Fusion Corporate Partners

ichange, an online health and weight-Loss community, closes a funding round

February 2, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-339

Business: iChange Networks
Web: http://www.ichange.com
Other Web Links: Blog, Twitter, Facebook
Location: USA, Pasadena, CA
Region: North America
Business description: Online health and Weight-Loss Community Led by Professional Counselors
Category: Social Network, Health
Contact 1: Stuart MacFarlane, CEO of iChange Twitter
Contact 2: Andy Wilson, Managing Director of Momentum Venture Management

Investors: Momentum Venture Management of Los Angeles

Amount raised: Undisclosed

Details: iChange Networks has announced that it closed a funding round with Momentum Venture Management () in a syndicate with angel investors. Stuart MacFarlane, a principal at Momentum, has been appointed as the company’s CEO.

Link: Press Release

Posted in ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Ustream raises $75 million Series B funding from SOFTBANK of Japan

February 2, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-338

Business: Ustream
Web: http://www.ustream.tv
Other Web Links: Blog, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook
Location: USA, Mountain View, CA
Region: North America
Business description: Live interactive video broadcast platform that enables anyone with a camera and an Internet connection to quickly and easily broadcast to a global audience.
Category: TV, Video
Contact 1: John Ham, founder, CEO
Contact 2: Dr. Gyula Feher, founder
Contact 3: Brad Hunstable, founder

Investors: SOFTBANK GROUP of Japan
Exitisting investors: DCM, Western Technology Investors, Band of Angels Fund and Infinity Venture Partners Incubator Fund of Japan

Amount raised: SOFTBANK invested approximately $20 million (approximately JPY 1.8 billion, investment ratio of 13.7%) in Ustream, Inc. Assuming all available options granted to the Company to acquire additional shares are exercised by July 2011, the Company’s total investment is expected to be approximately $75 million (investment ratio expected over 30%) and will result in the Company becoming Ustream’s top shareholder.

Details: Ustream has announced a $75 million Series B funding round lead by SOFTBANK of Japan, one of Asia’s largest internet and telecom companies with a large mobile presence. Additional funding commitments are pending from other investors in the U.S. and Asia. The funding will help fuel Ustream’s growth in the U.S. and Asia Pacific, specifically to pursue opportunities in Asia in Japan, China, Korea and India.
Links: Ustream’s ress Release SOFTBANK’s Announcement

Posted in ~Asia, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Associated Northcliffe Digital buys Dothomes.co.uk and Extate.co.uk

February 1, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-315

Acquirer: Associated Northcliffe Digital
ACQ Web: http://www.and.co.uk
Location: UK, London
Region: Europe
Description: AND works with the newspaper divisions of A&N Media to extend their services online and through other digital channels. The portfolio includes the newspaper companion sites of A&N Media’s national and local newspapers, including Mail Online, Standard.co.uk and Metro.co.uk, and the ‘this is’ network of sites. They also publish a range of digital magazines, including This is Money.They also operate in online classified markets – recruitment, property, motors, and dating.
Category: Media
Contact 1: Richard Titus, CEO of AND
Contact 2: Mark Milner, CEO of TDPG

Vendor: BytePlay
Vendor Web: http://ww.byteplay.com/blog
Location: UK, London
Region: Europe
Business Sold: Dothomes.co.uk and Extate.co.uk, domain names only
Description: Property search engine based on an advertising revenue model that enables US, UK and South African readers to search property Websites. DotHomes employs an advertising business model.
Category: Property, Search
Contact 1: Douglas de Jager,Co-Founder
Contact 2: Artemi Krymski, Co-Founder

Aprox. Value: Undisclosed

Details: Following on from it’s acquisition of Globrix (see Fusion DigiNet Database Reference F231109-306) Associated Northcliffe Digital has bought the domain names (but not the businesses themselves) of Dothomes and Extate. All traffic is being redirected to FindaProperty.

Link: Estate Agent Today

Posted in ~Europe. Leave a Comment »

Ten Alps Communications Asia acquires websites, events and publications from RBI Asia

February 1, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-314

Acquirer: Ten Alps Communications Asia Pte Limited
ACQ Web: http://www.tenalps.com
Other Web Links: Twitter
Location: Singapore
Region: Asia
Description: Ten Alps has formed Ten Alps Communications Asia Pte Limited (TACA), registered in Singapore, in which it holds a 60% stake alongside Karay Holdings Pte Limited, who holds the remaining 40%. Ten Alps has an option to acquire the Karay holding in 2013. TACA will be run by Raymond Wong and report to the Ten Alps Communications division. Raymond is the former Managing Director of RBI Asia.
Category: Media, Events, Publishing, Televison
Contact 1: Raymond Wong, CEO, Ten Alps Communications Asia Pte
Contact 2: Adrian Dunleavy, Chief Executive of Ten Alps’ Communications Division
Contact 3: Alex Connock, CEO, Ten Alps PLC

Vendor: Reed Business Information Asia
Vendor Web: http://www.reedbusiness.com.sg
Location: Singapore
Description: Reed Business Information (RBI) Asia provides business-to-business information services in Asia . Headquartered in Singapore and with offices in Hong Kong , Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and South Korea , RBI Asia provides information services to various sectors such as electronics, manufacturing, television and entertainment and travel and meetings. RBI Asia also provides other B2B information solutions such as Bankers’ Almanac, Mardev Asia and eGuide/ Kellysearch directory. Reed Business Information Asia is part of Reed Business, a division of Reed Elsevier PLC group. In addition, with effect from 1 February 2010, TACA has agreed to purchase the trade of Interface. Interface specialises in media sales, digital and online search engine optimisationservices in the Asian business to business sector.
Category: Media, Events, Publishing, Televison, Directory
Contact 1: Luke Rattigan, Chief Executive Officer
Contact 2: Lim Suet Ni, Financial Controller
Contact 3: Chen Wai Chun, Group Publisher (Electronic Group)
Contact 4: June Tan, Publisher (Manufacturing Group) and (TV & Entertainment Group)
Contact 5: Patti Mo, Director (Publishing Services)

Aprox. Value: Undisclosed

Details: TACA has purchased ten titles from RBI Asia including websites, events and publications associated with the following assets: Television Asia, Asia Image, Payload Asia, Control Engineering Asia, Asia Food Journal, Pharma Asia, Electronics Manufacturing Asia, Electronics Manufacturing China, Logistics Insight Asia and Travel Weekly China.

Link: Ten Alps announcement

Posted in ~Asia. Leave a Comment »

Bain Capital Ventures Invests $12 Million in EDGAR Online

January 30, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-338

Business: EDGAR Online
Web: http://www.edgar-online.com
Location: USA, New York, NY
Region: North America
Business description: Nasdaq – EDGR. Distributor of public company filings and provider of the XBRL financial reporting standard
Category: Financial
Contact 1: Philip Moyer, CEO, EDGAR Online
Contact 2: John Ferrara, CFO, EDGAR Online
Contact 3: Jeffrey Schwartz, Founding Partner and Managing Director, Bain Capital Ventures
Contact 4: John Connolly, Operating Partner, Bain Capital Ventures LinkedIn
Investors: Bain Capital Ventures, an affiliate of Bain Capital

Amount raised: $12,000,000

Details: Bain Capital Ventures is to purchase $12 million worth of convertible Series B Preferred Stock of EDGAR Online. the company expects to use the newly-secured funding to scale its position in the filing business associated with XBRL, the eXtensible Business Reporting Language standard, and simultaneously invest to expand its data and subscription offerings. Jeffrey Schwartz and John Connolly, of Bain Capital Ventures, will be joining EDGAR Online’s Board of Directors.

Link: Press Release

Posted in ~North America. Leave a Comment »

fabulis, a social network for gay men, raises $625K in seed round

January 30, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-337

Business: Fabulis
Web: http://www.fabulis.com
Other Web Links: Blog
Location:
Region: North America
Business description: From the Fabulis Blog, “fabulis is the social network that helps gay men connect with amazing experiences nearby and around the world.”
Category: Social Network
Contact: Jason Goldberg, founder and CEO

Investors:

fabulis’ founder and chief executive officer, Jason Goldberg

The Washington Post Company. Previously invested in Goldberg’s prior company, socialmedian.

Allen Morgan, angel investor and Venture Partner at Mayfield Fund. Also invested in socialmedian and in Goldberg’s first startup, Jobster (now operating as Recruiting.com)

Lars Hinrichs, angel investor at Cinco Capital. Previously founder and CEO of XING AG, which acquired socialmedian in 2009.

Don Baer, Worldwide Vice Chairman of communications strategy firm Burson-Marsteller. Investor in socialmedian.

Additional socialmedian investors.

Amount raised: $625,000

Details: fabulis has closed $625,000 of seed financing today. The funds will beused to launch fabulis in spring 2010 simultaneously on the web and on the iPhone

Link: Company Announcement

Posted in ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Martini Media, acquires B2B media network Decision Maker Media

January 28, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-313

Acquirer: Martini Media
ACQ Web: http://www.martinimedianetwork.com
Other Web Links: Twitter Blog
Location: USA, San Francisco, CA
Region: North America
Description: Martini Media Network connects premium advertisers with affluent consumers online – the 50M Americans with HHI $100K+. Martini’s vertical media network has over 300 invitation-only, brand-safe publisher websites focusing on the Lifestyles & Passions of the $100K+ HHI Audience, in Channels such as Sailing & Yachting, Travel, Wine, Philanthropy, Golf & Arts. Martini Life, Martini Media’s owned and operated product, is a daily, online lifestyle newsletter targeting affluent enthusiasts in the Bay Area.
Category: Media Owner, Advertising
Contact 1: Skip Brand, CEO
Contact 2: Ryan Kiskis, founder

Vendor: Decision Maker Media
Vendor Web: http://www.decisionmakermedia.com
Other Web Links: Twitter
Location: USA, San Francisco, CA
Region: North America

Description: Decision Maker Media is a vertical media platform connecting Fortune 1000 advertisers with a targeted audience of top-level managers, company owners, and key decision makers in all small, mid-size and big American businesses. The company has over 750 industry specific websites across more than 70 professions and US business industries.
Category: Media Owner, Advertising
Contact 1: Michael Downing, founding team
Contact 2: Pete Scott, Jr., founding team
Contact 3: Chris Redlitz, founding team
Contact 4: Beverly Parenti, founding team

Aprox. Value: Undisclosed

Details: Martini Media, the media group targeting affluent consumers, has acquired Decision Maker Media a vertical media platform online capturing Business-Decision-Makers. With the acquisition, Martini Media wil now have more than 40M unique users with annual household incomes exceeding $100K, on a combination of professional and lifestyle sites.

Link: Press Release

Posted in ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Yelp, the community-led local search site, gets a $25M investment

January 27, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Business: Yelp
Web: http://www.yelp.com
Other Web Links: Blog Facebook Twitter
Location: USA, San Francisco, CA
Region: North America
Business description: A website that connects people with local businesses. Yelp was founded in San Francisco in July 2004. Since then, Yelp has developed communities across the US, Canada, UK and Ireland; Yelp drew an audience of more than 26 million unique visitors in December 2009. Yelpers have written more than 9 million local reviews on everything from boutiques and mechanics to restaurants and dentists
Category: Reviews, Directory
Contact 1: Jeremy Stoppelman, Yelp chief executive officer and co-founder
Contact 2: Marc Bodnick, a Managing Director and Co-Founder, Elevation Partners
Contact 3: Bono (lead singer of Irish rock group U2), a Managing Director and Co-Founder of Elevation Partners
Contact 4: Fred Anderson, a Managing Director and Co-Founder, Elevation Partners

Investors: Elevation Partners, a newly formed private equity firm that makes large-scale investments in market-leading media, entertainment, and consumer-related

Amount raised: $25,000,000 investment in Yelp through the purchase of Series E preferred stock. Elevation Partners will also seek to increase its total investment in Yelp to $100 million through a planned purchase of shares from vested employees and other eligible shareholders.

Details: Yelp, the community-led local search site, has announced that private equity firm Elevation Partners has agreed to make a $25 million investment in Yelp. The details of the offer to purchase are expected to be announced to qualified participants in the near future. Yelp plans to use the additional funding to deepen its market leadership position throughout the US, accelerate growth in Canada and throughout Western Europe, and continue the development of innovative mobile applications.

Link: Press Release

Posted in ~North America. Leave a Comment »

India Equity Partners acquires a 25% stake in IL&FS Education & Technology Services

January 27, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-312

Acquirer: India Equity Partners
Location: Mumbai India
Region: Asia
Description: India Equity Partners Fund Advisors Pvt. Ltd. is a PE firm with $2bn under management. The fund focuses on companies operating in the fields of logistics, real estate, telecom, media, financial services manufacturing, life sciences and education.
Category: Private Equity
Contact: Gaurav Mathur, Managing Director, India Equity Partners

Vendor: IL&FS Education and Technology Services Ltd
Vendor Web: http://www.ilfsets.com
Location: Mumbai India
Region: Asia
Description: IETS is in the business of commercialisation of technology-enabled learning and teaching solutions, including web-based multimedia, educational software packages, trade in technology-based products and publication of educational material, development and sale of content and software development and maintenance of information technology-related systems, including training, project management and consultancy in respect thereof.
Category: Education, Publishing
Contact 1: Mr Ravi Parthasarathy, Chairman
Contact 2: Hari Sankaran, Managing Director
Contact 3: Arun K Saha, Joint Managing Director

Aprox. Value: Rs 140cr

Details: India Equity Partners will acquire 25% stake in IL&FS Education and Technology Services Ltd. for around Rs 140cr, valuing the company at Rs 560cr. The price per share is expected to be Rs 175. The 3 existing shareholders- Orix Corporation of Japan, HDFC and Sera fund will divest their entire stake, which amounts to 20%, and the remaining 5% will be acquired through fresh issue of share by IETS. Orix Corporation also has a JV with IL&FS in ORIX Auto Infrastructure Services Ltd. The current paid-up capital of IETS is Rs 32.31cr, comprising of 3.23cr equity shares of each.

Link: Deal Curry

Posted in ~Asia. Leave a Comment »

Distributed commerce network business Alvenda raises $5M

January 27, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

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: F231109-335

Business: Alvenda
Web: http://www.alvenda.com
Other Web Links: Facebook Twitter
Location: USA, Minneapolis, MN
Region: North America
Business description: Alvenda operates a distributed commerce network that creates opportunities for selling on Facebook and through advertising media. Alvenda was founded in 2008 by executives with domain expertise in retail software, online retail marketing, and interactive advertising industries. In July of 2009, launched the first store on Facebook with 1-800-FLOWERS.COM.
Category: Social Network, Retail, Advertising
Contact 1: Wade Gerten, CEO and co-founder
Contact 2: Brian Howe, Chief Strategy Officer, co-founder
Contact 3: Jamie Thingelstad – Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer
Contact 4: Michael Gorman, Managing Director, Split Rock

Investors: Split Rock Partners www.splitrock.com
Round: Series A
Amount raised: $5,000,000

Details: Alvenda, Inc. has received $5 million in venture capital funding from Split Rock Partners to support its growth. Split Rock Managing Director Michael Gorman has joined the Alvenda Board of Directors.”