A Venture Capital Firm Led by 2 Women Plans to Introduce a $150M Seed Fund

More than a year after striking out on their own, the founders of Aspect Ventures are preparing a formal introduction of a sizable fund. The firm plans to announce on Thursday that it has raised about $150 million for its first investment fund, a large sum for a two-founder venture capital firm. Perhaps just as […]

WA Life Sciences Discovery Fund announces ~$1M in matching grants

SEATTLE, Washington, March 9, 2015 – The Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) today announced nearly $1 million in Matching grants to two Washington-based companies to promote translation of promising treatments for devastating medical conditions from the laboratory to the commercial marketplace. Each award must be matched at least 1:1 by other funding sources. These grants […]

Belarus, Russia to set up venture capital fund in 2015

MINSK, 21 January (BelTA) – The Belarus-Russia venture capital fund is to be established in 2015, Chairman of the Belarusian State Science and Technology Committee Alexander Shumilin said at a press conference dedicated to the Day of Belarusian Science on 21 January, BelTA has learned. “We are in talks with a Russian venture capital company […]

Canadian CTI Life Sciences successfully raises new C$ 134 Million venture capital fund

MONTREAL, Jan. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ – CTI Life Sciences announced today the first closing of its second venture capital fund (“CTI II”), with C$134 million of capital now available for investment. The new fund includes reaffirmed support from CTI’s existing Québec institutional investors along with new investors Teralys Capital and BDC Capital via the Government of Canada’s Venture Capital Action Plan (VCAP). Montréal-based […]

A billion in VC funding is real money for Chicago

More venture capital flowed into Chicago startups in 2014 than any year since the dot-com boom 15 years ago, topping $1 billion. But while all that cash makes it easier to launch and grow a company here, funding levels still lagged behind those of other big cities. The year started off anemically, with barely more […]

€85m VC fund to support Irish life sciences sector

Enterprise Ireland has invested €15m in a new life sciences venture capital fund that has the potential to create 1,000 Irish jobs. Ireland’s largest life science venture capital fund, Fountain Healthcare Partners yesterday announced the initial closing of an €85m fund — the second such fund it has raised. The Department of Jobs, through Enterprise […]

Venture Capital Is Looking for Ways to Outrun the Herd

Eric Rosenfeld received a curious email this year explaining that he had been chosen to join a group called Future Founders. “The email came out of the blue,” said Mr. Rosenfeld, who is vice president for engineering in the San Francisco office of Spongecell. “I did some research to make sure it was legitimate.” Mr. […]

Michigan universities capitalize on growth of state venture capital industry

When EDF Ventures launched in Ann Arbor in 1987 to invest in university-based technologies, the University of Michigan had one person working part time on technology transfer. And at the time, the only other local venture capitalist in Southeast Michigan was Ian Bund. “We were considered an oddity,” said EDF co-founder Mary Campbell. ” ‘You’re […]

Boris launches London tech start-up fund

The mayor’s office says the fund is expected to help over 150 small businesses over the next three years, creating up to 2,600 new jobs. The £85 million pot will recieve £25 million from the mayor’s office through its ‘Growing Places Fund’, as well as up to £60 million from the private sector. The fund is intended […]