Blippy raises $1.6M in seed round

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:  F231109-328
 
Business:  Blippy
Web:  http://www.blippy.com    Twitter
Location:  USA, Palo Alto, CA
Region:  North America
Business description:  Social media “sharing” site for users to post and follow each other’s updates about their purchases of goods and services.
Category: Social Network
Contact 1:  Ashvin Kumar, Co-Founder, CEO
Contact 2:  Chris Estreich, Co-Founder, CTO
Contact 3:  Philip Kaplan, Co-Founder, President
 
Investors:  Investors include Charles River Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Ron Conway, Philip Kaplan, Evan Williams (Twitter CEO), Jason Calacanis (CEO Mahola), James Hong, and Ariel Poler.
 
Amount raised:  $1,600,000
 
Details:  Live since 14th January 2010 Bliipy is described as the “Twitter of personal finance” and is often compared with Twitter because it is based on that company’s open sharing model. The company has raised $1.6 million in its seed round.

Link:  WSJ blog

Targeted video advertising service Beezag raises $2.5 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
 
FUND RAISING 
Database Reference:  F231109-329
 
Business:  Beezag
Web:  http://www.beezag.com
Location:  USA, New York, NY
Region:  North America
Business description:  Targeted delivery of customized video ads to vetted individuals in real time through any Internet-capable device. These consumers earn money for viewing ads geared to their product preferences, plus they receive exclusive discounts and offers.
Category: Advertising
Contact 1:  Richard Smullen, Co-Founder and CEO
Contact 2:  Laurent Alhadeff, Co-Founder and President
Contact 3:  Steven Spencer, COO 
Contact 4:  Brian Dick, CRO
Contact 5:  Antoinne Spillmann, MD, Bruellan Wealth Management
 
Investors:  Bruellan Wealth Management

Amount raised:  $2,500,000
 
Details:  According to TechCrunch, targeted video advertising service Beezag has raised $2.5 million.

Link:  TechCrunch
  
 
 Targeted video advertising service Beezag raises $2.5 million.

Get Satisfaction raises $2.3 million of a planned $3.5 million round

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:  F231109-323
 
Business:  Get Satisfaction
Web:  http://www.getsatisfaction.com
Location:  USA, San Francisco, CA
Region:  North America
Business description:  Get Satisfaction is “a place where customers and companies can come together to answer each others’ questions: questions about shipping, pricing, fulfillment, the product itself, and myriad other details.”
Category: Forum
Contact 1:  Wendy Lea, CEO 
Contact 2:  Thor Muller, CTO 
Contact 3:  Lane Becker, President    
 
Investors:  Undisclosed
 
Amount raised:  $2.3 million 
 
Details:  Get Satisfaction has raised $2.3 million of a planned $3.5 million round according to an SEC filing.

Link:  Regulatory filing

Time Inc. is acquiring personal shopping service StyleFeeder

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:  F231109-301
 
Acquirer:  Time Inc
ACQ Web:  http://www.timeinc.com/home/
Location:  USA, New York, NY
Region:  North America
Description:  The largest magazine publisher in the USA.
Category:  Media
Contact 1:  Ann S. Moore, Chairman and CEO
Contact 2:  John Huey, Editor-in-Chief 
 
Vendor:  StyleFeeder
Vendor Web:  http://www.stylefeeder.com/
Location:  USA, Cambridge, MA
Region:  North America
Business Sold: 
Description:  “Personal shopping engine that learns your style and helps you shop for apparel, accessories, shoes, furniture, home goods, jewelry, gadgets.”
Category: Retail
Contact:  Philip Jacob, Founder & CTO 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed, though Time Inc. Are expected to announce it shortly.
 
Details:  Time Inc. is acquiring StyleFeeder, an online service that offers personalised shopping recommendations. Ecommerce may be expected to ease the slump in the froups advertising revenues.
 
Link: Wall Street Journal

E*Trade acquires Cake Financial

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:  F231109-300
 
Acquirer:  E*Trade
ACQ Web:  https://www.etrade.com
Location:  USA, Merrifield, VA
Region:  North America
Description:  Online brokerage and banking products and services
Category:  Finance
Contact:  Christos M. Cotsakos, CEO
  
Vendor:  Cake Financial
Vendor Web:  https://www.cakefinancial.com
Location:  USA, San Francisco, CA
Region:  North America
Description:  Social investment service
Category: Finance
Contact:  Steven Carpenter, CEO
 
Aprox. Value:  Undisclosed
 
Details:  The announcement states that customer information will be deleted and destroyed and those that paid for either Cake Premium or Cake Comparison will be reimbursed fully. It is therefore likely that E*Trade have acquired the staff and technology but not the customer base.
 
Link: Announcement

Baird Venture Partners invests in energy consulting and management company Fellon McCord

Chicago‐based Baird Venture Partners, the U.S. venture capital fund of Baird Private Equity, has acquired a significant minority interest in Louisville, KY‐based Fellon‐McCord, an energy consulting and management company. Fellon‐McCord’s founders, Andrew (Drew) Fellon and John McCord, will maintain controlling interest and will continue to manage day‐to‐day operations of the company.

“I am very pleased to have a company such as Baird Venture Partners (BVP) invest in Fellon‐ McCord. This investment provides us with additional resources that enable us to continue to provide exceptional services to our clients as we grow our business globally,” said Drew Fellon, Fellon‐McCord’s president and CEO. “BVP’s resources complement our existing corporate competitive advantages and will assist us as we work to further develop the best IT solutions for our clients, increase our already excellent research capabilities and have readily available capital resources as we continue to look to acquire new or existing businesses, all of which will fuel our future growth plans beyond what we would have accomplished on our own.”

It is particularly notable that, during one of the toughest business environments in recent history, Fellon‐McCord has secured a partner in Baird Venture Partners that recognizes the
continuing success of Fellon‐McCord’s business and is willing and able to invest in its future.

“Baird Venture Partners has a long history of backing leading technology‐enabled service companies,” stated Devin Mathews, Managing Partner of Baird Venture Partners. “Our initial interest in Fellon‐McCord was based on its excellent reputation built over the past 17 years, its strong management team and its successful business model. The investment Baird Venture Partners made in the company supports both of our companies’ goals for Fellon‐McCord to become the most successful provider of energy management services in the world.”

Baird Venture Partners is part of Baird Private Equity, the global private equity group affiliated with the 90‐year‐old Milwaukee‐based investment bank Robert W. Baird & Co. (Baird). Baird’s award‐winning equity research department covers more than 600 public companies, many of which are in the industrial, commercial and clean technology sectors. Additionally, Baird Private Equity has a global team of professionals in nine offices across the United States, Europe and Asia, including operating professionals in China and India. Both of these attributes will have a key role in Fellon‐McCord’s plans to significantly grow its business operations, as well as expand its service and technology offerings.

Database Reference:  F231109-321
 
Location:  USA, Louisville, KY

About Fellon-McCord

Fellon‐McCord is an energy consulting and management company working with its clients’ energy procurement and facilities’ engineering personnel to source the most economic and reliable energy supplies available. A pioneer in energy consulting and management since 1992, it focuses on the physical, financial, regulatory and legislative components of the global energy markets. Fellon‐McCord’s clients include leading automotive, building materials, chemical, food processing, aluminum and steel, municipal and institutional consumers.

About Baird Venture Partners

Baird Venture Partners, the U.S.‐based venture capital fund of Baird Private Equity, makes venture capital investments in early‐ and expansion‐stage business services and life sciences companies. Baird Venture Partners leverages its in‐depth sector knowledge, experienced investment team and network of relationships to serve as a value‐added partner for its portfolio companies. Baird Private Equity makes venture capital, growth equity and buyout investments in smaller, high potential companies in the United States, Europe and Asia. Baird Private Equity and its affiliates have raised and managed over $2.6 billion in capital and invested in over 235 companies since the 1980s.

Related Diginet Link – Lyceum Capital has acquired energy procurement and compliance specialists McKinnon & Clarke for £22M

Fusion Corporate Partner’s deals in the sector

 

 

TopTenReviews has raised $1.5 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
 
FUND RAISING 
Database Reference:  F231109-320
 
Business:  topTenReviews
Web:  http://www.toptenreviews.com/
Location:  USA, Ogden, UT
Region:  North America
Business description:  TopTenREVIEWS make a recommendation for the best product in each of their categories (sodtware, electronics, we services, small business, science tech, mobile, movies, music, video games and gift ideas)
Category: Reviews, Retail
Contact 1:  Jerry Ropelato, Chief Executive Officer
Contact 2:  Stan Bassett, President
Contact 3:  Mark Westlake, Chief Revenue Officer 
 
Investors:  Previous backers Highway 12 Ventures and Village Ventures
  
Amount raised:  $1,500,000
  
Details:  TopTenReviews has raised $1.5 million in its second round of funding

Link:  Regulatory Filing

TheStreet.com Sells Promotions.com to its management team

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:  F231109-298
 
Acquirer:  The managers of the Promotions.com business, who prior to the closing were employees of the Company
ACQ Web:  http://www.promotions.com
Location:  USA, New York, NY
Region:  North America
Description:  Interactive services provider for marketers, agencies, and media companies
Category:  Marketing
 
Vendor:  TheStreet.com TSCM
Vendor Web:  http://www.thestreet.com
Location:  USA, New York, NY
Region:  North America 
Description:  American financial news, stock quotes and picks website
Category: Media, Finance
Contact 1:  Jim Cramer, chairman
Contact 2:  Daryl Otte, CEO
 
Aprox. Value:  $3.1M ($1M cash, $2.1M notes)
 
Details:  TheStreet.com has sold Promotions.com for an aggregate price of approximately $3.1 million. The purchaser is a company owned by the managers of the Promotions.com business, who prior to the closing were employees of the Company.  In connection with the Sale, the Company received a payment of $1.0 million in cash and notes in an aggregate principal amount of approximately $2.1 million.  The notes are payable in six equal monthly installments commencing April 1, 2010.  The Company was granted a security interest in the securities and assets of the Promotions.com business until the notes are fully paid, and one of the notes (with a principal amount of $0.3 million) is guaranteed by the principals of the Purchaser.  In the event that, prior to December 18, 2011, there is a change in control of the Purchaser or all or substantially all of the assets of the Promotions.com business are sold for a consideration  in excess of the Sale Price, the Company will be entitled to receive an additional payment from the Purchaser, equal to 50% of such excess if the event occurs on or before December 18, 2010 and 25% of such excess if the event occurs after December 18, 2010 and prior to December 18, 2011.
 
Link: Regulatory Filing

Shanda Games buys online game firm Mochi Media for $80 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:  F231109-296
 
Acquirer:  Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (NasdaqGS: SNDA)
ACQ Web:  http://www.snda.com/EN/investor/overview.html
Location:  China, Shanghai
Region:  Asia
Description:  Interactive entertainment media company
Category:  Media: Games: Entertainment
Contact 1:  Tianqiao Chen, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Contact 2:  Diana Li,  Chief Executive Officer, Shanda Games
Contact 3:  Hai Ling,  President, Shanda Games
 
Vendor:  Mochi Media
Vendor Web:  http://www.mochimedia.com
Location:  USA, San Francisco, CA
Region:  North America
Description:  Mochi has 15,000 web-browser games and an international user base.
Category: Games
Contact 1:  Jameson Hsu, CEO and co-founder
Contact 2:  Bob Ippolito, CTO and co-founder
Contact 3:  Justin Wong, Vice President of Business Development

Aprox. Value:  $60 million in cash and $20 million in equity arrangements
 
Details:  Shanda Games has made its first U.S. acquisition , buying online game firm Mochi Media for $80 million. Shanda Games also announced it would buy Shanghai-based online game developer Goldcool Games.
 
Link: Reuters
 
 
Related DigiNet Articles   

Reframe It raises $2.2M fund company growth and expansion

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:  F231109-318
 
Business:  Reframe It
Web:  http://www.reframeit.com
Location:  USA, San Francisco, CA
Region:  North America
Business description:  Reframe’s technology enables users to comment on any online content, and to share those comments, with or without permission of the website, across sites with friends and colleagues via Twitter, Facebook, other social media sites, and by email. Reframe It offers publishers a branded community that allows websites to enable web annotation integrated into the site. Comments can be private, public, or visible only to certain groups, and users can see those comments in context as they browse the Web.
Category: Technology, Social Network
Contact:  Bobby Fishkin, founder and CEO
 
Investors:  Investors include the Sacramento Angels, the Sierra Angels, the North Bay Angels, the Silicon Valley Angels, Esther Dyson, Mark Walsh, John Schairer, Allen Miner and Daniel Zumino (Sierra Angel and Sacramento Angels led the round).

Amount raised:  An SEC filing shows that the company has raised $2.2 million so far of a $3.36 million round.
 
Details:  Reframe It, Inc., a leading provider of web technology services for annotating and building community around online content, today announced that the company has successfully closed a multi-million dollar financing round. The amount is undisclosed in the press release. Mark Walsh, former CEO of VerticalNet, and former CTO of the Democratic National Committee has joined Esther Dyson, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Howard Rheingold and others on Reframe It’s advisory board.

Links: