $65 million fund. It’s led by managing partners Andrew Schwab, Scott Rocklage and John Diekman.

Culled from regulatory filings, here are some recent private equity and venture fundraising updates, not reported elsewhere. Walton Street Real Estate Partners VI-FF LP has raised $22 million. Walton Street is based in Chicago. Richardson Capital Private Equity LP, a buyout firm based in Manitoba, Canada, has raised $277.35 toward its goal of $693 million. The fund has compiled commitments from 44 investors since launching fundraising in 2006. Dynamis Venture Partners LP has raised $9 million from 33 investors. Dynamis is based in Charlottesville, Va. Resource Capital Funds, a private equity firm based in Denver, Colo., and Perth Austrailia, seeks to raise $800 million for its fifth fund. The firm, which began marketing this fund in 2009, makes investments in mining companies and projects across a diversified range of commodities and geographic regions., according to its website.

Throw yet another name on the list of new venture firms. Eric Paley, a former IDG Ventures senior adviser, has started Founder Collective, a seed stage venture firm based in Somerville, Mass. The firm has raised $24.39 million, according to an SEC filing, but Paley told Xcomony that the pot has inched closer to $30 […]

Much ink has been spilled over the "broken" venture capital model. Several years ago, Greg Warnock reached this same conclusion while at vSpring Capital, deciding venture capitalists weren't being adequately compensated for the risk of investing in pre-revenue deals. So he started a new firm to do the opposite of that. Warnock, alongside former MarketStar Corp. CEO Alan Hall, formed Mercato Partners to invest exclusively in revenue-producing startups with the goal of finding companies "grappling for their first foothold," and bolstering their sales forces from ten to 500. That strategy has performed well thus far. Two years and four investments into its life, the firm's IRR is in the low triple digits, while its portfolio company revenues grew 50% last year. I asked Warnock a few questions about Mercato's strategy and how it fits into today's VC market.

Culled from regulatory filings, here are some recent private equity and venture fundraising updates, not reported elsewhere. Inventus Capital Partners, a new Menlo Park, Calif.-based VC firm has raised $51.25 million from 62 investors. The firm hasn't listed a fundraising goal, but in September peHUB reported the firm was seeking $125 million. That same report stated the firm had around $50 million in the hopper, so this new filing indicates the firm raised very little new capital in the last nine months. Firm Web site Lenox Equity Partners, an equity and mezzanine investment firm based in Atlanta, Ga., has raised $9.7 million toward a $30 million fundraising goal from 22 investors. The fund began raising commitments in 2007. Firm web site

With recent chatter about wildly shrinking VC fundraising numbers, it’s helpful to take a step back and look the difference between the numbers initially released by the NVCA and the actual data the association later reports. According to observations from investment bank VC Prive, the number typically rises significantly. Firm founder Laura Roden says, “The chilling numbers for Q4 2008 and Q1 2009 VC fundraising should be taken with a modicum of expectation that these numbers will almost certainly improve upon later reflection.” Download her comparison spreadsheet here: VC Prive; NVCA Fundraising Data Comparison

Here’s one for the petty complaint department. (file next to: Startups With Capital Letters In The Middle Of Their Names). Why do the writers of press releases insist on jamming the word “leading” into the description of what a company does? After compiling endless press releases in Dan’s absence for the past two weeks, I’ve noticed this word is ubiquitous. Company X, the leading distributor of widget Y, has signed a deal. Company A, the leading developer of technology B in area C, received a new investment. Merely saying it doesn't make it so. "Leaders," the jig is up.