Private Equity Week Wire for Thursday 10/4

BOSTON — Boston Millennia Partners is pleased to announce that Robert N. Merold has joined the firm as an Executive in Residence. Bob will support Millennia in sourcing and reviewing quality healthcare and life sciences information technology investment opportunities.

Bob brings significant experience in the healthcare and technology sector. Prior to joining Millennia he was COO and a member of the Board of Directors of Proteome, Inc., a leading-edge proteomic data company. Boston Millennia led the initial round of financing for Proteome, which was subsequently acquired by Incyte Genomics Inc. in December 2000. For the past nine months, Bob has overseen Proteome’s integration into Incyte and served as a member of Incyte’s information strategy task force.

ATLANTA — BrainWorks Ventures Inc. (OTC BB: BRAV) announced the retention of McGinn, Smith & Co. of Albany, New York, to assist the company with investment banking services.

SWEDEN — ipUnplugged, a leading developer of networking products that integrate mobile networks such as GPRS and wireless LANs, raises 68 million Swedish crowns of venture capital. The financiers are the venture capital company of NTT DoCoMo – Mobile Internet Capital, Ledstiernan and Industrifonden. The money will be used for continued market establishment and development of the next product generation.Until now, the founders of the company and Ledstiernan have owned ipUnplugged. Now, in addition to Ledstiernan, NTT DoCoMO’s venture capital firm Mobile Internet Capital and Swedish Industrifonden are investing in the company. In total, they are investing 68 MSEK through a convertible loan.

In related news, Stockholm-based investment firm Ledstiernan will announce today that it is closing its London office, which could lead to layoffs.

PALO ALTO, CA — Alloy Ventures today announced that J. Leighton Read, M.D. has joined the firm as a General Partner. He will remain a Director of Aviron (NASDAQ: AVIR), a biopharmaceutical company that he founded in 1992, where he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until 1999.

For yesterday’s Wire, click here