FUND RAISING: WEEKLY ROUND-UP

 

 

From today Fusion DigiNet will provide a weekly round-up of fund raising in the Digital and Media industries.

The Fusion DigiNet daily service will concentrate on M&A activity. This will allow us to provide more dept to our M&A coverage. M&A is, after all, Fusion’s speciality area.

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Already reported

The rest of the week’s stories

1. Backupify has raised $900,000

  • Backupify the online data backup and storage provider for businesses to seamlessly back up their critical cloud data, today announced that it has closed a Seed Round of $900,000. The company, which launched in June 2009 with a sole focus on the consumer market, will use much of the funding to create services for business customers, the first being an automated solution for business customers to back up their enterprise data that already resides in the cloud.
  • Investors: First Round Capital led the round, with investments from General Catalyst Partners, Betaworks and individual investors Chris Sacca, Jason Calacanis, Andy Swan and Bob Saunders. Charlie O’Donnell from First Round will sit on the Board of Directors and Josh Kopelman from First Round and David Orfao from General Catalyst Partners will join the company’s Board of Directors as observers.
  • Location: Louisville, KY
  • Category: Cloud Computing
  • Press Release

2. Busuu.com has raised an undisclosed sum

  • Busuu.com an online community offering free language courses has raised an undisclosed sum from an Austrian investor
  • Location: Spain, Madrid

3.  Clicker has raised $11 million

  • Clicker Media Inc. creators of Clicker, the programming guide for Internet television, announced today that it has received a Series B investment totalling $11 million. The funding will be used to support the long-term development of Clicker’s product line and partnerships with major consumer electronics, connectivity and content providers.
  • Investors: The round was led by Palo Alto-based JAFCO Ventures, with participation by Series A investors Benchmark Capital and Redpoint Ventures.
  • Location: USA, Los Angeles, CA
  • Category: Television, Technology
  • Press Release

4. Currensee has raised $8 million

5. Dukky has raised a second round of funding

  • Dukky a direct response company that utilizes proprietary social sharing technology to increase marketers’ response rates, announced today that it received a second round of funding.  With this latest round, the company has received a total of $3 million of capital to date.
  • Investors: A group of investors led by LongueVue Capital
  • Location: USA, New Orleans
  • Category: Marketing
  • Press Release 

6. KODA has raised $1.5 million

  • KODA  the online community for employers to recruit young professionals has received an additional $1.5 million infusion in private angel funding. The funds will support the company’s growing user base and continued community expansion.
  • Location: San Francisco, CA and New Orleans, LA
  • Category: Recruitment
  • Press release

7. Moonshoot has raised $6.6 million

  • Moonshoot, a startup whose mission is teaching English to children globally through an online gaming experience, has raised a total of $6.6M in venture backed financing.
  • Investors: Led by Alsop Louie Partners and TL Ventures. Gilman Louie of Alsop Louie Partners and Anthony Chang of TL Ventures have joined Moonshoot’s Board of Directors.
  • Location: USA, Palo Alto, CA
  • Category: Education
  • Press release

8. Mog.com raises $9.5 million

  • Subscription music service Mog.com has closed a second round of funding.
  • Location: USA, Berkeley, CA
  • Investors: Previous investor Menlo Ventures and VC firm Balderton Capital
  • Category: Music

9. Music Mastermind raises $4.85 million

  • Music Mastermind, the company has developed technology that makes music creation fun, easy, and intuitive for everyone, regardless of musical ability, has raised $4.85 million in Series A funding.
  • Location: USA, Calabasas, CA
  • Category: Music
  • Press release

10. MyEdu raises $5.5 million

  • MyEdu, the online source to increase success and save money in college, today announced $5.5 million in series B funding. MyEdu plans to use the funding to expand its university partner network and introduce new services to help millions of users nationwide achieve a college degree more efficiently.
  • Investors: led by Bain Capital Ventures, the venture capital affiliate of Bain Capital.
  • Location: USA, Austin, TX
  • Category: Education
  • Press Release

11. PeerPong has raised $2.8 million

  • Expert community and search company PeerPong has raised $2.8 million.
  • Investors: Doll Capital Management, First Round Capital, Charles River Ventures and Partech International.
  • Location: USA, San Francisco, CA
  • Category: Search

12. Smilebox has raised $2 million

13. Rent The Runway has raised $15 million  

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group acquires majority stake in Rocksteady Studios

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-336
 
Acquirer:  Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
ACQ Web:  http://www.warnerbros.com
Location:  USA, Burbank, CA
Region:  North America
Description 1:  Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group (WBHEG) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution, interactive entertainment, technical operations and anti-piracy businesses. WBHEG oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHEG distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com.
Description 2: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group an is a worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.
Category:  Entertainment, Media
Contact 1:  Kevin Tsujihara, president, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
Contact 2:  Martin Tremblay, president, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Contact 3:  Josh Berger, president and managing director, Warner Bros. UK
 
Vendor:  Rocksteady Studios Ltd
Vendor Web:  
Other Web Links: Twitter
Location:  UK, London
Region:  Europe
Description:  Founded in 2004 in London, England, Rocksteady Studios specialises in developing action-adventure video games, including Batman: Arkham Asylum, one of the most critically acclaimed games of 2009. The title has enjoyed robust sales, shipping over three million units worldwide, and has garnered numerous industry awards.
Category: Games
Contact 1:  Jamie Walker, studio director, co-owner
Contact 2:  Sefton Hill, games director, co-owner
 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed.

Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner’s home entertainment group in an interview in the FT said that they have acquired a 68.4% stake.
 
Details:  Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group has acquired a majority stake in Rocksteady Studios, a privately held developer of interactive entertainment targeted at teens and adults. Their best known game is Batman: Arkham Asylum.
 
Link: Press Release
  
Warner Bros. acquisition history in the games space:

In 2007, Warner Bros. acquired TT Games, developer of the hit LEGO-based game franchises, including LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Batman. In early 2009, Warner Bros. acquired Snowblind Studios to develop its The Lord of the Rings games franchise, with the first title expected to be released in 2011. Most recently, Warner Bros. purchased the primary assets of Midway Games. Midway published the Mortal Kombat franchise, which has sold over 26 million units worldwide, and owned a robust IP catalog and broadly applicable game engine technology. As part of the transaction, Warner Bros. acquired two development studios to focus on the Mortal Kombat franchise as well as other key properties.

Guinness World Records has acquired Bragster.com

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website

 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-335
 
Acquirer:  Guinness World Records
ACQ Web:  http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com
Other Web Links: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, DailyMotion, metacafe 
Location:  UK, London
Region:  Europe
Description:  The global authority on record-breaking achievements. According to Guinness World records, their website currently receives over 11 million visitors a year and 1,000 record applications each week.
Category:  Publisher
Contact:  Alistair Richards, Managing Director of Guinness World Records
 
Vendor:  Bragster.com
Vendor Web:  http://www.bragster.com
Other Web Links: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter
Location:  UK, London
Region:  Europe
Description:  Social networking site that allows users to upload videos of their dares and ‘bragging’ feats. Bragster.com was founded by Wim Vernaeve and Bertrand Bodson in 2006. The website currently has an Online community of 70,000 content generators, with their videos viewed up to 7 million times per month.
Category: Consumer website
Contact 1:  Bertrand Bodson, co-founder
Contact 2:  Wim Vernaeve, co-founder
 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  Guinness World Records has acquired Bragster.com. The acquisition comes at a time when Guinness World Records  is looking to improve their digital presence, particularly by expanding record-breaking into the online community. While plans for an integration program are finalized, Bragster.com will remain a completely separate entity, brand and target audience from Guinness World Records. The eventual incorporation of bragster.com will allow Guinness World Records to extend their reach into social networking.
 
Link: Press Release

GOADV acquires Italy’s top blog network BLOGOSFERE

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-333
 
Acquirer:  GoAdv Group
ACQ Web:  http://www.goadv.com
Other Web Links: Excite, Better Deals, Trackset 
Location:  Ireland, Dublin
Region:  Europe
Description:  The GoAdv Group is a pan-European digital media company with a staff of over 130 working across offices in Italy, Ireland and Asia, active in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, US, Australia, Russia and Brazil.

Created in 2004 the Group produces and distributes content across a wide network including Excite Europe, Better Deals and Nanopublishing. The media brands generate over 16.5 million unique monthly users.

GOADV is listed on Alternext of Nyse-Euronext Paris. Code ISIN FR0010500975 – Code MNEMO: ALGOA

Category:  Digital Media
Contact 1:  Luca Ascani, Chairman
Contact 2:  Salvatore Esposito, CEO

Vendor:  Blogosfere
Vendor Web:  http://www.blogosfere.it 
Location:  Italy, Milan
Region:  Europe
Description:  Founded in Italy in 2005, Blogosfere is an extensive professional blog network counting over 210 blogs in its portfolio written by some of the country’s most notable experts in their fields. With an audience of over 3 million unique monthly users and growing (Source: Audiweb), Blogosfere’s vision is to provide breaking news, comment and opinion by professionals and experts delivered
online through its network to passionate communities.
Category: Blog Network
Contact:  Silvio De Rossi, Head of Production
 
Aprox. Value:  
 
Details:  Digital media company GoAdv Group, has acquired Italian blog network BlogosfereBlogosferewas launched in 2005 and now counts more than 210 professional blogs across its network and has a user base of over 3 million.
 
Link: 

P.E. Baring Vostok Capital Partners is acquiring half of Smeshariki for $45 Million

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-332
 
Acquirer:  Baring Vostok Capital Partners
ACQ Web:  http://www.bvcp.ru/en/
Location:  Russia, Moscow
Region:  Europe
Description:  Baring Vostok Capital Partners is one of the leading private equity firms operating in Russia and the CIS. The Baring Vostok Private Equity Funds have invested over $1.2 billion in 54 companies since 1994, and currently have committed capital of $2 billion for new investment.
Category:  Private Equity
Contact 1:  Michael Calvey, Co-Managing Partner
Contact 2:  Alexei Kalinin, Co-Managing Partner 
 
Vendor:  Riki Group 
Location:  Russia
Region:  Europe
Description:  Riki Group is the company that owns rights to the popular Russian cartoon series for children, Smeshariki http://www.smeshariki.ru/. In the U.S., Smeshariki is known as GoGoRiki.
Category: Television
  
Aprox. Value:  $45,000,000. BVCP valued the Riki Group at $90 million and is to buy 45%-47% of the company and provide it with $10-15 million loan, the newspaper said.
 
Details:  Baring Vostok Capital Partners is in final negotiations to acquire 45%-47% of Riki Group.
 
Link: 

TagMan Closes $1.3 Million First-Round Investment

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
FUND RAISING 
Database Reference:  F231109-352
 
Business:  TagMan
Web:  http://www.tagman.com
Other Web Links: Blog
Location:  UK, London
Region:  Europe
Business description:  TagMan is an independent tag management solution that enables agencies and advertisers to manage online marketing tags/pixels – and the data they provide – much more effectively. (Tags/pixels are pieces of code used by the entire digital advertising industry to track the performance of online campaigns).  A single TagMan tag is installed on any advertiser’s page that needs tracking and all other tags/pixels that need to sit on that page – whether to track natural search, paid search, affiliates, display or site analytics – are housed and managed through the TagMan tag and browser-based interface.
Category: Advertising, Technology
Contact 1:  Paul Cook, CEO and founder
Contact 2:  Jonathan Baron, general manager
Contact 3:  John Taysom, Cambridge Angels investor
 
Investors:  Cambridge Angels and the London Business School E100.

Cambridge Angels investors include John Taysom, whose early stage internet investments include Advertising.com, Yahoo!, Forbes.com and infoseek and Andy Phillipps, formerly CEO and co-founder of Active Hotels. As part of the current funding round, TagMan adds to its Board of Directors: Robert Brady, founder of Brady plc, a software solutions business and a Cambridge Angel, and John Yeomans, director of First Capital and both a Cambridge Angel and London Business School E100 member. The round also includes new investments from existing employee investors, including CEO and founder Paul Cook and co-founder and general manager Jonathan Baron. 
 
Amount raised:  $1,300,000
 
Details:  TagMan has closed a first-round of external financing led by Cambridge Angels and the London Business School E100. The company had previously raised a total of $800,000 angel funds from friends and employees. Founded in 2004, TagMan is privately owned and funded and has offices in New York and London.

Link:  Company Announcement

Metropolis acquires B2B publisher Assertive Media Group

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-322
 
Acquirer:  Metropolis International Group
ACQ Web:  http://www.metropolis.co.uk
Head Office: United Kingdom, London
Region:  Europe
Description:  Media group, established in 1994, that specialises in consumer, business and travel publishing alongside websites, awards, events, public sector contracts and reward & benefit programmes for consumers and corporate partners.
Category:  Media, B2B Publishing, Consumer Publishing
Contact 1:  Jonathan Mills, CEO and Chairman
Contact 2:  Andy McDuff, MD Consumer Publishing
Contact 3:  Kevin Crook, MD Business Publishing
Contact 4: Richard Hutchinson, Finance Director
 
Vendor:  Assertive Media Group
Vendor Web:  http://www.amgl.co.uk
Other Web Links: Facebook
Location:  United Kingdom, Staffordshire
Region:  Europe
 
Description:  Publisher of ACQ Magazine
Category: B2B Publishing
  
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  Metropolis International Group has acquired B2N publisher Assertive Media Group, publisher of ACQ magazine

Eqvitec invests €2.55 million into Swedish home entertainment on-demand business Voddler.com

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
FUND RAISING 
Database Reference:  F231109-348
 
Business:  Voddler
Web:  http://www.voddler.com
Other Web Links: BlogTwitterFacebook
Location:  Sweden, Stockholm
Region:  Europe
Business description:  Voddler was founded 2005 and has developed a technology for video on demand. The technology is protected by several patent claims in USA, Europe and Japan. Voddler provides a video on demand service with decentralized streaming. Voddler has 35 employees.
Category: Video-on-demand
Contact 1:  Marcus Bäcklund, Chief Executive Officer, Member of the board
Contact 2:  Zoran Slavic, Executive Vice President, Shareholder
Contact 3:  Björn Isakson, Vice President Marketing, Shareholder
Contact 4:  Stefan Anjou, Chief Technical Officer, Shareholder
Contact 5:  Mathias Tönnesson, Vice President Business Development, Shareholder
Contact 6: Fredrik Bentlinger, Chief Financial Officer, Shareholder
Contact 7:  Hadar Cars, a partner of Eqvitec

Investors:  Eqvitec Technology Fund III

  • Established spring 2006
  • Fund size €140 million
  • Investment focus: The fund invests in technology oriented companies mainly in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
  • Current portfolio: 11 investments; 5 in Finland, 4 in Sweden and 2 in Norway

Details:  Eqvitec Technology Fund III has invested 26 million Swedish Kronors (about 2.55 million euro) into Voddler. Hadar Cars, a partner of Eqvitec will join the Voddler board.

Link:  Eqvitec Announcement

Trinity Mirror plc to acquire GMG Regional Media

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
ACQUISITION 
FDN Database Reference:  F231109-320
 
Acquirer:  Trinity Mirror plc
ACQ Web:  http://www.trinitymirror.com
Other Web Links: Annual Report
Head Office: UK, London
Region:  Europe 
Description:  Trinity Mirror is one of the UK’s largest newspaper publishers with a portfolio including five national newspapers, over 120 regional newspapers and more than 400 digital products. The Group employs over 6,500 people in more than 68 locations across the UK, including eight print sites. The Group has two trading divisions: Regionals and Nationals.
Category:  Newspapers, Media
Contact 1: Sly Bailey, Chief Executive
Contact 2: Vijay Vaghela, Finance Director
Contact 3: Paul Vickers, Secretary and Group Legal Director
Contact 4: Mark Hollinshead, Managing Director, Nationals
Contact 5: Georgina Harvey, Managing Director, Regionals 
 
Vendor:  Guardian Media Group plc
Vendor Web:  http://www.gmgplc.co.uk
Other Web Links: The Scott Trust
Location:  UK, London
Region:  Europe
Business Sold: GMG Regional Media    
Location:  UK, Manchester
Description:  GMG Regional Media, which publishes 32 newspapers and associated websites, is formed of two operating businesses: MEN Media and S&B Media. MEN Media publishes 22 titles in the North West of England, including the flagship Manchester Evening News and Metro. S&B Media publishes 10 titles in the South of England, including the Surrey Advertiser and Reading Post.
Category: Newspapers, Media
Contact 1:  Carolyn McCall OBE, Chief Executive
Contact 2:  Andrew Miller, Group CFO
Contact 3:  Tim Brooks, Managing Director, Guardian News & Media
Contact 4:  Mark Dodson, Chief Executive, GMG Regional Media
Contact 5:  Stuart Taylor, Chief Executive, GMG Radio

Analysis of the consideration

  • Release of long term printing contract £37.4 million
  • Cash payable on completion  £7.4 million
  • Total consideration    £44.8 million

 
Details:  Trinity Mirror plc has announced that it has exchanged contracts to acquire GMG Regional Media, from Guardian Media Group plc. Trinity Mirror will not be acquiring Channel M, the TV station for Greater Manchester and the two local newspapers in Woking. The businesses made an operating profit of £nil in the 12 months to December 2009 and have gross assets of £8.7 million. The total consideration is £44.8 million as set out below. The transaction is due to complete on 28 March 2010.

 
Links 

Amadeus leads investment in greenhouse gas computation business AMEE

The Fusion Team have completed over 70 digital and media transactions for its private, corporate and private equity clients. For more information contact pkelly@fusioncorp.co.uk or visit our website
 
 
FUND RAISING 
Database Reference:  F231109-347
 
Business:  Amee
Web:  http://www.amee.com
Other Web Links: Twitter
Location:  UK, London
Region:  Europe
Business description:  AMEE helps companies, governments and consumers calculate their carbon footprint consistent with the best science and international standards. The AMEE API provides access to the up-to-date carbon and environmental data. Amee applications and solutions help ensure compliance with authoritative international standards.
Category: Energy, Carbon
Contact 1:  Gavin Starks, founder and CEO, Twitter
Contact 2:  Andrew Conway, founder and Chief Scientist
Contact 3:  Pat Burtis, Investment Manager, Amadeus Capital Partners 
 
Investors:  Led by Amadeus Capital Partners. Existing investors, including O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures and Union Square Ventures also participated in the financing.
  
Round:  Series B
Amount raised:  $5,500,000
 
Details:  Amadeus Capital Partners, the European technology investor, has led a $5.5m Series B financing in AMEE. The funding will be used to expand AMEE’s geographic reach and enrich its scientific platform. AMEE’s end market, enterprise carbon management, is expected to reach $4 billion by 2017, driven by increasing regulatory and consumer pressure to combat climate change. Pat Burtis, Investment Manager at Amadeus Capital Partners, joins the AMEE Board of Directors

Link:  Press Release
 
Legal advisers on the funding were Gunderson Dettmer for Amadeus, and Cooley Godward for AMEE