HealthTeacher VC update

HealthTeacher, just a 12-year-old, has now had total financings of about $15MM. They're heavying-up the team, added a new private-equity partner and are ready to take it on the road. Read about here.

N'ville Media venture

Dan Hammond is cranking-up a new media venture, spinning-out of American Hometown Media, and bringing with it Just A Pinch of excitement for the Nashville area, read more here.

Speaker Harwell eyes campus science

Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell and Memphis-area State Rep. Mark White will study what might be impeding the commercialization of intellectual property spawned on campuses within Tennessee. This NewsBits installation has numerous other stories about economic development, new tech products, venture capital, that Chattanooga venture forum and more, right here.

Petra's hospice investment

Petra Capital added to its equity stake in New Century Hospice, according to an SEC filing.

Petra supports Sante acquisition

Nashville-based Petra Capital Partners said today it has invested $5.4MM in Ft. Worth-based Santé Pediatric Services . Petra's investment was in the form of subordinated debt with warrants and preferred equity in support of the acquisition of Santé by Transition Capital Partners and Enhanced Equity Fund. Santé represented Petra's fifth investment in 2009 and seventh investment from its newest fund, Petra Growth Fund II. Of the five investments made by Petra in 2009, two were in healthcare services, two were in technology enabled services, and one was in healthcare IT. Petra said, in part, "We look forward to another active year in 2010 pursuing quality investment opportunities in these same high growth industries... The firm is actively investing its second SBIC fund, Petra Growth Fund II, which has $160 million of available capital to invest. Its previous funds under management total $130 million. Petra provides non-control subordinated debt and/or preferred stock to high growth companies for expansion, acquisition, buyout or recapitalization in partnership with the founding management team. Petra seeks to invest up to $15 million in growth companies that possess a minimum of $10 million in revenue and positive EBITDA at the time of investment. The fund targets business, healthcare, and information technology services companies."

Petra invests in transcription co.

Green Hills-based Petra Capital Partners announced today it's $6MM investment in Plano, Texas-based Superior Global Solutions, Inc. Read about it here.

NEWSBITS April 20, 2009

Innova, Petra Capital, Fred Goad (Voyent), Al Gore, health IT, BioFuels startup, echo down celljournalist up, tech-transfer event, VCs on VCs... you get the picture, so here are the words.

NEWSBITS, April 6

Nashville-based Petra Capital Partners invested $5MM in a Massachusetts software firm... Entrepreneur and retired HCA senior exec Clayton McWhorter is sponsoring the launch of another healthcare reform group... Jim Lackey (at left) calls it a day in the CEO office of Passport Health, handing the reins to former McKesson, Cerner, AT&T executive Scott MacKenzie.

Petra Capital's Blackburn on the Great Implosion

Petra Capital Partners' Mike Blackburn submitted to an interview in Petra's well-appointed Beford Commons office, with interesting results. The story's here.