Denver, Colorado-based startup BroadHop, a provider of policy control solutions to telecom service providers, has been acquired by strategic Cisco, the companies announced. BroadHop will become part of Cisco’s Open Network Environment. Specifics on the deal were not publicized.

RingCentral, a provider of cloud business phone systems, has added Neil Williams, chief financial officer of Intuit, to its board of directors. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, RingCentral is backed by Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures, Cisco, Scale Ventures, and DAG Ventures. PRESS RELEASE RingCentral, Inc., a leading provider of cloud business phone systems, today announced [...]

As you take a break with your coffee this morning, FirstRead reveals Cisco’s $5b offer for NDS, a PE mission for a South Korean missile maker and a contender for the new kids’ Facebook.

Cambridge based small cell innovator, ip.access has closed a new round of funding, raising some $15 million. The company’s existing investors Amadeus Capital Partners, Cisco, Intel Capital, Qualcomm, Rothschild & Cie Gestion, Scottish Equity Partners and TE Connectivity all participated in the funding and re-affirmed their commitment to the small cell market. PRESS RELEASE Cambridge [...]

Puppet Labs, a Portland, Ore.-based provider of IT automation software for system administrators, has raised $8.5 million in Series C financing. New investors Cisco, Google Ventures and VMware join existing investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, True Ventures and Radar Partners. With the $8.5 million investment, Puppet Labs has now raised a total of $15.75 million.

Redwood City, California-based iControl Networks has appointed Robert Hagerty as the company’s new CEO. Hagerty will replace co-CEOs Jim Johnson and Paul Dawes, both of whom will remain with iControl in leadership positions. Investors in iControl include Charles River Ventures, Cisco, Comcast Ventures, Intel Capital, the Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers iFund, Rogers Communications and Tyco International.

Video surveillance start-up VideoIQ has closed on $7.5 million in Series C financing. Atlas Venture, Cisco, Matrix Partners and Tenaya Capital provided the funds. The company, based in Bedford, Mass., raised at least $18 million across two previous rounds. The new funds will be used for growth and continued product development.

RingCentral, a maker of a cloud business phone systems platform and related services, has added $10 million in Series D financing, bringing it’s total raised to more than $55 million. Scale Venture Partners led the latest infusion, and was joined by Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures, Cisco, DAG Ventures, and Silicon Valley Bank. The money will be used for expansion efforts.

On the heels of a $10 million venture round this summer, Act-On Software, which is developing cloud-based integrated marketing platforms, has acquired the assets of marketing automation software maker Marketbright. Terms of the deal were not released. Beaverton, Oregon-based Act-On is backed by venture capital firms Trinity Ventures, U.S. Venture Partners and Voyager Capital, as well as by Cisco.

What companies are prime candidates for a takeover?

American Eagle, Akamai Technologies and Synovus Financial made a top 10 list of companies that Morningstar thinks could get bought out. Other contenders include Clearwire Corp., Cloud Peak Energy, Leap Wireless, Myriad Genetics, Petrohawk Energy and Range Resources.