Daily funding roundup - September 11, 2015

EverStream Solutions received $50M; Unified secured $30M; Abra raised $10M

• European data science-as-a-service provider Big Data For Humans has secured a $1.2 million seed funding round led by EC1 Capital with further investment from Firestartr, Scottish Investment Bank and a group of four Angel investors. The business provides the world’s first data-science-as-a-service solution to help the retail and travel sector exploit big data to understand who their customers are and what they want and identifies how to sell more to them every day. 
  
  
• Tokyo-based Moff, a Japanese startup developing sensor-embedded wearable smart-toy Moff Band, announced today that it has fundraised 160 million yen ($1.3 million) from Japanese gaming giant Bandai Namco Entertainment (TSE:3832), mobile gaming developer Orso, investment company TomyK, and other angel investors. Since its launch in October 2013, the company has fundraised 210 million yen. Moff will use the funds to strengthen its structure to focus on developing the gamification platform, users’ action- and activity-based analysis technologies using artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as business development with partnering companies.
   
• New Delhi-based B2B online marketplace for industrial material, Industrybuying.com, has raised $9 million (INR 60 Cr) in Series B round of funding.The round was led by Bangalore-based Kalaari Capital and its existing investor SAIF Partners. Besides, Beenext, which was recently launched by Teruhide Sato, also participated in the round. With the new fundraise, the company plans to establish more fulfilment centres for processing orders for its vendors.
  
  
• Aviatrix, a cloud networking startup, announced a Series A financing of $10 million, jointly led by investors Formation 8 and Ignition Partners. The company was originally seed funded by Monta Vista Capital. As part of the financing, Shirish Sathaye, General Partner of Formation 8 and Nick Sturiale, Managing Partner of Ignition Partners, will join the board.
  
  
• Hillel International has received a new $16 million grant over five years from the Jim Joseph Foundation, positioning the organization to provide significantly more and better educational experiences to Jewish students on college campuses. The Foundation’s grant – the largest it has ever awarded – comes as Hillel begins its Drive to Excellence, which will help campuses and communities around the world implement the best practices for supporting Jewish student life. Hillel is following an ambitious business plan, developed over the last year, which offers a detailed set of activities to help the organization achieve the goals outlined in the Drive to Excellence. 
  
  
• Abra, a startup developing a bitcoin powered remittance app, has raised just over $12 million in new funding. The Series A round drew support from a large number of investors including Arbor Ventures, RRE Ventures and First Round Capital. Combined with previous capital raised during a seed round, the startup has netted more than $14m in investment to date. The company plans to use the new funding to further develop the functionality of its remittance app as well as support efforts to expand the reach of its service.
  
  
• U.S.-Israeli automotive cyber security start-up Argus Cyber Security raised $26 million in a second round of funding aimed at rapidly expanding its development and customer teams as market demand rises. The round included funds by Magna International, Allianz SE, the SBI Group and existing investors Magma Venture Partners, Vertex Venture Capital and the co-founder of the RAD Group, Zohar Zisapel.
  
  
• Unified, an award-winning marketing and analytics technology company, announced a $30 million Series B financing led by iHeartMedia with participation by Advance Publications, Upfront Ventures, and Foundry Group. Funds from the financing will be used to accelerate the ongoing development of Unified's data platform and software applications, for sales expansion, and to enter new markets. In addition, Unified is increasing its credit facility provided by Silicon Valley Bank to $10 million. The proceeds of this financing will be invested primarily in the development of new software products that build on Unified's leadership. The company plans to introduce powerful new tools that will expand its ability to unify marketing data across all consumer touchpoints and marketing channels, connecting the ubiquity of social media with digital and offline channels. 
  
  
• Everstream Solutions LLC, a subsidiary of OneCommunity, received a $50 million investment from Boston-based M/C Partners and investors advised by the Private Equity Group of J.P. Morgan Asset Management. The transaction is scheduled to close October 15, 2015, with the investment providing capital for expansion and customer acquisition, as well as retiring existing debt. Presently, Everstream is part of OneCommunity, a Cleveland based nonprofit corporation focused on bringing fiber-based services to healthcare, government and education customers. Under the terms of the agreement, Everstream will acquire a majority of the fiber assets owned by OneCommunity and will be structured as a standalone organization. 
  
  

If you are interested in being included in our funding roundup, submit your press release or blog post about your financing round to mitos@vator.tv. 

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