Shares of SolarCity Corp jumped more than 50 percent during their market debut on Thursday, approaching the valuation the solar power company had sought before it was forced to slash its IPO price.

Google will acquire Quickoffice a leader in office productivity solutions. Specifics of the deal were not publicized; Quickoffice backers include Shea Ventures, Shepherd Ventures, Access Industries, Mayfield Fund, and Advantage Capital Partners. GOOGLE ANNOUNCEMENT: We’re happy to announce that we have acquired Quickoffice, a leader in office productivity solutions. Today, consumers, businesses and schools use [...]

Cool Planet Energy Systems has appointed Howard Janzen as president and CEO and Michael Bukowski as vice president of Fuel Production. Cool Planet is developing technology to convert any type of cellulosic biomass including agricultural waste and fast growing energy crops into sustainable gasoline. Cool Planet’s investors include General Electric, Google, BP, Conoco Phillips, NRG [...]

Shea Ventures led a Series C round for Cool Planet BioFuels Inc., the company announced Thursday. BP Technology Ventures also contributed, as did return investors General Electric, Google Ventures, ConocoPhillips, NRG and North Bridge Venture Partners. Cool Planet BioFuels is developing bio-based renewable, reduced carbon gasoline that can be blended with conventional gasoline. The company did not disclose the amount of the round.