By Evan Vitale
Here’s the latest news in venture capital and VC deals:
The Wall Street Journal is reporting the Chicago start Opternative Inc. has raised $6 million in Series A venture funding for an app that lets people take an eye exam using their smartphones and a personal computer at home.
According to Opternative co-founder and Chief Executive Aaron Dallek, Opternative’s app captures data about a patient’s vision and sends it to a licensed, local opthamologist for evaluation. Within 24 hours, the eye doctor then writes a new prescription for glasses or contacts for the patient. The exam costs $40 for either a contacts or glasses prescription and $60 for both.
Read more about Opternative Inc. here: http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2016/02/18/opternative-raises-6-million-for-online-eye-exams/
A Forbes blog post suggests business owners should stop chasing venture capital funds and start bootstrapping in order to create a profitable business.
Here, writer Danile Buelhoff uses his own experience over a 10-year entrepreneurial lifespan to formulate his opinion and advice on bootstrapping vs. venture capital.
You can read more about Buelhoff’s opinion here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2016/02/18/stop-chasing-venture-capital-and-start-bootstrapping-a-profitable-business/#186859ea5078
Business Insider has written a nice piece “Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about venture capital, but were too afraid to ask” at http://www.businessinsider.com/venture-capital-explained-2016-2
Food Navitagor-USA (http://foodnavigator-usa.com) is reporting that the Campbell Soup Co. is hopping on the venture bandwagon “to more fully participate in growth opportunities” that could give it a competitive edge meeting consumers’ fast-evolving demands for healthy and fresh foods.
You can read the rest of the story here: http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Manufacturers/Campbell-launches-venture-capital-fund-new-products
Crowdfund Insider reports that F50, a venture capital startup, has announced it has launched the beta version of its co-investment platform and has successfully begun syndication. The firm has reportedly secured commitments to invest over $1 million in Knightscope’s Series B round of funding, a company that has developed technology to predict and prevent crime utilizing autonomous robots.
The full article is here: http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2016/02/81907-f50-venture-capital-firm-debuts-beta-version-of-its-new-co-investment-syndication-platform/
