Chris Witkowsky
The San Francisco pension system has hired two new firms as consultants on alternative investments
Cinegif, which specializes in GIF-based marketing, has received $500,000 from Texas angel investors, including Baylor Angel Network and Houston Angel Network and its related Halo Fund. Cinegif will use the funding to accelerate sales and marketing efforts for its cloud-based GIF marketing platform.
Rakuten has agreed to acquire global video streaming service Viki, which raised $20 million in 2011 from Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners, Charles River Ventures, BBC Worldwide and SK Planet.
Atlas Venture, Ludlow Ventures, Promus Ventures, Innovation Works and Coyote Ridge Ventures have participated in the $1.1 million seed round of financing for Sqwiggle, which allows for short video discussions between one or more people. The financing was part of the first AngelList Syndicate.
Google Ventures has led a Series B funding round for Rani Therapeutics, which has developed a platform to convert injectable drugs into pills. InCube Ventures, a life sciences venture fund, and VentureHealth, a healthcare crowdfunding portal, joined the funding round. No financial details were provided.