Capital Dynamic Raises $462.5M for Clean Energy and Infrastructure Fund – 12/18/14
Switzerland-based private asset manager Capital Dynamics has closed a $462.5 million fund for a clean energy and infrastructure fund called CEI Fund. The fund will target areas such as biomass, landfill gas, small hydropower, solar, wind and gas-fired power.
Hampton Creek Closes $90M Series C – 12/18/14
San Francisco-based Hampton Creek has raised $90 million for its egg-free food products. Investors were Horizon Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Marc Benioff, Eduardo Saverin, Mustafa Suleyman and Demis Hassabis. Since launching in 2011, Hampton Creek has raised $120 million.
Phonic Raises $44.5M Series D – 12/17/14
North Carolina-based Phononic has raised $44.5 million in Series D funding from Eastwood Capital Corp and the Wellcome Trust, along with a syndicate comprised of WLR China Energy Infrastructure Fund, Tsing Capital, Venrock, Oak Investment Partners and Rex Health Ventures. The startup has raised more than $85 million in venture funding to date for its solid state thermal management solutions cooling and heating products. The company is currently targeting refrigeration cold storage and transport, climate control and comfort, and fiber optics and data server communications.
Rebellion Photonics Receives $4.25M from DOE ARPA-E – 12/17/14
Houston-based Rebellion Photonics has received $4.25 million from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). Rebellion makes a cloud-imaging hyperspectral camera that can detect poisonous or potentially explosive gas leaks from oil refineries or rigs. In January 2014, Rebellion raised a $10.4 million Series A round.
FarmLogs Raises $10 million Series B – 12/17/14
Michigan-based FarmLogs has raised $10 million from previous investors Drive Capital, Huron River Ventures and Hyde Park Venture Partners and new investors SV Angel and Sam Altman. Founded in 2012, FarmLogs helps crop farmers quickly and efficiently forecast profits, track expenses and more efficiently schedule operations via a platform that exposes critical operational data insights.
Virgin Unite and MaRS Launch $1M Impact Venture Fund- 12/17/14
Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District, one of the largest innovation hubs, and Richard Branson’s charity Virgin Unite have launched a $1 million social impact fund to be overseen by MaRS. The fund will go toward seed of Series A investments into companies that have a social good component. MaRS is also seeking investments in the fund from other organizations and companies.
Freight Farms Raises $3.7M Series B – 12/17/14
Boston-based Freight Farms has raised $3.7 million in Series B funding from Spark Capital. Freight Farms offers high-volume crop production units made from upcycled shipping containers to support farming in any climate. Since launching in 2010, the company has raised a total of $4.9 million.
Freight Farms
Neurio Technology Raises $1.3M in Seed Funding- 12/16/14
Vancouver, B.C.-based Neurio Technology has raised $1.3 million in seed funding from BDC Capital. Neurio has developed an energy monitoring system that starts with a monitor installed in a home’s breaker panel. The sensor uses Current Transformers to measure the flow of electricity into your home, and transmits the data via Wi-Fi.
Stanford Awards Eight Seed Grants Totaling $1.5 Million – 12/15/14
Stanford’s Precourt Institute for Energy, Precourt Energy Efficiency Center and TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy have awarded eight seed grants totaling $1.5 million for research in clean technology and energy efficiency. The Precourt Institute for Energy will fund three projects on photovoltaics, nanoscale heat transmission and power electronics. The TomKat Center is supporting three projects on waste heat, wastewater and polygeneration energy systems. The Precourt Energy Efficiency Center is providing seed funding for research at Stanford on waste heat.
WeSustain Raises $5M in Series B – 12/15/14
Germany-based WeSustain has raised $5 million in Series B funding from VNT Management Ltd. WeSustain offers businesses sustainability software solution for reporting and management.
Flex Energy Raises Funds from Intervale Capital – 12/15/14
New Hampshire-based Flex Energy has raised an undisclosed amount from Intervale Capital. The company manufactures small gas turbines providing low emissions electricity and heat to customers globally, often in remote areas where the electrical grid can be unreliable, expensive or non-existent. The company has raised a total of 23.7 million in four rounds.
Tendril Raises $20 Million from SunPower – 12/15/14
Colorado-based Tendril has raised $20 million in funding from SunPower, which will license Tendril’s energy services platform for managing data coming from the customer’s solar array. Since its founding in 2004, Tendril has raised a total of $131.2M in eight rounds.
Monsanto’s The Climate Corp Acquires 640 Labs – 12/9/14
Monsanto’s The Climate Corp. has acquired Chicago-based agriculture technology startup 640 Labs, a cloud-based farm management software. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Monsanto said the deal will expand its efforts to grow data science capabilities for farmers.
Solidia Technologies Raises Series C – 12/9/14
New Jersey-based Solidia Technologies has raised a Series C round for an undisclosed amount from Bill Joy, Total Energy Ventures and Lafarge. Solidia is an advanced materials company, focusing on developing scalable solutions for building and construction materials with low energy processes to minimize environmental impact. The company raised a $27 million Series A in February 2012.
Battery Maker Seeo Raises $17M – 12/9/14
Hayward, Calif. Seeo, developer of ultra-high energy density lithium polymer batteries has raised $17 million from Samsung Ventures, Khosla Ventures and GSR Ventures. Seeo’s rechargeable lithium batteries are built using a proprietary non-flammable polymer electrolyte it calls “DryLyte,” which it claims is safer than traditional lithium-ion batteries. Seeo is currently developing batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles; electric grids; telecom infrastructure like data centers; and consumer electronics.
LanzaTech Raises $60 million, Series D Extension – 12/8/14
Founded in New Zealand and now based in Illinois, LanzaTech has raised $60 million from the New Zealand government from a $27 billion fund set up to cover future pension payments. Lanzatech uses microbes to turn industrial waste gas into biofuels and chemicals. Since its founding in 20015, the company has raised $160 million.