Exit watch, week of Aug. 25, 2008

Nuance nabs SNAPin for $180M

Nuance Communications Inc.

(Nasdaq: NUAN) has agreed to buy SNAPin Software Inc., a Bellevue, Wash.-based provider of mobile device and server self-service technology. The deal is valued at about $180 million worth of Nuance common stock, and is expected to close in October. SNAPin has raised about $30 million in VC funding since 2004 from Frazier Technology Ventures, Oak Investment Partners, Hunt Ventures, Seapoint Ventures and Trilogy Equity Partners.

Compunetix buys Sonexis

Compunetix Inc.

, a Monroeville, Penn.-based provider of Web collaboration software and equipment, has agreed to acquire the assets of Sonexis Inc., a Tewksbury, Mass.-based provider of an in-house audio conferencing bridge. No financial terms were disclosed. Sonexis had raised about $75 million in VC funding beginning in 1999, but then did a Series A recap round in 2004 with participation from Tudor Ventures and Velocity Equity Partners.

Fluke acquires Viola

Everett, Wash.-based network performance management vendor Fluke Networks has acquired the intellectual property of Viola Networks, including a line of VoIP analysis products. No financial terms were disclosed. Viola had raised more than $12 million in VC funding since 2004 from Evergreen Venture Partners, M/C Venture Partners, Polar Communication and Concord Ventures.

Salesforce pays $31.5M for InStranet

Salesforce.com has acquired InStranet Inc., a Chicago-based provider of software for enterprise information exchange applications, for $31.5 million. InStranet had raised more than $30 million in VC funding since 2000 from Add Partners, Business Objects, Benchmark Capital, Galileo Partners and RSA Capital.

Spherics to sell IP

Spherics Inc., a Mansfield, Mass.-based developer of oral drugs for neurological disorders, will put its intellectual property up for auction on Oct. 10, according to an accountant in charge of the sale. The company has raised more than $43 million in funding since spinning out of Brown University in 2007 from CB Health Ventures, Advent International, Brooke Private Equity, Mitsubishi Corp., Pappas Ventures, POD Venture Partners, Oakwood Medical Investors and Zero Stage Capital.

AOL scoops up SocialThing

AOL

has acquired SocialThing Inc., a Boulder, Colo.-based digital life manager. No financial terms were disclosed. SocialThing raised about $500,000 in seed funding last year from EonBusiness and individual investors.

Nortel buys Pingtel unit

BlueSocket Inc.

, a Burlington, Mass.-based provider of WLAN security and management systems, has sold its Pingtel Inc. subsidiary to Nortel (NYSE: NT) for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition comes one year after BlueSocket acquired Pingtel from a group of venture capitalists. BlueSocket has raised about $67 million in VC funding since 1999 from Vesbridge Partners, Menlo Ventures, Boulder Ventures, Ascent Venture Partners, Ridgewood Capital and Ironside Capital Group.