Home Blog Page 5494

China, SMEs Meet Investors in a Series of Matchmaking Events

E.C.
-
0
The China Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) is scheduling a series of matchmaking event in 14 cities this year to introduce SMEs to new financing sources, China Daily reported on Monday.
The events are aimed to alleviate the difficulties Chinese SMEs have been ecountering during this tough period of economic slowdown . According to data from the Chinese Association of SME (CASME), in 2008, more than 700,000 SMEs went bankrupt.
According to China Daily, Li Zibin, head of the Chinese Association of SME (CASME) said that “equity financing can become a major resolution to the problem, given that SMEs usually don’t have enough credit or guarantees to obtain bank loans”.
Last August, a State Council executive meeting approved measures to help SMEs overcome financing difficulties. 
FinSMEs

14/09/2009

USA, GreenBytes Raises $8m Series A Funding

E.C.
-
0

Ashaway, Rhode Island-based GreenBytes, a developer of optimized data storage appliances, raised $8m Series A funding led by from Battery Ventures.

Today, the company also launched its New GB-X Series of Ultra High-Performance, energy-efficient deduplication storage appliances.
Commenting on the achieviments, Bob Petrocelli, chief executive officer of GreenBytes, said “We’ve hit an exciting set of milestones today with the announcement of Battery Ventures’ investment, and the introduction of our latest product line, the result of years of intensive R&D and work with customers.
“We’re looking forward to delighting our customers and channel partners with our revolutionary take on deduplication and capacity-optimized storage”.
FinSMEs
14/09/2009

Avere Systems Secures $15M in Series A Funding

E.C.
-
0
Avere Systems, a startup company focused on delivering Demand-Driven Storage solutions, secured $15m in Series A funding from Menlo Ventures and Norwest Venture Partners.
Pittsburgh, PA.-based company, which is pioneering the use of multiple storage media in a new scalable architecture, will be unveiling its first products in the fall of 2009.
Avere Systems was launched by storage industry veteran Ron Bianchini, Senior Vice President, Scalable Systems at NetApp and CEO of Spinnaker Networks, in January 2008. He reunited with CTO Michael Kazar and VP of Engineering Daniel Nydick.
FinSMEs
14/09/2009

DFJ Esprit Announces $215m European Venture Capital Fund

E.C.
-
0
London-based DFJ Esprit, venture capital firm and member of the global Draper Fisher Jurvetson VC network, announced the formation of a new fund.
DFJ Esprit III, with a target of €150m ($215m), will continue DFJ Esprit’s investing activity in early and later stage technology companies across the UK and Europe.
According to an official statement, a first close has been held at €70m ($100m) with commitments from Europe’s leading institutions such as the European Investment Fund, Finnish Industry Investors, Partners Group, JP Morgan, LGT Group and Harbourvest.
FinSMEs
14/09/2009

Coller Capital, HarbourVest and DFJ Esprit To Acquire a Part of 3i Venture Investments

E.C.
-
0
DFJ Esprit, together with Coller Capital and HarbourVest Partners, announced an agreement to acquire a part of 3i’s European venture portfolio.
The portfolio includes some Europe’s fastest-growing companies such as: 
– Icera Semiconductors; 
– Light Blue Optics; 
– The Cloud; 
– CamSemi;
– FastBooking.
According to an official statement, significant capital will be provided to further accelerate the growth of former 3i backed companies over the next years.
The portfolio will be managed by the fund Encore I , which has been created by DFJ Esprit’s new division, Encore Ventures. 
Encore I will have a maximum size of $280m, with Coller Capital and HarbourVest Partners as its unique investors.
FinSMEs
14/09/2009

Spain, BBVA Offers Preferential Financing Conditions to Over 430,000 Self-Employed Workers

FinSMEs
-
0
The Spanish Group BBVA signed a collaboration agreement with the Spanish self-employed workers’ association (ATA) to offer preferential financing conditions to its 430,000 members.
Thanks to this agreement ATA’s self-employed workers will have the chance to benefit from preferential conditions for loans, credit facilities and access to products with tax advantages, such as renting and leasing, with up to 100% financing of the asset.
Commenting on the agreement, Lorenzo Amor, chairman of the ATA, said that “eight out of 10 self-employed workers face lending restrictions and we hope this agreement will help them continue in their business. It is essential to commit to self-employed workers at a time like this”.
FinSMEs
14/09/2009

USA, GainSpan Gets Investment from In-Q-Tel

E.C.
-
0
GainSpan(R) Corporation, a provider of low power Wi-Fi semiconductor solutions, announced a strategic investment and technology development agreement with In-Q-Tel, the independent strategic investment firm launched by the CIA in 1999 in order to identify innovative technology solutions to support the mission of the broader U.S. Intelligence Community.
Commenting on the agreement, Vijay Parmar, President and CEO of Los Gatos-Ca.-based GainSpan, said: “Our strategic agreement with In-Q-Tel ensures that the U.S. Intelligence Community has easy access to GainSpan technology.
“Also, as a member of In-Q-Tel’s technology partner portfolio, In-Q-Tel provides us introduction to other portfolio companies where there are opportunities for knowledge-sharing and co-development”.
FinSMEs
14/09/2009

UK, Kent Investment Club Launch Event

E.C.
-
0
In order to launch of the Kent Investment Club (KIC), a free event will take place in Maidstone, Kent, on October, 12.
The Club, run by the regional development agency Finance South East and funded by Kent County Council, is supported by the British Business Angels Association (BBAA).
Potential business angels or professionals advising high net worth individuals are invited to pre-register for the event, which will provide an opportunity to network with active business angels and find out more about angel investing and the potential benefits of being part of an investment club.
The Club will provide first time investors with a programme of training and development which will focus on how to identify a company with high growth potential, manage a portfolio of investments and help their investments grow through support and advice.
For futher information, visit the website: http://www.financesoutheast.com/events/?id=1526
FinSMEs
13/09/2009

UK Private Equity Fund Synova Acquires Clearwater Care

E.C.
-
0
Synova Capital, a UK private equity fund focused on the lower mid-market, acquired Clearwater Care, a provider of specialist residential care facilities and supported living services for people with learning disabilities.
Clearwater operates 14 care homes, predominately located in South East England, and provides specialist services and residential care for adults with complex needs and severe learning disabilities.
According to a statement, Synova will support Clearwater with further capital to grow the Business both organically and through acquisition.
Commenting on the acquisition, Tony McLean, CEO of Clearwater said: “With Synova’s financial support and the principals’ considerable experience in the residential healthcare sector, we will pursue our strategy of growing the Business through targeted acquisitions and the extension of the Group’s service offering”.
According to David Menton, a Managing Partner of Synova Capital, the London-based private equity fund has already identified a pipeline of potential acquisitions.
“We are also pleased that the Group’s lenders, Bank of Ireland, are continuing to support the Business and look forward to working with them on the implementation of our growth strategy”, he added.
FinSMEs

12/09/2009

BNL and Eurofidi Agree to Channel €100m to Italian SMEs

E.C.
-
0
Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, of the BNP Paribas Group, and Eurofidi, an Italian Guarantee Provider, signed an agreement to support Italian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The €100m plafond will allow SMEs headquartered in the regions of Lombardy, Marche and Abruzzo to finance their working capital needs.
The financing has a duration not exceeding 18 months.
The guarantee from Eurofidi is up to 60% and can activate the counterguarantee of the Government backed Central Guarantee Fund.
FinSMEs
12/09/2009

CRE Commerce Joins Georgia Tech’s Accelerator Center

E.C.
-
0
CRE Commerce, a software developer, has been accepted as a member of Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), the accelerator at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta that helps Georgia technology entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies.
CRE Commerce, a company backed by venture capitalist Total Technology Ventures and local angel investors, has a subsidiary – CRE Secure – that connects any web-based application that takes credits cards to any merchant bank account in the world.
Commenting on the admission of the Atlanta-based company, David Sung, Startup Catalyst and Seed Capital Fund Manager at ATDC, said: “We look for emerging companies that are offering new and innovative solutions to solve various technological needs. 
“CRE Commerce has demonstrated true innovation to fill a market need with the recent launch of CRE Secure, a Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant Security-as-a-Service offering to protect cardholder transactions made in any web-based application from malicious attacks which compromise credit cardholders’ privacy and security”. 
FinSMEs
12/09/2009

France, FAB Pharma Raises €2.3M in Series A Funding

E.C.
-
0
FAB Pharma completed a €2.3m round of series A funding led by CDC innovation and co-led by Bioam Gestion.
FAB Pharma is a corporate spin-out from Paris-based Mutabilis. The new biopharmaceutical company is focused on the discovery and development of therapeutics that will address today’s antibiotic resistance issues and control severe bacterial infections.

FAB Pharma’s approach consists in developing a new class of low-molecular-weight antibacterial molecules which target a specific, essential enzyme in MRSA called Fatty Acid Biosynthesis I (FAB I).

The funds will be used to finance Phase I clinical trials and develop back-up products. 
FinSMEs
12/09/2009

University of Central Florida Business Incubator Names Melissa Wasserman as Site Manager of Orlando Center

E.C.
-
0
The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program named Melissa Wasserman as permanent site manager at the Orlando Business Development Center, a general incubator that supports startup companies.
After earning her MBA Degree from the University of Central Florida in 2007, Wasserman joined the UCF Department of Research and Commercialization two years ago.
Wasserman formerly served as a program assistant for the Office of Research and Commercialization and the UCF Business Incubation Program and also was a part-time site manager of the Orlando Business Development Center for the past 6 months.
The Orlando Business Development Center, a partnership with the City of Orlando, is a general business incubator to support primarily non-technology startups.

It is located at 3218 E. Colonial Dr.

FinSMEs
12/09/2009

NY, SBA Opens Business Recovery Center in Gowanda

E.C.
-
1
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will open a Business Recovery Center to help businesses impacted by the storms and flooding in New York on August 8-10, 2009.
The Center opens at the HSBC Bank USA in Gowanda on September 14.
SBA’s representatives will be there from Monday to Saturday to answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the application process and support organizations to complete their applications.
The disaster declaration covers Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Erie counties, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.
Small businesses and most private non-profit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Allegany, Genesee, Niagara and Wyoming in the State of New York; and Erie, McKean and Warren in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Eligible organizations may borrow up to $2m for physical losses and interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, with terms up to 30 years.
The deadlines to submit applications are the following: 
– physical property damage: November 3, 2009  
– economic injury: June 4, 2010.
For further information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Programs, visit the website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. 
FinSMEs
11/09/2009

Italy, Crédit Agricole Private Equity Acquires a Stake in Green Energy Producer Elettrostudio Energia

E.C.
-
0
Crédit Agricole Private Equity acquired a stake in Italian green energy producer Elettrostudio Energia.
The investment has been structured by FCPR Capenergie fund, the Crédit Agricole Private Equity’s vehicle, which provided €4.5m, and by FriulAdria, Crédit Agricole’s Italian banking subsidiary, providing €500,000.
Founded in 2005, Elettrostudio Energia, a Elettrostudio Group’s subsidiary, specialises in green energy production using wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power. The company aims to have 250 MW in operation by 2013.
The equity financing will support the company to increase the company’s rate of project development and achieve the target installed capacity.
FinSMEs
11/09/2009
1...5,4935,4945,495...5,507Page 5,494 of 5,507

Follow Us