US tech giant Microsoft selected five African tech startups to receive innovation grants, technical support, and mentorship from Microsoft under its venture arm extension, the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative.
Investors
Fundera raises $3.4M in venture capital to connect New York's small businesses to alternative lenders
New York, US-based lending platform Fundera raised $3.4 million in funding from a recent venture round to help connect small businesses to a network of certified lending alternatives to banks.
Apartment List secures additional $6M in round led by Glynn Capital and Passport Capital
Apartment List, an online rental marketplace, was able to raise an additional $6 million in financing in a follow-on round led by Glynn Capital and Passport Capital, TechCrunch reported.
San Francisco-based Apportable snags $5M from renowned investors
Renowned technology innovators invested $5 million to close the latest funding round of San Francisco-based mobile technology firm Apportable, bringing to $7.4 million total funds raised to date.
Japan's incubator Netprice eyes $4M investment in Indian tech startups in 2014 -report
Tokyo, Japan-based incubator and investment firm Netprice.com Inc is planning to invest $500,000 to $4 million in three or four mobile and web startups in India this year, according to The Economic Times.
Latest News
Some European filmmakers that have turned to crowdfunding, which is still in its early stage in Europe, are facing a different set of challenges, Variety reported.
The Morpheus, the first private startup accelerator in India, is shutting down its operations this week after six years of conducting accelerator programs for startups in the country, because of the fierce competition from its rivals.
A Wilshire Associates Inc report showed that public pensions in the US had median gains of 16.1% last year, with smaller public pensions outperforming the "mega" plans, Bloomberg reported.
San Diego, US-based software investor JMI Equity led a $38-million Series D venture capital round for the expansion and development of Utah-based work flow management software company AtTask.
Retailers in the US are feeling the pressure to increase their cybersecurity spending as they compete against online rivals and strive to meet the October 2015 deadline by Visa and MasterCard to be able to use chip-enabled payment cards, Reuters reported.
Bukit Batok Crescent, Singapore-based fruit and produce firm Sunmoon Food Company has agreed to buy $250,000 (S$317,200) worth of stocks in Nevada, US-based beverage company True Drinks Holdings at $4 apiece.
The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board will be opening an office in Brazil in April to bolster its investments in the real estate and infrastructure sectors, Reuters reported.
HealthTech Capital Founder and veteran venture capitalist Anne DeGheest warns that there is a bubble forming in information technology for the healthcare industry in an interview with The Wall Street Journal's blog Venture Capital Dispatch.
San Francisco, California-based mobile speaker company Boombotix pocketed $4 million in a funding round led by both new and previous investors to develop its audio products and enhance its marketing strategies.
