Discera pulls in funds for MEMS chips

Fabless chip maker Discera brought in a new round of funding exceeding $3.2 million from undisclosed investors. It will use the new money for development of its quartz-based timing products.

Previously, the San Jose, Calif.-based company has raised $35 million from backers including Ardesta, Horizon Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, Qualcomm Ventures and 3i Group.

Life-science briefing: Monday, March 31, 2008

Life-science briefing: Monday, March 31, 2008

TODAY’S HEADLINES:

Boston Scientific spinout TriVascular2 takes in $65M (release)
Inhaled-drug startup Transave raises $35M (release)
Triage Wireless gets $20M for vital-signs monitors (release)
Tryton Medical receives $14M for “bifurcation” stents (release)

Synthetic bio startup Codon Devices adds $11M (release)
Tracon Pharma takes in $4.5M against cancer and eye disease (VentureWire)
Antibody maker f-star swaps in equity stake by TVM (PDF release)
Drug packager MonoSol Rx withdraws IPO (IPOhome)
GE Healthcare acquires portable-ventilator maker VersaMed (release)

Boston Scientific spinout TriVascular2 takes in $65M – In 2005, Boston… Continue Reading

Validity raises $20M for fingerprint scanners

Validity Sensors, based in San Jose, Calif., develops technology for fingerprint sensors used in laptops and other devices.

The company works with partners like Cogent Systems and Synaptics to develop and commercialize its products, which it began selling earlier this quarter.

Crosslink Capital led another $20 million round, alongside Qualcomm Ventures and TeleSoft Partners; all three firms had invested in Validity before. Past investors also include Austin Ventures and VentureTech Alliance, as well as a number of… Continue Reading

Validity Sensors raises $20M more for fingerprint sensors

Validity Sensors, San Jose start-up the builds advanced fingerprint sensors, has raised $20 million in its latest round of venture capital, in what appears to be a formal financial restart of the company.

The round included a “substantial investment” from Qualcomm Ventures, according to the company, which suggests the company’s technology will soon be used for mobile phones. Qualcomm is a leading mobile phone chip company.

The round was led, however, by venture firm TeleSoft Partners,… Continue Reading