Zayo Bandwidth raises $225M for fiber-based networks
Zayo Bandwidth, a Louisville, Colo. regional provider of fiber-based network services, has raised a whopping $225 million in private equity funding.
See the story in Rocky Mountain News.
It has quietly snatched up four fiber-optic networks in the eastern U.S. in recent months, the story says.
Lead investors in Zayo are Oak Investment Partners, Columbia Capital and M/C Venture Partners. Other investors are Colorado-based Centennial Ventures and Battery Ventures. The holding company is called Communications Infrastructure Investments… Continue Reading
Bolt hosed, shows the risks of video
GoFish, a video-sharing site much like YouTube, has acquired another video site, Bolt, to save that company from lawsuits that threatened to sink it.
The $30 million transaction, first reported by the NYT, is reportedly being used by New York’s Bolt to pay a settlement of “several million dollars” to Universal Music Group, which had sued Bolt for copyright infringement. (See merger filing here)
Thus ends the topsy-turvy ride of Bolt, the company started in 1996 to… Continue Reading
Qualcomm acquires wireless co., Airgo, and bluetooth assets of RF Micro Devices
Qualcomm, the wireless chip company in San Diego, announced today it will acquire Palo Alto’s Airgo Networks, a hot WLAN technology provider for an undisclosed amount. VentureBeat had contacted Airgo about rumors of the acquisition last week, but had never heard back.
In a statement, Qualcomm said it has also acquired the majority of North Carolina-based RF Micro Devices’ (RFMD’s) bluetooth assets.
The Airgo acquisition is significant because the company has boasted its new chip, unveiled… Continue Reading
Shop.com raises $10 million from Oak, others
Comparison shopping Web site Shop.com has raised $10 million more in venture financing, according to a regulatory filing first cited by PE Week.
This is a cut-throat market now, with dozens of shopping engines out there, and more showing up almost every day. We’ve mentioned the recent appearance of Thefind.com and Ugenie. Shop.com, of Monterey, earlier raised $25 million last fall, after restructuring from an earlier effort. Oak has led this latest investment infusion, which now… Continue Reading
MobiTV has raised $100 for mobile TV
MobiTV, the Emeryville start-up that offers TV and other digital content to your mobile phone and other connected devices, is soaking up the cash.
It has just raised $30 million more in its third round of venture capital, GigaOm reports. This make for a total of $100 million since July — and its valuation reportedly already exceeds $400 million.
Is this company red hot, or is it getting bloated? It started out serving mobile phones. But… Continue Reading
Oak raises record venture capital fund, despite mediocre performance
Venture capital firm Oak Investment Partners has raised the largest venture fund ever, despite a decidedly mediocre track record in recent years.
At $2.56 billion, Oak’s twelfth fund is just the latest example of a venture capital firm raising a whopping fund despite recent poor performance. News of the fund was reported by VentureWire this morning (subscription required).
Oak in recent years has moved more toward later-stage investments and some would dispute whether it should really be… Continue Reading