Tag Archives: KPCB iFund
Social Navigation Company Waze Raises $30 Million
Waze is a social navigation company that has raised $30 million in funding. Investors in this round include Horizons Ventures Hong Kong (Li Ka-shing’s private venture investments), Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and the iFund. Waze has raised a total of over $55 million thus far.
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Groupon Acquires Pelango, Makers Of Whrrl Mobile App
Pelango, the mobile application development company that created Whrrl, has been acquired by Groupon. Whrrl allows users to check in to locations and discover new places. Pelango founder Jeff Holden will become an executive of Groupon’s product development team as part of the acquisition. The terms of the deal were undisclosed.
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Kleiner Perkins Ups Apple Development Fund (iFund) To $200 Million
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner John Doerr hosted an event today at the Sandhill Hotel in Menlo Park, California to announce their involvement with the Apple iPad. Kleiner Perkins announced that the venture capital’s iFund will go from $100 million to $200 million.
Kleiner Perkins first introduced the iFund in March 2008 in order to encourage start-ups to make iPhone apps. Some of the companies that received funding from the iFund include Booyah, Shazam, Pinger, and ngmoco.
The companies that have funding in the iFund have seem about a total of 100 million downloads according to Doerr. Those companies themselves are expected to make about $100 million in revenues this year. [TechCrunch]
iPhone Application Company Booyah Raises $4.5 Million
Booyah is an iPhone application development startup company that is based in Palo Alto, Calif. The company was founded by Keith Lee, Brian Morrisroe and Sam Christiansen, who have all had some sort of gaming experience. Lee was one of the head developers for the Diablo III franchise. Booyah recently announced that they have raised $4.5 million in Series A funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers’s iFund initiative.
“We were immediately compelled by the promise of Booyah and the background of the founders,” stated Kleiner Perkins partner Matt Murphy in a press release. “The iFund was created to help build the most promising and innovative businesses that utilize the discrete capabilities of the iPhone and iPod touch. Booyah is a terrific example.”
Last month Kleiner Perkins invested in Ngmoco, another iPhone gaming company. Booyah has not announced when their product will be launching, but it is expected to revolve around MMO. Booyah currently has beta sign ups on their website.