Author: Staff

Riverstone Holdings has put $200 million into Ridgebury Tankers, a new tanker company focused on the acquisition and operation of vessels in the tanker sector. Ridgebury management invested $5.7 million as part of the deal. The Connecticut-based company will use the capital to acquire clean product carriers of all sizes and in the crude sector will focus primarily on Suezmax vessels.

PRESS RELEASE
Ridgebury Tankers LLC (“Ridgebury” or “the Company”), a new tanker company focused on the acquisition and operation of vessels in the tanker sector, today announced a $200 million commitment from Riverstone Holdings LLC (“Riverstone”), the energy private investment firm, alongside a $5.7 million commitment from Ridgebury management. The Connecticut-based Company will use the capital to acquire clean product carriers of all sizes and in the crude sector will focus primarily on Suezmax vessels.

Ridgebury is led by its Founder and CEO, Bob Burke, who has been involved in the shipping industry for over 30 years in a variety of capacities. Mr. Burke’s extensive executive shipping experience includes tanker operations, chartering activities for vessels, direct equity investments and financings, and the ownership and operational management of companies across several shipping sectors.

“Our strategy is to invest in modern tonnage either currently on the water or on resales of vessels that will enter service shortly,” said Mr. Burke. “We believe that the next 12-24 months will present an attractive entry point for investment in the sector. Although distressed opportunities may present themselves, our primary focus will be the pursuit of quality modern tonnage. We are not in a rush to invest, and we want to focus our efforts on opportunities with a high certainty of closing. With Riverstone’s equity commitment and sensible financial leverage, we believe we have a great opportunity to build a highly successful company in the tanker sector.”

In addition to Mr. Burke, the management team includes Kevin Bavolar as CFO, as well as Hew Crooks and Steve Fitzgerald. Messrs. Burke, Bavolar and Fitzgerald worked together at GE Capital, and Mr. Crooks worked with Mr. Burke at Great Circle Capital, a Maritime equity investment fund. “In a small organization such as Ridgebury it is imperative to have a team that has worked together before,” said Mr. Bavolar.

John Lancaster, a Partner at Riverstone added, “This investment is consistent with Riverstone’s model of partnering with proven management in focused strategies in specific segments of the energy industry. Crude oil and product tankers are an essential component of the rapidly evolving and critical global energy logistics system, and we believe the sector’s immediate and long-term fundamentals provide the potential for entry, growth and attractive returns. We are excited to partner with Bob and his team in this new venture.”

About Riverstone Holdings LLC
Riverstone is an energy and power-focused private investment firm founded in 2000 with approximately $24 billion of equity capital raised across seven investment funds, including the world’s largest renewable energy fund. Riverstone conducts buyout and growth capital investments in the midstream, exploration & production, oilfield services, power and renewable sectors of the energy industry. With offices in New York, London and Houston, the firm has committed approximately $21.6 billion to 97 investments in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

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PayPal has acquired Iron Pearl, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based startup focused on tools for customer acquisition and engagement. The company’s founders – Stan Chudnovsky and James Currier – will stick with the new company. Chudnovsky will assume the role of VP of Growth, and Currier will serve as “Growth Advisor.”

BLOG POST
At PayPal, we’re seeing rapid and exciting growth. More than 5 million people joined PayPal in the last three months of 2012—the most in a quarter in over 8 years. We now serve more than 123 million active PayPal customers around the world.

But we can do more. And grow faster. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce that we just acquired Iron Pearl, a Palo Alto startup that is at the forefront of the science of customer acquisition and engagement. Iron Pearl has developed groundbreaking tools, methodologies and intellectual property, built on a new understanding of the social and cultural factors that drive the viral spread of products, combined with new approaches to data analysis and predictive modeling.

Iron Pearl was founded by Stan Chudnovsky and James Currier. Effective immediately, Stan is assuming the role of Vice President of Growth and James will serve as a Growth Advisor to the company.

Stan is a visionary in the emerging science of growth and he has a remarkable track record of success as an entrepreneur. James and Stan started and ran Tickle, one of the first social media companies and an early explorer of the possibilities of online viral marketing. After Tickle was acquired by Monster in 2004 for more than $100 million, they founded Wonderhill, a developer of family-friendly social online games that was acquired by Kabam in 2011. Stan was also instrumental in designing growth for companies like GoodReads, Path, BranchOut and many others.

The new Growth team at PayPal will focus on growing our customer base and engaging existing customers more actively by leveraging data to develop innovative marketing approaches and product initiatives. There are only a handful of world-renowned “Growth Hackers” with amazing track records and Stan is one of them. He managed to create genuine and sustained viral growth and retention for his own startups, and has advised others to grow at a tremendous pace, leading to hundreds of millions of unique new users. We’re confident that applying this unique, and highly effective skill set to PayPal will lead to making our groundbreaking payments experiences even more ubiquitous for our merchants and consumers.

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Biodesix Inc., a molecular diagnostics company, has added $8.8 million in a follow-on sale of its Series D preferred shares. The money came from existing investors, Biodesix said. Specifics were not released.

PRESS RELEASE
Biodesix, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company advancing the development of innovative products for personalizing medicine, announced today that the company closed on $8.8 million in a follow-on sale of its Series D preferred shares. All funds were provided by existing shareholders of the company. The investment will be used for ongoing development of the company’s technology platform and expansion of sales and marketing efforts to support Biodesix’ first product, VeriStrat®. VeriStrat is a serum protein test that helps physicians guide therapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

About Biodesix

Biodesix is a molecular diagnostics company advancing the development of innovative products for personalizing medicine. The company provides physicians with diagnostic tests for earlier disease detection, more accurate diagnosis, disease monitoring and better therapeutic guidance, which may lead to improved patient outcomes. Biodesix discovers, develops and commercializes multivariate protein diagnostics based on their proprietary mass spectrometry-based discovery platform. VeriStrat, a multivariate serum protein test, is Biodesix’ first product developed with this technology. The commercially available test provides oncologists with information to help them select between erlotinib and single-agent chemotherapy for advanced lung cancer patients. Tests are processed in Biodesix’ CLIA-certified laboratory and results are reported in less than 72 hours. In addition to developing novel diagnostics independently, the company also partners with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to develop companion diagnostics to improve utility of therapeutic agents. For more information on VeriStrat, please visit www.VeriStratSupport.com. For more information about Biodesix, please visit www.Biodesix.com.

This press release contains statements that are hereby identified as “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including, without limitation, the Company’s inability to further identify, develop and achieve commercial success for products and technologies; the risk that the Company’s financial resources will be insufficient to meet the Company’s business objectives; uncertainties relating to the regulatory approval process and changes in relationships with strategic partners. We disclaim any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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Syros Pharmaceuticals, which is focused on treatments for cancer and other diseases, has inked $30 million in Series A financing. Company co-founders ARCH Venture Partners and Flagship Ventures led the round. The money will go toward development of novel gene control medicines.

PRESS RELEASE
Syros Pharmaceuticals, a newly launched company harnessing breakthroughs in gene control to revolutionize the treatment of cancer and other diseases, today announced that it has completed a $30 million Series A financing led by company Co-founders ARCH Venture Partners and Flagship Ventures. Syros will use the capital to accelerate the discovery and development of novel gene control medicines. The journal Cell today published two manuscripts1 from Syros Scientific Co-founders based upon the discovery of gene control regulators called Super-Enhancers.

Syros Pharmaceuticals was co-founded by ARCH Venture Partners and Flagship’s VentureLabs unit working with three world leaders within the field of gene regulation and translational medicine: Richard A. Young, Ph.D., Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; James “Jay” E. Bradner, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Broad Institute; and Nathanael Gray, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Other investors include the WuXi PharmaTech Corporate Venture Fund, and undisclosed private investors.

“It is increasingly clear that much of human diseases lies in the switches that control genes rather than the genes themselves,” said Dr. Young. “We now can map the regulatory circuits in all human cells, including the critical switches in cancer and other diseases. This offers a promising new way to treat disease.”

Industry veteran Nancy Simonian, M.D. will lead the company as Chief Executive Officer. She has a proven track record of value creation in biotechnology, most recently as Chief Medical Officer at Millennium Pharmaceuticals and, previously, as Vice President of Clinical Development at Biogen. Nancy led efforts that revolutionized treatments for patients with multiple sclerosis, multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. At Millennium and Biogen, Nancy oversaw all phases of drug development, including more than 15 INDs, NDAs/BLAs for Velcade and Avonex, and medical affairs. Syros management also includes Scott Rakestraw, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer; Gregg Beloff, J.D., Chief Financial Officer; Christian Fritz, Ph.D., Vice President, Biology; and, Kevin Sprott, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemistry.

“Discovery of the switches for genes critical in disease opens a completely new approach to helping people with serious illnesses such as cancer,” said Dr. Simonian. “We are thrilled to have Drs. Young, Bradner and Gray as our outstanding scientific founders and together will translate these breakthroughs in gene control into transformative treatments for patients.”

Syros Signs Exclusive Technology Licensing Agreements

Syros has executed exclusive, worldwide licensing agreements with the Whitehead Institute and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Licenses cover Syros’ lead scientific platform components, including Super-Enhancer technologies and methods.

Syros Names Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board

Drs. Simonian, Young and Bradner are joined on the Syros Board of Directors by Nobel Prize Winner Phillip Sharp, Ph.D., a world leader of research in molecular biology and biochemistry and Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Douglas Cole, M.D., General Partner of Flagship Ventures, and Robert Nelsen, Co-founder and Managing Director of ARCH Venture Partners. The company is also supported by a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) comprising world-renowned experts within the fields of oncology, gene control, chemistry, and drug discovery. In addition to the three Scientific Founders of the company, SAB Members include: Bradley Bernstein, M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Broad Institute; Scott Biller, Ph.D., Agios Pharmaceuticals; Gerard Evan, Ph.D., FRS, FMedSci, University of Cambridge, European Molecular Biology, UK Academy of Medical Sciences, Royal Society; William Kaelin, M.D., Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Cancer Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Stefan Knapp, Ph.D., Target Discovery Institute, Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford; Mark Murcko, Ph.D., Former CTO, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Northeastern Lecturer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Aviv Regev, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Broad Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Klarman Cell Observatory; Phillip Sharp, Ph.D., Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Roger Tung, Ph.D., Concert Pharmaceuticals; Chris Vakoc, M.D., Ph.D., Cold Spring Harbor Lab; and Bob Weinberg, Ph.D., Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT Ludwig Center for Molecular Oncology.

Syros’s founding investors have been involved in establishing and building leading biopharmaceutical companies, such as Agios Pharmaceuticals, Receptos, Quanterix, ModeRNA, Aveo, Tetraphase, Avedro, Selecta Bioscience, Illumina, Aviron, Alnylam, Ikaria, Adolor, Caliper Life Sciences, Kythera, Xenoport, Array Biosciences, decode Genetics, and others

“Occasionally, truly breakthrough biology has the potential for near-term and direct impact on therapeutics,” said Dr. Cole. “Syros Pharmaceuticals has a rare opportunity to establish entirely new strategies to treat cancer and other serious diseases based on the revolutionary insights emerging from the scientific founders’ labs. It has been a privilege to work with our co-founders to launch this exciting venture.”

“Syros brings together an exceptionally experienced management team, once-in-a-decade breakthrough science, some of the best scientific and drug discovery minds in the business, and the resources to move fast,” said Mr. Nelsen.

About Syros Pharmaceuticals

Syros Pharmaceuticals is a life sciences company harnessing breakthroughs in gene control to revolutionize the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Syros’ proprietary platform identifies the master switches for disease genes, opening a whole new approach to novel therapeutics. Syros’ initial focus is in cancer, but the company platform will also be applicable to other therapeutic areas. The Company’s founders are pioneers in gene control research and translation. Co-founded and backed by Flagship Ventures and ARCH Venture Partners, Syros Pharmaceuticals is located in Watertown, MA. For more information, visit www.syros.com.

About ARCH Venture Partners

ARCH Venture Partners is a premier provider of seed- and early-stage capital for technology firms, with a special competence in co-founding and building technology firms from startup. ARCH invests primarily in companies co-founded with leading scientists and entrepreneurs, concentrating in innovations in life sciences, physical sciences, and information technology. ARCH enjoys special recognition as a leader in the successful commercialization of technologies developed at academic research institutions and national laboratories. The company manages seven funds totaling over $1.5 billion and has invested in the earliest venture capital rounds for more than 150 companies over 27 years. Portfolio companies where ARCH was a co-founding or early investor include Illumina, Aviron, Agios, Impinj, Xenoport, Alnylam, Ikaria, Kythera, Sapphire Energy, Microoptical Devices, New Era of Networks, Netbot, Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Adolor, Nanosys, Receptos, Caliper Life Sciences, Ahura, Xtera, Array Biopharma, Everyday Learning Corporation, Nanophase Technologies, R2 Technologies, and deCode Genetics, among others. More information is available at www.archventure.com.

About Flagship Ventures

Realizing entrepreneurial innovation is the mission of Flagship Ventures. The firm operates through two synergistic units: VentureLabsTM, which invents and launches transformative companies, and Venture Capital, which finances and realizes innovative early-stage companies. Founded in 2000 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Flagship Ventures manages over $900 million in capital. The Flagship team innovates and invests in three principal business sectors: therapeutics, health technologies and sustainability/clean technology. Past successful Flagship portfolio companies include: Accuri Cytometers (acquired by Becton, Dickinson and Company), Adnexus (acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb), Hypnion (acquired by Eli Lilly), AVEO (NASDAQ: AVEO), BG Medicine (NASDAQ: BGMD), Tetraphase (NASDAQ:TTPH), and Morphotek (acquired by Eisai). Additional notable portfolio companies include: AeroDesigns, Affinnova, Agios, BIND Therapeutics, Joule Unlimited, Receptos, Quanterix, and Moderna Therapeutics.

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DW Healthcare Partners has promoted two, and added five to its team. Eric Keen was promoted from Vice President to Principal, and works in the firm’s Toronto office. Sameer Mathur was promoted from Associate to Vice President, also in Toronto. The new hires are: Phillip Smith, Karen Jones, Eric Moore, Alex Aptekman, and Philip Edmunds.

PRESS RELEASE
DW Healthcare Partners (DWHP), a healthcare-focused private equity firm, is pleased to announce two promotions and five new hires. The firm has over $500 million of assets under management and an experienced team that now includes 11 investment/operating professionals and three deal-origination professionals. Recent promotions and new hires include:

– Eric Keen, promoted from Vice President to Principal, Toronto Office

– Sameer Mathur, promoted from Associate to Vice President, Toronto Office

– Phillip Smith, hired as Vice President, Park City Office

– Karen Jones, hired as Director, Investment Sourcing, Toronto Office

– Eric Moore, hired as Associate, Toronto Office

– Alex Aptekman, hired as Associate, Toronto Office

– Philip Edmunds, hired as Associate, Park City office

Andrew Carragher, co-founder and Managing Director noted, “We are fortunate, with the launch of our third healthcare fund, to have the opportunity to recognize individual success stories and achievements within our firm. We have also been able to hire talented new professionals with valuable and relevant experience in both the private equity and healthcare industries.”

Eric Keen, has been promoted from Vice President to Principal at DWHP. Mr. Keen’s experience in private equity investments spans more than ten years. Prior to joining DWHP, Mr. Keen worked for The Riverside Company, most recently as a Vice President. During his tenure at Riverside, Eric completed 10 transactions and served on the board of directors of SmartComp LLC, GTI Diagnostics, Inc., Ultravolt, Inc. and Polar Windows of Canada Ltd. Prior to Riverside, Eric worked at Norwest Equity Partners, Marakon Associates and Credit Suisse First Boston.

Sameer Mathur, who joined DWHP in 2009, has been promoted from Associate to Vice President. Prior to joining DWHP, Mr. Mathur worked as an Associate at private equity fund Francisco Partners where he focused on middle market transactions with technology and technology-enabled companies. Mr. Mathur also worked and as a Senior Associate Consultant at Bain & Company where he was involved with private equity diligence, growth strategy, and cost procurement projects across multiple industries.

Phillip Smith has joined the firm as Vice President. Mr. Smith brings five years of healthcare investing, transaction and financing experience to his role. Phillip spent the prior three years working for RoundTable Healthcare Partners, most recently as a Senior Associate. While at RoundTable, his experience included eight investments in medical device and pharmaceutical companies. Prior to RoundTable, Mr. Smith worked as an analyst for Banc of America Securities.

Karen Jones has joined DWHP’s Deal Origination Team as Director, Investment Sourcing. Mrs. Jones’s 25 years of work experience includes acquisitions, investment management, and healthcare technology consulting. She previously worked with Biosense Webster, Johnson & Johnson Medical Products as Clinical Specialist and Territory Manager, Healthwise Diagnostics as Physician Liaison, Enterprise Property Group/Enterprise Investment Management as Vice President Acquisitions, and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board as Portfolio Manager.

Eric Moore was hired as an Associate at DWHP. Prior to working at DWHP, Mr. Moore worked with Nomura Financial Institutions Group, Silver Lake Credit and Caymus Capital Partners.

Alex Aptekman recently joined DWHP as an Associate. Prior to joining DWHP, Mr. Aptekman worked with Union Square Advisors, the Global Investment Banking Group at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and JP Morgan in Hong Kong.

Philip Edmunds has joined the DWHP team as an Associate. Mr. Edmunds previously worked with Riveria Investment Group, and Deloitte Consulting.

About DW Healthcare PartnersDW Healthcare Partners is a private equity firm focused exclusively in the healthcare industry. The firm manages over $500 million in committed capital across three funds and invests in profitable healthcare companies with proven management teams. DW Healthcare Partners is led by seasoned healthcare executives with more than 110 years of combined industry experience. The firm provides the capital, strategic guidance, and acquisition expertise to help mid-stage companies realize their potential for growth.

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LevelEleven, a Detroit-based company focused on enterprise gamification and CRM technology, has completed its $1.5 million seed financing. The seed round was led by Detroit Venture Partners with additional funding from private equity investor Rick Inatome, Hyde Park Venture Partners, and The First Step Fund.

PRESS RELEASE
Detroit-based LevelEleven, a new company focused on enterprise gamification and CRM solutions, today completed its $1.5 million seed financing with an additional $500,000. The seed round was led by Detroit Venture Partners with additional funding from private equity investor Rick Inatome, Hyde Park Venture Partners, and The First Step Fund. The company, located in downtown Detroit’s M@dison Building in the heart of the city’s fast-growing high-tech hub, previously raised the initial $1 million in October 2012.

The new financing will be used to help further accelerate product development and invest in sales and marketing, as momentum for LevelEleven continues to increase. Current clients include Comcast, Dyn, Concur, Delta Airlines, OpenTable and Kelly Services, among many others.

“Over the past quarter we’ve made huge strides in establishing our brand, further developing our software and acquiring new customers, so the timing was perfect to secure additional funding,” says Bob Marsh, LevelEleven CEO. “Having the support of such prominent investors is a real validation of the work we’re doing to help motivate employee behavior in the enterprise sales and CRM space.”

LevelEleven’s initial seed funding was raised by Detroit Venture Partners, the venture capital firm known for investing in seed and early-stage technology companies committed to playing a part of the revitalization of downtown Detroit.

“LevelEleven has experienced significant success since its launch last year and I believe the company is in a great position to capitalize on the growth of the enterprise gamification industry,” said Rick Inatome, who currently serves as the CEO of InfiLaw Corporation, a national consortium of independent law schools. Rick is also a well-known computer industry pioneer who co-founded two multi-billion dollar companies, including Computer City and Inacomp Computer Centers. “I share Bob’s philosophy that meaningful gamification is the key to motivating employees and believe that LevelEleven has tapped into an unmet market need that gives the company tremendous growth potential in the future.”

LevelEleven now has nine team members, and has almost tripled its customer base from 25 to more than 70 clients within the past six months. For more information, visit www.leveleleven.com.

About LevelEleven LevelEleven develops enterprise gamification and CRM solutions to help managers get their sales and service teams focused on the right things by tapping into their competitive nature. LevelEleven’s lead product is an easy-to-use app for salesforce.com that creates high-impact competitions around any data point that can be tracked within a company’s CRM system. Clients including Comcast, Concur, Kelly Services, and Good Technology are experiencing immediate and long-lasting results in securing more client meetings, taking new products to market, improving Salesforce adoption, and closing more business. Originally developed by digital engagement leader ePrize and debuted at Dreamforce 2011, LevelEleven launched as its own company in October 2012, and is ranked as the #1 most popular gamification offering in the Salesforce AppExchange. LevelEleven is based in Detroit, Michigan, and part of the Detroit Venture Partners portfolio of companies.

About Detroit Venture Partners Detroit Venture Partners (www.detroitventurepartners.com) is a venture capital firm that invests in seed and early-stage technology companies with a strong emphasis on Detroit-based startups. In addition to capital, the company provides hands-on coaching, mentorship, support, and resources to help drive growth and success. The firm was founded in 2010 by Josh Linkner, Dan Gilbert and Brian Hermelin. By backing the next generation of Detroit entrepreneurs, DVP aims to create jobs, urban density, and hope.

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A consortium led by CSL Capital Management has exited PyraMax Ceramics, selling the company to Imerys S.A. The deal was valued at $235 million, plus possible milestone payments of up to $100 million.

PRESS RELEASE
A consortium led by CSL Capital Management, LLC announced today it has sold PyraMax Ceramics, LLC (“PyraMax”) to Imerys S.A. for a total consideration of USD 235 million and additional payments of up to USD 100 million, subject to meeting certain industrial and commercial performance criteria. PyraMax is in the final stages of completing a state-of-the-art, 500 million pounds per year manufacturing facility comprised of two production lines located in Wrens, GA.
Imerys’ acquisition of PyraMax, added to its current production capacity, will significantly enhance its ability to supply high-quality ceramic proppant to the fast-growing North America non-conventional oil and gas market.
Charles S. Leykum, Founder of CSL Capital Management and Chairman of PyraMax Ceramics, LLC, said “Our management team has done a great job building PyraMax from a greenfield project to near commercial operation. We are excited to work with Imerys, a well-established player in this sector, and think the combination will create a robust supplier to the proppants industry. We wish Don and his team continued success.”
Don Anschutz, President of PyraMax Ceramics, LLC, said “CSL has been an invaluable partner and resource for us and we enjoyed working with them. Their experience building companies and vision for PyraMax to be a state-of-the-art ceramic proppant plant was essential to our success. Joining Imerys will accelerate that vision and give us access to expertise and resources that will increase our ability to anticipate and exceed our customers’ expectations.”
About CSL Capital Management, LLC
CSL Capital Management (“CSL”) is a leading growth equity firm with a value oriented investment strategy focused on energy businesses in the U.S. and internationally. With offices in Houston, TX and Greenwich, CT, the CSL team has deep sector expertise in the energy industry and takes a very hands-on approach to investments; it relies on fundamental growth and strategic thinking, rather than financial engineering, to generate success. Through several investment vehicles, CSL has raised in excess of $650 million of equity capital and commitments.
About Imerys S.A.
Imerys is the world leader in mineral-based specialty solutions for industry with €3.9 billion revenue and 16,000 employees. Imerys transforms a unique range of minerals to deliver functions (heat re- sistance, mechanical strength, conductivity, coverage, barrier effect, etc.) that are essential to its customers’ products and manufacturing processes.
Whether it is mineral components, functional additives, process enablers or finished products, Imerys’ solutions contribute to the quality of a great number of applications in consumer goods, industrial equipment and construction. Combining expertise, creativity and attentiveness to customers’ needs, the Group’s international teams constantly identify new applications and develop high value-added solutions under a determined approach to responsible development. These strengths enable Imerys to develop through a sound, profitable business model.

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HG Data Company, a provider of marketing and sales leads for the technology industry, has named Tim Baskerville as President. He has served on the HG Data board of directors since 2011. HG Data Company is backed by EPIC Ventures.

PRESS RELEASE
HG Data Company, the disruptive provider of marketing and sales leads for the technology industry, has announced the appointment of Tim Baskerville as President.

“Tim’s job will be to scale our data-science operation, more comprehensively serving both data partners and enterprise customers with granular insights on the use of enterprise technology,” said CEO Craig Harris in announcing the appointment.

Baskerville is an experienced builder of businesses producing B2B intelligence for vertical markets. Among the companies he has either founded or managed on behalf of private equity investors are JupiterResearch (New York), Kagan Research (Monterey), Vidmar Communications (Hollywood), and Baskerville Communications (London). He has served on the HG Data board of directors since 2011.

“I’m particularly excited about expanding the company’s Big Data footprint into specialized applications,” explained Baskerville. HG Data now uses proprietary algorithms to power ad serving networks, real-time online content generation, LeadGen efforts through B2B media partners, and marketing leads for software and hardware OEMs and resellers.

About HG Data

HG Data is a business intelligence service used by leading technology companies for marketing and sales leads as well as research and investment. HG Data produces a detailed census of specific technologies utilized at an enterprise’s geographic sites. The company’s unique data science approach scours the open Web, combining unstructured data with archived offline sources, resulting in detailed profiling of the enterprise technology marketplace. HG Data, a portfolio company of EPIC Ventures, was founded in 2010 by the team that built and profitably sold data-company NOZA to Blackbaud, Inc.

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AgBiome, a developer of agricultural products to improve crop productivity, raised $14.5 million in Series A financing. Polaris Partners led the round and was joined by ARCH Venture Partners, Harris & Harris Group, and Innotech Advisers. The company is based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

PRESS RELEASE
AgBiome LLC, a private company developing novel agricultural products to improve crop productivity, today announced that it has secured $14.5 million in Series A financing that will further advance the company’s research and development programs, and support the launch of the company’s first products. Polaris Partners led the round and was joined by ARCH Venture Partners, Harris & Harris Group, Innotech Advisers, and additional strategic investors.

“AgBiome is focused on a significant opportunity to improve crop productivity, and the company’s leadership team has a proven track record in bringing innovative products to market,” said Polaris Partners’ Amir Nashat. “We are excited to be working with the AgBiome team again.”

The plant microbiome–the community of microorganisms associated with plants–plays a vital role in plant productivity, disease and pest resistance, and tolerance to environmental stress. AgBiome is identifying novel microbes useful for boosting productivity of crop plants, as well as new useful genes from those microbes.

“Microbes associated with agriculture ecosystems are a nearly infinite source of useful new genes and biologicals,” said AgBiome Chief Scientific Officer Dan Tomso. “AgBiome aims to become the world leader in agricultural discovery centered around these resources.”

Leadership

AgBiome was founded by world leaders in the field of the plant microbiome and seasoned executives from the agriculture industry. The founders include Jeff Dangl, HHMI Investigator and John N. Couch Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Paul Schulze-Lefert, Director, Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding, Cologne, Germany. Both Prof. Dangl and Prof. Schulze-Lefert serve on the company’s Scientific Advisory Board. Scott Uknes and Eric Ward, co-CEOs of AgBiome, each have 25 years of experience in the agricultural biotechnology industry. Dr. Uknes was a co-founder of Paradigm Genetics and Cropsolution and most recently served in a senior role at Bayer CropScience after the acquisition of Athenix, where he was vice president of business development. Dr. Ward was co-President of Ag Biotech for Novartis in Research Triangle Park, was a co-founder of Cropsolution, and until year end was President of Two Blades Foundation, a not-for-profit dedicated to developing crop disease resistance.

“AgBiome has assembled the best team, investors, technology and market know-how to position the company for success,” said AgBiome co-founder John Ryals, who is also the CEO of Metabolon. Mike Koziel, AgBiome co-founder and CEO of Xinehta added, “this is the first time to our knowledge that several major agriculture companies have co-invested at an early stage in an Ag biotech company. Their involvement creates an excellent starting point for future collaborations and market access.”

Serving on the company’s board of directors are Amir Nashat (Polaris Partners), Kristina Burow (ARCH), Misti Ushio (Harris & Harris), John Ryals (AgBiome Co-Founder and CEO Metabolon), Mike Koziel (AgBiome Founder and CEO Xinehta), Eric Ward (Co-Founder and Co-CEO AgBiome) and Scott Uknes (Co-Founder and Co-CEO Agbiome).

About AgBiome AgBiome is a privately held, product-oriented biotechnology company focused on delivering the best early-stage research and discovery to the agriculture industry. AgBiome’s first product is a biological that controls the predominant soil-borne diseases of greenhouse and major row crops. AgBiome is also applying state-of-the-art genomics and screening technologies to identify plant-associated microbes that enhance plant health, pest resistance and yield. We are committed to developing and maintaining a team-oriented, creative, intellectual culture that provides a sustainable advantage for our partners and us.

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iRhythm Technologies Inc., a medical device, service and technology company, has closed on $16 million in Series D financing. Norwest Venture Partners led the round, with participation from New Leaf Ventures, Synergy Life Science Partners and Kaiser Permanente Ventures. The money will go toward expansion and development efforts.

PRESS RELEASE
iRhythm Technologies, Inc., a medical device, service and technology company that develops and markets simple, innovative diagnostic monitoring solutions, today announced that it closed $16 million in Series D venture financing. Norwest Venture Partners (NVP), a global venture capital and growth equity investment firm, led the round, and existing investors including New Leaf Ventures, Synergy Life Science Partners and Kaiser Permanente Ventures also participated. iRhythm will use this infusion of capital to fund commercial expansion and accelerate the development of new technologies and applications.

“We are pleased to have NVP as our lead investor in this important growth phase of the company,” said Kevin King, president and CEO of iRhythm. “Since the introduction of the Zio® System in early 2011, we have reported on over 20 million hours of patient data. Recent peer review data has demonstrated that the Zio® Patch System is helping physicians to make more informed patient treatment decisions over the gold standard method of Holter Monitoring. NVP’s interest in partnering with companies focused on products that address an unmet clinical need aligns with iRhythm’s own mission.”

iRhythm’s Zio® Patch System is comprised of the Zio® Patch and Zio® Report, which work together to provide an efficient diagnostic tool and a positive patient experience. The Zio® Patch is a single-use monitor, cleared by the FDA for up to 14 days of continuous wear, which results in uninterrupted, beat-to-beat capture when adhered to a patient. Once monitoring is complete, data from each Zio® Patch is processed and analyzed by Certified Cardiac Technicians using iRhythm’s proprietary rhythm analysis. The resulting Zio® Report is designed to streamline the diagnostic process by highlighting key findings.

A study published by Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology Journal last month showed that the Zio® Patch System demonstrated improved clinical accuracy and detection of potentially malignant arrhythmias in AF patients when compared with 24-hour Holter monitoring of the same patient. The study resulted in a change in treatment strategy for nearly one-third of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

iRhythm also announced that Casper de Clercq, partner at NVP, has joined the company’s board of directors. With 25 years of experience in the medical device and life sciences industry, Casper’s focus at NVP is on mid- to late-stage investments in medical devices, specialty pharmaceuticals, digital health and healthcare IT. Products that address critical unmet medical needs and lower the total cost of healthcare are of particular interest to NVP.

“By combining advances in electronics and dramatically simplified ergonomics, iRhythm has developed an FDA-cleared medical device which intuitively improves patient compliance and diagnostic utility,” said de Clercq. “iRhythm provides a comprehensive diagnostics service with computer data analytics to augment what has historically been a labor intensive interpretation process. The recent study shows that the Zio® Patch System offers a significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy over traditional ‘gold-standard’ Holter monitoring. Hospitals and payers have taken note of this solution because of the efficiency and efficacy for patients and physicians, which have the potential to reduce overall cost of care.”

About iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
iRhythm provides innovative diagnostic monitoring solutions that facilitate early diagnosis and treatment decisions, with the goal of ultimately improving patient health outcomes and reducing wasteful healthcare spending. Its flagship product, the Zio® Patch, is designed to optimize and simplify the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias. For more information, please visit www.irhythmtech.com. Follow iRhythm on Twitter @iRhythmTech.

About Norwest Venture Partners
Norwest Venture Partners (NVP) is a multi-stage investment firm that has partnered with entrepreneurs to build great businesses for more than 50 years. The firm manages over $3.7 billion in capital and has funded more than 500 companies since inception. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., NVP has subsidiaries in Mumbai and Bengaluru, India and Herzelia, Israel. NVP makes early to late-stage venture and growth equity investments across a wide range of sectors including: technology, information services, business services, financial services, consumer products/services and healthcare.

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Cydan, an orphan drug accelerator that aims to identify and “de-risk” programs with therapeutic and commercial potential, said that it has launched with $16 million in venture backing. New Enterprise Associates and Pfizer Venture Investments led the financing, with participation from Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. Cydan is based in Cambridge, Mass.

PRESS RELEASE
Cydan, LLC, an orphan drug accelerator that identifies and de-risks programs with therapeutic and commercial potential, today announced its launch with $16 million in financing led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Pfizer Venture Investments, with participation from Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. The accelerator will focus on identifying promising assets with well-understood biology and proof-of-concept data in in vivo models from academia, industry and other sources. Data generated during a rigorous de-risking process will enable Cydan to form stand-alone companies and strategic partnerships. The accelerator was founded by a management team with extensive drug development and commercialization experience across the biopharmaceutical industry, venture capital, consulting, non-profit organizations and research foundations.

“Cydan is taking a new approach to drug development – one that takes advantage of recent scientific breakthroughs in rare diseases and is externally focused, highly collaborative and capital efficient,” said Cristina Csimma, Pharm.D., Chief Executive Officer of Cydan. “We are partnering with leading academic centers, patient foundations and biopharmaceutical companies to identify the most promising rare disease programs and conduct de-risking studies to accelerate development decisions. The most viable programs will be spun out of the Cydan accelerator as new startup companies focused on making an impact on the lives of patients with rare diseases.”

Cydan will assess opportunities across all therapeutic areas in rare diseases, with a focus on diseases and disorders with a characterized genetic etiology. The accelerator will conduct outsourced pharmacology, toxicology and other studies aimed at de-risking these programs and providing data to inform definitive “go” or “no go” development decisions. Additionally, Cydan will evaluate a wide range of drug platforms and technologies.

“The founding team at Cydan is exceptionally well positioned to build this new business model for orphan drug development, bringing a depth of expertise, a vast network of key relationships, and a true passion for developing treatments for rare diseases,” said David Mott, a General Partner at NEA. “We look forward to partnering with Cristina and her leadership team as they leverage a capital-efficient approach to identifying and de-risking multiple assets. We ultimately expect the accelerator to spin out several exciting rare disease companies, and, most importantly, to lead to therapeutics that make a difference in the lives of patients.”

“The Cydan accelerator model is a collaborative new way to explore therapeutic opportunities in the large and diverse rare disease space,” said Barbara J. Dalton, Ph.D., Vice President of Venture Capital at Pfizer Venture Investments. “This venture investment is aligned with and builds on our broad corporate strategic interest in the rare and orphan disease space. Pfizer Ventures is excited to facilitate this new business model in the important field of rare diseases.”

Cydan’s experienced and globally networked team brings deep expertise in drug development and a track record of product commercialization, as well as strong relationships with academia and patient advocacy groups. Dr. Csimma has held development leadership positions at Virdante Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth Research and Genetics Institute, was a Principal at Clarus Ventures and has worked with rare disease non-profit organizations. Joining her on Cydan’s founding management team are Chris Adams, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer, and former Chief Business Officer of FoldRx (acquired by Pfizer in 2010) and a former senior business development executive at ViaCell and TKT; James McArthur, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, and a former senior R&D executive at Synovex, Phylogix and Cell Genesys; and Deborah Geraghty, Ph.D., Vice President, Project and Portfolio Development, and a former senior portfolio management executive at Aileron Therapeutics and Infinity Pharmaceuticals as well as a founder of consulting firm Back Bay Strategies (Back Bay Life Science Advisors).

About Orphan and Rare Diseases

A rare and orphan disease is one that affects fewer than 200,000 patients – or about 1 in 1,500 – in the U.S. Other countries have defined rare diseases as those affecting similar portions of their populations. Today, there are nearly 7,000 recognized rare diseases affecting nearly 30 million Americans and an estimated 350 million people worldwide. Most of these rare diseases are genetic and many appear early in life – 75 percent of rare diseases affect children and 30 percent of rare disease patients will not live to the age of five. The vast majority of rare and orphan diseases have no approved treatment options and there is a critical need for new potential therapies. However, recent advances in the molecular understanding of rare diseases have created an opportunity to dramatically advance breakthrough research and develop new treatments. (Sources: U.S. Food & Drug Administration, NORD, EURORDIS and SIOP Europe)

About NEA

New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA) is a leading venture capital firm focused on helping entrepreneurs build transformational businesses across multiple stages, sectors and geographies. With more than $13 billion in committed capital, NEA invests in information technology, healthcare and energy technology companies at all stages in a company’s lifecycle, from seed stage through IPO. The firm’s long track record includes more than 175 portfolio company IPOs and more than 290 acquisitions. In the U.S., NEA has offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area; Menlo Park, California; and New York City. In addition, New Enterprise Associates (India) Pvt. Ltd. has offices in Bangalore and Mumbai, India and New Enterprise Associates (Beijing), Ltd. has offices in Beijing and Shanghai, China. For additional information, visit www.nea.com.

About Pfizer Venture Investments

Pfizer Venture Investments (PVI), the venture capital arm of Pfizer, Inc., was founded in 2004 and invests for return in areas of current or future strategic interest to Pfizer. As part of Worldwide Business Development, PVI seeks to remain at the forefront of life science advances, looking to identify and invest in emerging companies that are developing compounds and technologies that have the potential to enhance Pfizer’s pipeline and shape the future of our industry.

About Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), is the largest and leading investment-grade real estate investment trust (REIT) focused principally on owning, operating, and developing high-quality, sustainable real estate for the broad and diverse life science industry. Founded in 1994, Alexandria was the first REIT to identify and pursue the laboratory niche and has since had the first-mover advantage in best-in-class life science cluster locations. In 1996, Alexandria founded Alexandria Venture Investments, its strategic venture capital arm that actively invests at the cutting edge of novel, breakthrough discoveries in biopharmaceuticals, technology platforms, clinical candidates, diagnostics, research tools, and medical devices. Alexandria is uniquely positioned to fund life science and advanced technology companies based on its experience and in-depth understanding of the life science industry, its long-term relationships with leading investors, and its world-class international scientific advisory network. For more information, please visit www.are.com.

About Cydan, LLC
Cydan is an orphan drug accelerator that identifies and de-risks assets with therapeutic and commercial potential. The accelerator’s model evaluates programs for treating rare diseases with high unmet medical need and is aimed at creating new companies to develop those therapies. Cydan was launched in 2013 by a management team with extensive drug development and commercialization experience and with financing from leading investors NEA, Pfizer Venture Investments and Alexandria Real Estate Equities. The accelerator is based in Cambridge, Mass.

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Huron Capital Partners portfolio company Ronnoco Coffee has acquired International Blends, a distributor of coffee and other related products to convenience stores, restaurants, and offices. Terms were not disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE
Huron Capital Partners LLC (“Huron”) announced today that its portfolio company, Ronnoco Coffee, LLC (“Ronnoco”), has acquired International Blends. International Blends is a distributor of coffee and other related products to convenience stores, restaurants, and offices. The transaction brings Ronnoco and International Blends together and expands Ronnoco’s service area in its core markets.

Scott Meader, CEO of Ronnoco, noted, “We are very excited to partner with International Blends and have the opportunity to serve their customer base. International Blends is a well-known name in its geography and we believe it fits well into the strategic acquisition plan that we are currently pursuing in partnership with Huron Capital.”

Huron originally invested in Ronnoco in July 2012, and was attracted to the company’s outstanding reputation in the industry, high quality product offering, and differentiated service model. “When we partnered with Ronnoco, our plan was to continue growing the business through geographic expansion, new product offerings and strategic acquisitions. The International Blends acquisition is a great first step and we look forward to pursuing additional acquisition opportunities with the Ronnoco management team,” said Huron Senior Partner John Higgins.

About Huron Capital Partners LLC

Huron Capital is an operationally-focused private equity firm with a long history of growing lower middle-market companies through customized buy-and-build investments. Huron seeks opportunities where it can help companies reach their full potential by combining its operational approach, capital, and transaction experience with proven operating executives. Founded in 1999, Huron has raised over $1.1 billion in capital through a series of committed equity funds and its portfolio companies have employed over 7,500 people throughout North America. With offices in Detroit and Toronto, Huron sponsors family succession transactions, market-entry strategies, corporate carve-outs, management buyouts, and recapitalizations of companies having revenues up to $200 million. Huron has broad investment discretion and has invested in a variety of geographies and industry sectors.

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Persante Health Care, a portfolio company of Harren Equity Partners, recently wrapped up a refinancing, with Abacus Finance Group acting as Administrative Agent and Sole Lead Arranger for senior secured credit facilities. Based in Mt. Laurel, NJ, Persante is a provider of outsourced sleep disorder diagnostic services and therapeutic solutions.

PRESS RELEASE
Abacus Finance Group, LLC (Abacus), a New York-based specialty finance company, announced today that, it served as Administrative Agent and Sole Lead Arranger, for senior secured credit facilities to support the refinancing of Persante Health Care, Inc. (Persante), a portfolio company of Harren Equity Partners, LLC (Harren). Abacus focuses exclusively on providing senior cash-flow financing for private equity-sponsored, lower-middle market companies.

Based in Mt. Laurel, NJ, Persante is a leading provider of outsourced sleep disorder diagnostic services and therapeutic solutions to hospitals and physicians in the Northeast region. With more than $250 million under management, Harren is a Charlottesville, VA-based private investment firm focused on lower-middle market companies.

“We have known the Abacus team for a number of years,” said Harren Managing Partner Thomas A. Carver, “but this was our first transaction with them, and it was highly successful from our point of view. They proved to be flexible in their approach, and most importantly, they were able to provide certainty of close at a relatively early stage in the negotiations.”

“Harren’s lower-middle market focus and their investment criteria are a perfect match for us,” said Tim Clifford, President and CEO of Abacus. “Tom Carver, Garrick Brown and the entire Harren team are knowledgeable investment professionals and great to work with. As in other recent transactions, factors critical to success included our healthcare expertise, our strong working relationships with company management, and, as Tom mentioned, providing certainty of close early in the process – important aspects of what we call our Total Partnership ApproachTM.”

Other Abacus team members involved in the transaction included Robby Abraham. Bingham McCutchen LLP acted as legal counsel to Abacus.

About Persante Health Care, Inc.
Persante Health Care, a privately held company based in Mt. Laurel, NJ, is a leading provider of sleep disorder diagnostic services and therapeutic solutions. Persante is the largest provider of outsourced sleep diagnostic services and the largest provider of outsourced balance/vestibular testing to hospitals in the Northeast region. Persante currently manages over 80 sleep and balance diagnostic centers on behalf of more than 35 hospital partners in six states. Furthermore, Persante provides therapeutic solutions for sleep and respiratory disorders with an emphasis on convenience, continuity of care and high-quality patient outcomes. Visit persante.com for more information.

About Harren Equity Partners, LLC
Based in Charlottesville, VA, Harren Equity Partners is a private investment firm dedicated to the growth and development of industry-leading companies through the creation of strong partnerships with outstanding management teams. Harren’s unique approach focuses on operational excellence and insightful strategic analysis, rather than financial engineering. The principals of Harren have significant operating experience and work closely with portfolio company management teams to continue to grow companies and improve profitability. Harren focuses on investment opportunities in the lower-middle market, defined as companies with $20 million to $200 million of annual revenue across a broad range of industries. Visit harrenequity.com for more information.

About Abacus Finance Group, LLC
Abacus Finance, headquartered in New York, is a lower-middle market specialty finance company, focused on providing senior cash flow financing to private equity-sponsored companies nationwide. Formed in June 2011, Abacus targets debt financing opportunities of up to $50 million with a typical hold size ranging from $10 million to $25 million, and the companies it finances generally have EBITDA between $3 million and $15 million. Abacus is an affiliate of New York Private Bank & Trust, the holding company for Emigrant Bank, which was founded in 1850 and is the largest family-owned bank in America.

Abacus is headquartered at 6 East 43rd Street, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10017. All inquiries and new investment opportunities should be directed to Tim Clifford at 212-850-4620 or to [email protected]. Visit abacusfinance.com for more information.

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Houston-based oil and gas company Renaissance Offshore said that is has acquired certain assets from Black Elk Energy. Terms were not disclosed. Renaissance Offshore was founded in December of 2011, in partnership with buyout shop Quantum Energy Partners.

PRESS RELEASE
Renaissance Offshore LLC, a privately held Houston-based oil and gas company, announced today that it has completed its acquisition of select Black Elk Energy assets, effective January 1, 2013. The acquisition consists of three operated fields at Eugene Island 331, Ship Shoal 219 and South Timbalier 314/317 with net production of approximately 950 boepd (90% oil).

This is the third acquisition Renaissance has made since its inception in December of 2011, building production to approximately 2,750 barrels of oil per day equivalent (75% oil). Renaissance has committed to two drilling rigs and plans to begin drilling in the second quarter of 2013, while continuing with workover programs and optimization work on the initial acquisitions.

“We are excited about this transaction and the breadth it brings to our portfolio,” said Jeff Soine, Chief Executive Officer at Renaissance. “Keeping with our business philosophy of exploiting mature oil fields, this acquisition allows us to add three mature properties to our asset base that have had historical production of over 100 million barrels of oil and half a trillion cubic feet of gas. When combined with the talented team of professionals we have put together and our strong relationship with our partner Quantum Energy Partners, we believe the addition of these mature oil fields will leave us well positioned for the future and continued growth.”

About Renaissance Offshore

Renaissance Offshore was founded in December of 2011, in partnership with Quantum Energy Partners, to acquire and redevelop legacy oil properties on the Gulf of Mexico shelf. Renaissance Offshore focuses on selective acquisitions of mature, oil-weighted properties and the redevelopment of those assets to unlock hidden value by deploying technology, capital and the collective experience of our seasoned management team. For more information on Renaissance, please visit www.renaissanceoffshore.com.

About Quantum Energy Partners

Founded in 1998, Quantum Energy Partners is a leading provider of private equity capital to the global energy industry, having managed together with its affiliates, more than $6.5 billion in equity commitments since inception.

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Worthington Industries Inc. said that its pressure cylinders segment has acquired Palmer Mfg. & Tank Inc. Palmer is located in Garden City, Kansas. Terms were not released.

PRESS RELEASE
Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WOR) announced today that its Pressure Cylinders segment has acquired Palmer Mfg. & Tank, Inc. business, a manufacturer of steel and fiberglass tanks and processing equipment for the oil and gas industry, and custom manufactured fiberglass tanks for agricultural, chemical and general industrial applications. Palmer is located in Garden City, Kan., and employs approximately 200 people.

“We are very excited to add the capabilities of Palmer to further the growth in Pressure Cylinders,” said Andrew Billman, president of the business segment. “The Palmer business strengthens our energy position and fits our strategy to geographically expand in the oil and gas industry. When combined with our alternative fuel cylinder business and our entry into the cryogenics arena, we are broadening our energy product offerings.” Billman added, “This strategy allows us to participate in the expanding North American oil and gas markets, as well as global growth in alternatives for gas and diesel to power vehicles, which include compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), autogas (propane) and hydrogen.”

Palmer manufactures both steel and fiberglass tanks in a comprehensive range of sizes and is strategically located to serve the Bakken formation in North Dakota, the Uinta and Denver-Julesburg basins, along with several of the shale formations in northern Texas. Palmer was founded in 1971 and has 184,000 square feet of manufacturing space at the Garden City headquarters. The privately owned company generated sales of $70 million in its fiscal year ended June 30, 2012.

“Worthington continues to pursue new markets that are accelerating our growth,” said John McConnell, Chairman and CEO. “The acquisition of the Palmer business, together with our recent acquisition of Westerman, gives us a strong footprint in the oil and gas industry. This high-value added manufacturing business complements our existing capabilities and should generate strong commercial synergies.”

About Worthington Industries

Worthington Industries is a leading diversified metals manufacturing company with 2012 fiscal year sales of $2.5 billion. The Columbus, Ohio based company is North America’s premier value-added steel processor and a leader in manufactured pressure cylinders; custom-engineered open and enclosed cabs and operator stations for heavy mobile equipment; framing systems for mid-rise buildings; steel pallets and racks; and through joint ventures, suspension grid systems for concealed and lay-in panel ceilings, current and past model automotive service stampings; laser welded blanks, and light gauge steel framing for commercial and residential construction. Worthington Industries employs approximately 10,000 people and operates 83 facilities in 11 countries.

Worthington’s Pressure Cylinders business segment is the world’s leading global manufacturer of pressure cylinders, delivering products and value-added services to its customers designed to exceed their expectations in quality, service and value. The company offers the most complete line of pressure cylinders in the industry, including storage of liquefied petroleum, compressed natural gas, refrigerant, oxygen and industrial gases. BernzOmatic ®, Balloon Time® and Worthington™ products are available at retailers nationwide and provide products to consumers for grilling, party planning, outdoor leisure activities and home repair.

Safe Harbor Statement
The Company wishes to take advantage of the Safe Harbor provisions included in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”). Statements by the Company relating to the expected benefits of the acquisition including the expectations for accretiveness, synergies and growth; expected growth of the pressure cylinder business; increases to product lines and participation in markets; opportunities to participate in certain markets; and other non-historical matters constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Act. Because they are based on beliefs, estimates and assumptions, forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Any number of factors could affect actual results, including, without limitation, the possibility that the costs or difficulties related to the integration of the business acquired are greater than expected; the ability to maintain relationships with customers of the acquired business; the outcome of negotiations surrounding the United States debt and budget, which may be adverse due to its impact on tax increases, governmental spending, and customer confidence and spending; the effect of conditions in national and worldwide financial markets; product demand and pricing; changes in product mix, product substitution and market acceptance of the Company’s products; fluctuations in the pricing, quality or availability of raw materials, supplies, utilities and other items required by operations; the ability to realize price increases, cost savings and operational efficiencies on a timely basis; capacity levels and efficiencies within facilities, within major product markets and within the industry as a whole; financial difficulties of customers, suppliers, joint venture partners and others with whom the Company does business; the effect of national, regional and worldwide economic conditions generally and within major product markets, including a prolonged or substantial economic downturn; the effect of disruption in the business of suppliers, customers, facilities and shipping operations due to adverse weather, casualty events, equipment breakdowns, acts of war or terrorist activities or other causes; changes in customer demand, inventories, spending patterns and supplier choices; the ability to improve processes and business practices to keep pace with the economic, competitive and technological environment; deviation of actual results from estimates and/or assumptions used by the Company; the level of import and import prices in the Company’s markets; the impact of governmental regulations, both in the United States and abroad; and other risks described from time to time in filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

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NXT Capital announced that Stuart Smartt has joined the company as Managing Director, Head of Healthcare, for the Corporate Finance Group. Smartt joins NXT Capital from CIT, where he was a Director in the company’s Healthcare group.

PRESS RELEASE
NXT Capital (www.nxtcapital.com) today announced that Stuart Smartt has joined the company as Managing Director, Head of Healthcare, for the Corporate Finance Group. Smartt’s responsibilities include originating and leading senior secured credit facilities for private equity sponsors and middle market companies across all sectors of the healthcare industry.

Smartt joins NXT Capital from CIT, where he was a Director in the company’s Healthcare group. His experience also includes serving as a Vice President in GE Capital’s Healthcare Financial Services group.

“We’re excited to have a professional of Stuart’s caliber join NXT Capital and lead our healthcare group,” said John Finnerty, Group Head, Corporate Finance. “Stuart’s expertise is a valuable addition to NXT’s proven ability to serve middle-market healthcare sponsors and companies.”

Under Smartt’s leadership, NXT will continue to provide a full range of financing products to healthcare companies, including senior, stretch senior, unitranche and second lien term loans to facilitate leveraged buyouts, refinancings, recapitalizations and add-on acquisitions for middle market companies with $5 million to $75 million of EBITDA.

“NXT is a dynamic company with a well-deserved reputation for superior, client-focused execution,” said Smartt. “I look forward to further expanding NXT’s footprint in the healthcare sector and building strategic relationships with best-in-class healthcare sponsors and management teams.”

NXT Capital provides structured financing solutions to middle-market and emerging growth companies, as well as real estate investors, through its Corporate Finance, Equipment Finance, Real Estate and Venture Finance groups. Based in Chicago, NXT Capital has offices in New York, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Phoenix, Newport Beach, San Francisco and Silicon Valley. See www.nxtcapital.com for more information.

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Plain Vanilla Corp., developer of the social trivia platform QuizUp, has raised $2.4 Million in Series A funding led by Greycroft Partners, Tencent, IDG ventures and BOLDStart Ventures.

PRESS RELEASE
Plain Vanilla Corp, the developer of QuizUp, announced today that it raised $2.4 Million in Series A funding led by Greycroft Partners, Tencent, IDG ventures and BOLDStart Ventures This Series A round follows a $1.2 Million Seed round in the summer of 2012, which totals $3.6 Million raised by Plain Vanilla within the last 12 months. A number of strategic angels and funds also participated in the oversubscribed round including CrunchFund, Mesa Global, David Helgason, CEO of Unity3D and Brandon J. Beck, CEO of Riot Games.

“Plain Vanilla has already shown great traction with their unique QuizUp technology in games such as Twilight Saga QuizUp and Math QuizUp”

Funds will be used to accelerate the development of QuizUp, a revolutionary Social Trivia Platform for mobile devices, as well as enabling Plain Vanilla to expand content acquisition and presence in new markets such as Asia.

“Plain Vanilla has already shown great traction with their unique QuizUp technology in games such as Twilight Saga QuizUp and Math QuizUp,” said Alan Patricof, managing director at Greycroft Partners. “We are extremely excited about Plain Vanilla’s vision to leverage their technology to create a completely new approach to the social gaming space.”

“We are thrilled to be re-investing in Plain Vanilla as the company has exceeded every milestone it set out to achieve in its seed round,” said Ed Sim, Managing Partner at BOLDstart Ventures. “Real-time social trivia is a huge market opportunity with no clear winner, and we believe that Plain Vanilla is well positioned to not only be the dominant player but also has the potential to create a new social platform based on interests and mobile gaming.”

Founded by Oxford MBA Thor Fridriksson, Plain Vanilla has acquired approximately one million registered users on their real time trivia games for iOS and Android devices in the last quarter alone. The QuizUp technology allows users to compete head-to-head in real time between different mobile devices.

“After launching our initial batch of QuizUp games we saw amazing engagement amongst our users and realized that we could use our technology to build a new kind of Social experience,” said Thor Fridriksson, CEO and founder of Plain Vanilla. “In the QuizUp platform, users will be able to discover and communicate with people around the world based on their interests, a unique and low friction way to establish connections between individuals from different cultures while also enabling the maintenance and deepening of existing relationships with friends.

In conjunction with this financing, Ellie Wheeler from Greycroft Partners and David Helgason of Unity3D will join Plain Vanilla’s Board of Directors.

About Plain Vanilla

Plain Vanilla was founded with the plan to develop beautifully designed, user-centered and addictively entertaining games. Based in San Francisco and Reykjavik, Iceland the Plain Vanilla team includes amazing illustrators, motion artists, musicians, graphic designers and programmers who are passionate about creating amazing games. Plain Vanilla is developing QuizUp, the first multiplatform and real-time social trivia engine.

About Greycroft Partners

Greycroft Partners is a leading early stage venture capital firm focused on investments in digital media. With offices in the two media capitals of the world – New York and Los Angeles – Greycroft is uniquely positioned to serve entrepreneurs who have chosen us as their partners. Greycroft leverages an extensive network of media and technology industry connections to help entrepreneurs gain visibility, build strategic relationships, successfully bring their products to market, and build successful businesses. Greycroft manages $400MM and has made over 75 investments in leading companies including Babble, Buddy Media, Collective, Huffington Post, Klout, M5 Networks, Maker Studios, Paid Content, Pulse, and Trunk Club.

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Donuts Inc., a registry for new generic top-level domain names, has sealed Series B financing led by existing investor Generation Partners. Columbia Partners Private Capital also participated. Specific terms of the deals were not disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE
Donuts Inc., a registry for new generic top-level domain names (gTLDs) said today it has secured additional funding as new gTLDs approach.

The financing includes a Series B equity investment led by existing investor Generation Partners, at twice the valuation of the initial Series A round, as well as additional financing from Columbia Partners Private Capital, the latter complementing the company’s existing senior line from Comerica Bank. Specific terms of the deals were not disclosed.

The added funding follows last June’s announcement that Donuts had secured initial funding of more than $100 million from multi-billion dollar venture capital and private equity funds and a top-tier bank.

Donuts CEO and co-founder Paul Stahura said the additional capital is targeted toward securing new gTLDs in the coming months, when applicants are slated to resolve “contention sets,” an industry term for multiple applications for the same gTLD.

“We intended from the beginning to secure the gTLDs for which we applied,” Stahura said. “We enjoy tremendous support from our stockholders and lenders. This was an oversubscribed round that nearly doubles our capacity to compete. Our investors believe as strongly as we do that new gTLDs will bring relevance and specificity to registrants who have few usable choices today for Internet identities. This additional capital supports that belief, and we intend to deploy it to bring new gTLDs to market.”

“Capital is a critical element of the approaching phase of the new gTLD program,” said Generation Partners Managing Partner John Hawkins. “Donuts applied for more than three times the number of gTLDs as the next largest applicant, and the company’s investors intend for Donuts to have what it needs, or even more than it needs, to continue its leadership position.”

Stahura confirmed that Donuts has further access to additional capital should the need arise.

About Donuts Inc.
Donuts is a domain name registry that is widening competition and choice in Internet identities through hundreds of new top-level domain name choices, securely operated in multiple languages and character sets. Donuts is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., with offices in Southern California and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.donuts.co.

About Generation Partners
Generation Partners is a private equity firm with over $350 million of capital under management with offices in Greenwich, CT, Los Angeles, CA, and Austin, TX. Generation provides equity capital to growth companies and pursues both majority and minority investments. Generation specializes in recurring revenue service businesses concentrated in three industry groups: Business & Information Services, Healthcare Services & Software and Media & Communications. Over the past 25 years, the firm’s principals have invested in more than 50 companies. For more information on Generation Partners, please visit www.generation.com.

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Middle-market private equity firm Ridgemont Equity Partners has put an undisclosed amount into Simpleview Inc., a provider of software and digital marketing services to “Destination Marketing Organizations.” Simpleview is based in Tucson, Ariz. Terms were not released.

PRESS RELEASE
Ridgemont Equity Partners, a middle market buyout and growth equity investor, today announced the closing of an equity investment in Simpleview, Inc., the leading provider of software and digital marketing services to Destination Marketing Organizations (“DMOs”). The existing management team, led by CEO Ryan George and President Rich Reasons, will continue to run the business and has invested alongside Ridgemont in the transaction. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, Simpleview provides a cloud-based comprehensive technology platform which connects DMOs around the world to travelers, meeting planners, and local businesses. The company’s services include Customer Relationship Management software, Content Management Systems, interactive marketing services and a vertical ad network. DMOs implement Simpleview’s products to attract travelers to their area and drive economic impact through a streamlined sales and marketing process.

“Simpleview is the clear leader in software and services for the DMO market,” said Kurt Leedy, a Vice President at Ridgemont. “Our team has been highly impressed with the platform Simpleview has created and we share the Company’s vision for its next stage of growth. We look forward to working with the Simpleview management team and its talented group of innovators.”

“Our partnership with Ridgemont enables Simpleview to grow by scaling our already robust service offering and expanding our customer reach, both nationally and globally,” said Ryan George, CEO of Simpleview. “We are very excited to join forces with this experienced investment team and anticipate an even brighter future for our company, the destinations that we serve, and the tourism industry overall.”

“Ridgemont’s investment in Simpleview is a natural addition to our fund,” said George Morgan, a Partner at Ridgemont. “Our team has been actively seeking opportunities to invest in vertically-focused software-as-a-service businesses, and the reputation that Simpleview has built as a forward-thinking market leader, coupled with our financial and operational discipline, will be essential elements in the execution of the company’s promising growth plans.”

ArchPoint Partners served as exclusive financial advisor to Simpleview and Silicon Valley Bank provided financing for the transaction.

About Simpleview
Simpleview offers integrated products and services for destination marketing organizations (DMOs), including the industry’s most advanced customer relationship management (CRM) platform and content management system (CMS), forecasting and reporting tools, websites, mobile sites, search engine optimization and interactive marketing services. Simpleview works with more than 200 U.S. and international DMOs. Learn more at www.simpleviewinc.com.

About Ridgemont Equity Partners
Ridgemont Equity Partners is a Charlotte-based private equity firm that specializes in middle market buyout and growth equity investments. Since 1993, the principals of Ridgemont have invested over $3 billion in more than 110 companies. The firm focuses on investments of $25 million to $75 million in industries in which it has deep expertise, including basic industries and services, energy, healthcare, and telecommunications/media/technology.

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Square 1 Bank has provided a $3 million term loan to SteadyMed Therapeutics Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company developing a pre-filled, large volume subcutaneous delivery system. The money will be used for working capital. SteadyMed is backed by KB Partners and Samson Ventures.

PRESS RELEASE
Square 1 Bank, the premier banking partner to entrepreneurs and the venture capital community, today announced that it has provided a $3 million term loan to new client, SteadyMed Therapeutics, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company developing a pre-filled, large volume subcutaneous delivery system called PatchPump(R) in combination with its drug product to treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). Proceeds will be used to provide working capital to SteadyMed while it continues to develop its proprietary PatchPump technology and complete clinical trials for FDA Approval.

Backed by KB Partners and Samson Ventures, SteadyMed operates internationally with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Rehovot, Israel. SteadyMed’s sleek user-friendly PatchPump device will enable increased control over the delivery of liquid drugs via a programmable electronic system. SteadyMed also has several ongoing collaborations with Biopharmaceutical companies who are evaluating its PatchPump as the delivery platform for their large volume biologics pipeline.

President and CEO Jonathan Rigby said, “We are pleased that Square 1 assessed our multinational presence and saw how we are structured for success in our drug product development and licensing activities. They fashioned a great solution that met everyone’s needs.”

“SteadyMed has been a pleasure to work with,” said Ben Colombo, SVP of Life Sciences in Square 1 Bank’s Silicon Valley office. “When I looked at the teams’ formidable industry backgrounds, the company’s strong investor syndicate, as well as its innovative drug delivery technologies, I was excited for Square 1 to partner with them and assist in their growth.”

About Square 1 Bank
Square 1 Bank is a full service commercial bank dedicated exclusively to serving the financial needs of the venture capital community and entrepreneurs in all stages of growth and expansion. Square 1′s expertise, focus and strong capital base provide flexible resources and unmatched support to meet our clients’ needs. The bank offers tailored products and solutions aided by the latest in technological innovations. Square 1 has offices coast to coast in Austin, Boston, Denver, Durham, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Seattle, Silicon Valley and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.square1bank.com.

About SteadyMed, Inc.
SteadyMed Therapeutics, Inc., is a private, venture funded drug delivery therapeutics company currently focused on the commercialization of its PatchPump(R) technology; a prefilled, size-efficient and disposable subcutaneous drug delivery system. The company’s range of PatchPumps can be customized to deliver liquid drugs with a wide range of volumes and viscosities, in a consistent and controllable manner. In order to represent the highest value to risk ratios, the company is leveraging the sustainable cost and technological competitive advantages of its PatchPump platform to market a family of products that benefits patients with certain chronic conditions.

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