Top 10 Venture Capital Investments of 2012

Top 10 Venture Capital Investments of 2012

Date: May 16, 2013

The following data is based on reports from Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the National Venture Capital Association, and the Angel Investor & Venture Capital Network, Startups.co. The top 10 venture capital investments of 2012 incorporated data from the first three quarters. Fourth quarter data will be published in 2013.

The Top Ten begins with a tie for the tenth spot:

#10 Bloom Energy

Bloom Energy Inc. of Sunnyvale CA is an Industrial/Energy company that develops solid oxide fuel technology. They tied for third largest venture capital investment in the second quarter of 2012 with $100 Million USD. The investment was requested for Later Stage Development and provided by Apex Venture Partners and an Undisclosed Firm.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $100,000,000.

#10 Pinterest

Pinterest Inc. is a Media and Entertainment Company from Palo Alto, CA. Pinterest operates a vision board-styled social photo sharing site. Pinterest Inc. tied for third in the second quarter of 2012 with $100 Million from Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, FirstMark Capital, LLC, and an Undisclosed Firm. The money was slated for Early Stage Development.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $100,000,000.

#9 Fab.com

Fab.com, Inc. is a New York, NY Retailing/Distribution Company, and operates as a marketplace for discovering everyday design. The venture capital investment of $100,800,300 came from a variety of sources; Andreessen Horowitz, Atomico Ventures, Baroda Ventures LLC, DoCoMo Capital, First Round Capital, Mayfield Fund, Menlo Ventures, Pinnacle Ventures, ru-Net Ventures, and an Undisclosed Firm.  The venture capital was slated for Expansion.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $100,800,300.

#8 Elevance Renewable Sciences

Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. is a Biotechnology Company in Woodridge, IL focused on producing renewable specialty chemicals. Elevance Renewable Sciences received the third largest venture capital investment in the third quarter of 2012. The company garnered $104,360,000 USD for Later Stage Development from Total Energy Ventures International SAS, and an Undisclosed Firm.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $104,360,000.

#7 Harvest Power

Harvest Power Inc. is an Industrial/Energy company in Waltham, MA, providing organic waste management services. Harvest Power took the second largest venture capital investment in the second quarter of 2012 with $112,000,200 from a number of investors: Duff Ackerman & Goodrich LLC, Generation Investment Management LLP, Kleiner Perkins Caufield &Byers, True North Venture Partners, L.P., and two Undisclosed Firms. The venture capital investment was raised for Expansion.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $112,000,200.

#6 Drilling Info, Inc.

Drilling Info, Inc. is a software company based in Austin, TX; they provide online data and tools for the oil and gas industry. Drilling Info, Inc. ranked fourth in the first quarter with $116 Million from Battery Ventures, L.P., Eastern Advisers Private Fund, L.P., and Insight Venture Partners. The venture capital was requested for Later Stage Development.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $116,832,000.

#5 Box, Inc.

Box Inc. is a Software company based in Los Altos, CA. Box Inc. provides a secure content sharing platform. The company took the #2 spot in the third quarter  with over $125 Million from Bessemer Venture Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, General Atlantic LLC, New Enterprise Associates Inc., SAP Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, The Social + Capital Partnership and an Undisclosed Firm.  The venture capital was acquired for Expansion.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $125,000,200.

#4 Sapphire Energy

Sapphire Energy, Inc. is an Industrial/Energy company based in San Diego, CA. The company develops algae-based green crude oil. Sapphire Energy Inc. took the #2 spot in the first quarter with $200 million from ARCH Venture Partners, Monsanto Corporation, an Undisclosed Firm and Venrock Associates. The venture capital was slated for Early Stage Development.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $139,000,000.

#3 Square, Inc.

Square Inc. is an IT Services company based in San Francisco, CA, providing mobile payment services. Square Inc. took the #1 spot in the third quarter for $200 Million from Citi Ventures, Rizvi Traverse Management LLC, and an Undisclosed Firm. The venture capital was slated to fund expansion.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $200,000,000.

#2Square Trades

Square Trades Inc. a Consumer Products and Services company, providing extended warranty services for electronics. The company is based in San Francisco, CA and held the #1 spot for $238 Million from Bain Capital, Bain Capital Investments in the first quarter of 2012 for Later Stage Development.

Total Venture Capital Investment: $238,000,000.

#1 Fisker Automotive

Fisker Automotive, Inc. is an Industrial/ Energy company, designing and manufacturing electric vehicles. The company is based in Anaheim, CA. and was #1 on the quarter two report with $147,599,000and #3 in the first quarter with $129,790,000 from Kleiner Perkins Caufield &Byers, New Enterprise, Inc. Fisker Automotive, Inc. also took the #4 spot in the third quarter with $103,667,200 from Advanced Equities Inc., KPC&B, New Enterprise Inc., as well as an Undisclosed Firm.  The venture capital was slated for Later Stage Development.

Total Venture Capital Investment $381,056,200.

Companies receiving first time venture capital declined 8% in dollars this year, but the number of deals increased by 1%. First-time financings accounted for 16% of all dollars and 33% of all deals in the third quarter showing a 1% increase on both fronts over quarter 2. This is good news; the first quarter reports had declared an unusual drop in venture capital investments. The average first time deal in the third quarter of 2012 was 3.4 million, down slightly from quarter two averages. Seed and early stage companies received the bulk of first-time investments, an impressive 82% of the deals.

Leave a Reply