NEW YORK – For the first time, some of Japan’s $1.5 trillion in pension money has been invested with a United States-based private equity group. La Jolla, Calif.-based Pacific Corporate Group in January closed a $100 million fund-of-funds co-sponsored by Mitsubishi Corp. Capital that only has Japanese institutional investors as limited partners, including Daido Life […]
NEW YORK – As public market investors continue to shun various small and mid-cap companies, scores of publicly traded businesses are now seeking private investments to strengthen both their boards and their balance sheets. The reason is partly because these private deals are less complex than secondary public offerings and can be a savior for […]
CLEVELAND – Morgenthaler in January finalized its private placement memorandum for Morgenthaler Partners VI and began marketing the $450 million-targeted vehicle. Chief Financial Officer Theodore Laufik, however, said that given initial response from limited partners, the firm likely will close above $550 million. Investments from MP VI will be split into three areas – 50% […]
ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Central Florida recently launched an incubator to take advantage of in-house ideas and the growing number of high-tech companies in Orlando and its surrounding areas. The Central Florida Business and Technology Development Center (CFBDTC) is expected to bring “business minds and technical minds together to create a commercial success,” […]
NEW YORK – Genesis Partners II, a venture capital fund focused on Israel-based communications, Internet and information technology companies, recently held a first close on $100 million. The fund, which is managed by E. Shalev Management Ltd. of Israel and CIBC World Markets, is the successor to the $90 million Genesis Partners I, and has […]
FAIRFAX, Va. – NextGen Capital LLC recently held a $15 million first close on NextGen Fund II, which is slated to wrap this spring on its $25 million target, said Carl Eckstein, a founder and director of the firm. Focused on early-stage information technology, Internet and communications companies, the fund will back between 20 and […]
CONCORD, Mass. – MotherNature.com Inc., an e-tailer of healthy living products, went public December 10, offering 4.1 million shares at $13 apiece. The company’s stock priced at the top of its $11 to $13 filing range. Bear, Sterns & Co., Hambrecht & Quist Group and Wit Capital Corp. underwrote the initial public offering, which left […]
LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. – Digimarc Corp., a digital watermarking company, went public December 2, offering 4 million shares at $20 apiece. The company’s stock priced well above its $16 to $18 filing range. Underwritten by BancBoston Robertson Stephens International, Hambrecht & Quist and U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, the initial public offering left 12 million shares […]
NEW YORK – Sentinel Capital Partners in December promoted Vice President Eric Bommer to principal, a role in which he will continue to source deals, execute transactions and monitor portfolio companies. Since joining the firm in early 1997 (VCJ, June 1997, page 33), Bommer has taken seats on the boards of Floral Plant Growers LLC, […]
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Red Rock Ventures in December hired software guru Bob Marsh as a general partner, following the recruitment of General Partner Laura Brege one month earlier. As an early-stage investor in e-commerce business-to-business and other Internet companies, Red Rock had to keep up with the fast pace of those deals by boosting […]