VENTURE CAPITAL POST

US-based online auction giant eBay has not embraced the trading of virtual currencies such as bitcoin and dogecoin in its sales site along with an update to its Currency Policy.

New York, US-based luxury jewelry seller Xcel Brands Inc added jewelry retailer Judith Ripka in a deal valued at $22.5 million in combined cash, interest-free promissory notes and common stock.

Illinois, US-based testing and consulting firm Professional Service Industries Inc added Midwest Engineering Services Inc for an undisclosed amount to become the biggest testing firm in Wisconsin.

Atlanta, US-based telephone and data networking firm Digitel Corp bought Cumming, Georgia-based managed IT services provider JTECH Networks for an undisclosed sum to expand its portfolio of services.

Columbus, US-based software firm Bjond raised $3.25 million in its Series A funding round led by Draper Triangle Ventures to accelerate its workflow automation software BjondHealth.

San Francisco, US-based photo sharing service Imgur closed $40 million in its Series A funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz and Reddit to facilitate its workforce and marketing expansion.

Ontario, Canada-based non-profit research organiztion Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) invested C$1.5 million to increase the annual capacity of renewable liquid fuels producer Ensyn Technologies from 3 million liters to 13 million liters.

San Francisco, California-based online grocery ePantry launched publicly to provide regular and automated delivery of more affordable green and sustainable products to the homes of consumers.

Nashville, US-based Windy Hill Spirits Inc, the maker of American Born Moonshine, pocketed $6.1 million in new equity from undisclosed investors to continue producing high quality moonshine for its customers.

Lexington, US-based healthcare IT service provider Imprivata filed for an initial public offering (IPO) to raise $115 million on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Santa Clara, US-based startup Crossbar bagged $25 million in its Series C funding round to expand the memory of a postage stamp-sized chip to one terabyte and make it 20 times faster that the best flash storage at present.

Palo Alto, US-based stealthy startup Citizen.VC raised $4 million in funding out of a reported $12-million round, based on a document filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Santa Monica, US-based 3D print online marketplace SyncFab launched a $25,000 crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to streamline specialty manufacturing in the US using the 3D printing technology.

San Francisco, US-based venture capital firm Rise Capital is set to raise $146 million to back startups in Africa, South America, and other emerging markets.

San Jose, US-based solar-panel robotics startup Brittmore Group bagged $1 million in a recent grant from the Department of Energy to automate the construction of solar power plants.