Go big (and later-stage) or go home, pt 3

The updates are coming fast and furious on this topic recently…

If you have a chance before it goes to sub-only archives, read the PE Week story on Kleiner’s new growth-stage (for companies, spin-outs, etc. with revenue traction already) cleantech fund, which could end up being over $400mm.  According to the article, Al Gore and John Doerr have been doing a roadshow with LPs recently. At least one member of Goldman Sachs’ Special Situations Group has joined the team already.  The article also quotes a placement agent who hadn’t heard of this fund but had been approached by another fund lately with a similar idea.

...and the cleantech investment community continues to go bigger and later.

Meanwhile, two deals today to mention:

• According to VentureWire, Verdiem has raised a $12mm Series F, led by new backers NCD Investors, and including participation by all previous backers:  Catamount Ventures, Falcon Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Phoenix Partners and Westly Group.

• Iowa-based Hydrogen Engine Center announced a $4mm PIPE, from a “private equity institutional investor.”