The race to become the most sought-after analytics provider to brick-and-mortar retailers is on, with RetailNext bagging a $15 million Series C to help retailers track their customers’ every move.

InVisage Technologies, Inc. said it raised a Series D round led by GGV Capital and joined by Nokia Growth Partners along with existing investors RockPort Capital, InterWest Partners, Intel Capital and OnPoint Technologies. The company did not release the size of the round.

This morning First Read brings you more on Euro VC’s downward spiral; the lowdown on Nokia Growth Partners’ third fund and a three day crash tech course.

Santa Clara, Calif.-based ViVOtech has held a first closing of its Series D round, bringing the company’s total funding to $96 million. The company’s point-of-sale technology is designed to provide rich mobile commerce solutions for in-store payment, loyalty, marketing, and merchandising. The company’s investors include Alloy Ventures, Citi Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, EDBI, First Data [...]

Norwest Venture Partners and Intel Capital have led a $40 million investment in Indian e-commerce company Fashionandyou.com, Reuters reported Tuesday. Sequoia Capital India and Nokia Growth Partners have also invested in the firm, the brand’s owners Smile Group Venture and Goldsquare Sales India said in a statement. The money will go toward improving membership, as well as the company’s supply and distribution chain.

Indian e-commerce brand Fashionandyou.com has raised about $40 million from investors Norwest Venture Partners (which led the round, along with Intel Capital), Sequoia Capital India and Nokia Growth Partners. Sequoia previously invested in the company.

Nuance Communications Inc. is paying $102.5 million to buy venture-backed Swype, Reuters reported Friday. Swype’s technology allows users to drag their finger across smart phone keyboards in one continuous motion to type words. Nuance has already paid $77.5 million toward the deal and will pay a remaining $25 million eighteen months after closing. Swype was backed by Samsung Ventures, Nokia Growth Partners, Benaroya Capital, DoCoMo Capital and Ignition Partners.

The Seattle-based startup Swype today announced that it raised an additional $2.5 million in Series C financing led by existing investors Samsung Ventures, Nokia Growth Partners, Benaroya Capital, DOCOMO Capital and Ignition Partners. This new financing adds to the existing $3.5 million raised in March with Ignition Partners and brings Swype’s total series C to [...]

ViVOtech has raised $24 million in an extension to its Series C financing. New investors EDBI, SingTel Innov8 and Motorola Solutions Venture Capital participated in the round. Current backers Alloy Ventures, Citi Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurveston, DFJ Gotham, First Data Corporation, Miven Ventures, Motorola Mobility, Nokia Growth Partners and NCR also participated. ViVOtech, a Santa Clara, Calif.-based provider of wireless payment software and chips, will use the money to expand its international reach.

Indian online and mobile classifieds platform Quikr has closed on $8 million in equity financing. New investor Nokia Growth Partners led the round, which included participation from Norwest Venture Partners and eBay Inc. The company’s classified ad platform operates in 40 cities across India, and sees more than 10 million visitors per month, the company said in a statement. Quikr has also raised money from Matrix Partners India and Omidyar Network.