Stephen Gray and Robert Rivett have joined private equity fund placement agent Helix Associates as managing directors. Gray will work out of New York, and previously was a managing director with Henniker River Advisors. Rivett will be based in San Francisco, and previously was co-head of the private fund group and Credit Suisse. www.helix-associate.com
Robert Kirby has resigned as president and COO of Handelman Co. (NYSE: HDL), in order to become CEO of a private equity-backed medical device company. No additional information was disclosed. www.handelman.com
Optherion Inc., a New Haven, Conn.-based developer of products to diagnose and treat dry and wet age-related macular degeneration, has raised $37 million in first-round funding. Backers include Quaker BioVentures, Domain Associates, Johnson & Johnson Development Corp., Purdue Pharmaceutical Products, Pappas Ventures, Biogen Idec New Ventures, and GE Healthcare Financial Services. www.optherion.com
Send Word Now, a New York-based provider of on-demand alerting and response services, has raised $8.5 million in Series C funding. Southpaw Asset Management led the deal, and was joined by return backers like Ascend Venture Group. The company has now raised around $20 million to date. www.sendwordnow.com
ConSentry Networks Inc., a Milpitas, Calif.-based provider of network security solutions, has raised $21 million in fifth-round funding. Teachers' Private Capital led the deal, and was joined by Translink Capital, NCD Investors and return backers Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, INVESCO Private Capital, and DAG Ventures. ConSentry has now raised $72 million in total VC funding. […]
CommPartners Connect, a Las Vegas-based CLEC for small and mid-sized businesses, has raised $11 million in new VC funding led by PAR Capital Management. The company has now raised more than $57 million in total VC funding. www.commpartnersconnect.com
SeaTab Software Inc., a Bellevue, Wash.-based provider of on-demand analytics for small and mid-sized businesses, has raised $9 million in second-round funding. Emergence Capital Partners led the round (which closed at the end of August), and was joined by return backer Trident Capital. www.seatab.com
Podaddies, a San Francisco-based online video advertising startup, has raised $1 million in angel funding from The Band of Angels and The Angels Forum. www.podaddies.com
Power Medical Interventions Inc., a Langhorne, Pa.-based developer of computer-assisted surgical instruments, set its IPO terms to 3.85 million common shares being offered at between $12 and $14 per share. It would have an initial market cap of approximately $231 million, if it were to price at the high end of its range. The company […]
Staccato Communications Inc., a San Diego-based developer of ultrawideband and wireless USB communications components, has raised $17.5 million in new VC funding. Return backers include Allegis Capital, Bay Partners, Charles River Ventures, Formative Ventures, Interwest Partners, and Vision Capital. Staccato has raised around $94 million in total VC funding since 2003. www.staccatocommunications.com