alarm:clock euro

Latest Stories

August 28, 2008

Stockholm's NYX Raises €5M For Wagering Tech

We haven't seen much action in the wagering field for some time. But here's one from Scandinavia. NYX Interactive has raised €5M from Nordic Venture Partners. The firm makes software for all the fun stuff: bingo, lottery, keno, casino, poker and other betting games. NYC has done deals with the government-owned lottery company in Sweden.

Bingo!

View - site

Posted to Games (PC and other) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

August 27, 2008

Euro Venture Investing Declines

Venture capital firms in Europe invested in 167 young companies in the second quarter, 42% fewer than in the period last year. Venture dollars invested declined 35%, to $1.3B. The quarter was the worst since at least 2000, when VentureSource started tracking European data.

But yes there are optimists. Mark Tluszcz, co-founder of Mangrove Capital Partners, told the New York Times "The slowdown was a short-term phenomenon. “As I look for deals and talk to people, I have never seen a time in Europe when there are so many good, young companies being started,” he said. “I’m not overly worried.”

Read - Europeans Retreat on Venture Investing

Posted to Venture Capital | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Helskinki's Supponor Gets EUR6M For Sports Advertising Platform

Supponor out of Helsinki, Finland has raised EUR6M in Series A led by Northzone Ventures with return backer Conor Venture Partners.

The product is simple. You use video technology to digitally swap out a billboards at an athletic center for say Pepsi and replace it with one for Schwab. So just as you get variety on TV program so you get it at sports venues. The sales pitch here is to sport team owners, leagues, venues, etc. that they can increase ad revenue in live sports broadcasts with over 50% growth potential.

They plan to bring the product not only to the rest of Europe but also to The US. The company acknowledges that there are other comparable offerings out there - and we have seen some - but the startup says that it alone can fit new ads perfectly within the boundaries of a physical billboard.

The startup is led by CEO Juha Ruohonen who was a Partner at Conor Venture Partners and has had startup operational experience. BTW - he was educated at Turun kauppakorkeakoulu (Finnish is impossible for the non-Scandinavian).

subponor grab2.png