VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Private equity investments in sub-Saharan Africa totaled $1.6 billion in 2013, an increase of 43% from the year before. Sectors in the region which received most investments were energy and natural resources and banking and financial services.

Teqcycle Solutions, a Munich-based firm that provides mobile devices trade-in and reuse solutions, has bagged an undisclosed investment from T-Venture Holding, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom.

Munchery, a San Francisco-based startup that provides gourmet meals on demand, is gearing up to raise $20 million in a new financing round, according to sources interviewed by TechCrunch.

Investors which include Phenomen Ventures have given additional financing to the tune of $20 million to Rocket Internet-incubated foodpanda and its affiliate hellofood, TechCrunch reported.

ThisClicks, a mobile technology firm that has developed an employee scheduling software, has secured venture capital funding of $4 million from Arthur Ventures, Greycroft and e.ventures, StarTribune reported.

Private equity investment manager Militello Capital has made an undisclosed investment in enterprise resource planning for eCommerce Management Software SalesWarp that holds headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland.

Bootstrapping first and waiting before finally agreeing to financing from venture capital was beneficial for Qualtrics, an enterprise survey provider, according to its CEO Ryan Smith in an interview with Entrepreneur.

Wayfair, an online home-furnishings site, saw its company valuation hiked past the billion - dollar mark when it recently raised $150 million in a T. Rowe Price - led fundraising round, said a source who told Reuters.

Nanomix Inc, a California-based nanotechnology firm that develops next generation point-of-care diagnostic tests, received $12 million in private funding from "a strategic corporate partner and existing investors."

Bow & Drape, the fashion startup that allows women to customize their clothes, was able to secure $1.2 million funding from various investors to grow and expand the brand.

London-based Zopa, the largest peer-to-peer lending company in Europe, raised $25 million in funding from Arrowgrass Capital Partners. Proceeds will be used to continue the lending firm's growth.

Blue Bottle Coffee was able to raise a $25.7 million investment in a financing round led by Morgan Stanley Investment Management, a source told TechCrunch.

US-based private equity firm The Carlyle Group invested an undisclosed sum in Ireland-based chocolate maker Lily O'Brien's for the expansion of the latter's global consumer reach.

Crowdfunding platform Indiegogo raised another $40 million in fresh capital from US private equity firms, which include Institutional Venture Partners and KPCB, CBC News said in its report.

AMCS Group secured an equity investment of €23.5 million in a round led by Highland Capital Partners Europe. AMCS Group is a company that gives software and solutions to firms in the recycling and waste management industry.