Subject: Venture News, Wednesday, December 6, 2000
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked]
Cc: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 04:01:00 -0800 (PST)

WoodFuel.com allies with Future Energy 
HOUSTON, Dec. 6 (LocalBusiness.com) -- Houston-based WoodFuel.com has teamed 
up with Atlanta's Future Energy Resources Corp. to supply raw wood materials 
that are targeted to fire up environmentally friendly power plants in Texas. 
The power-generating stations would use Future Energy's SilvaGas process, 
which converts agricultural, municipal and forestry wastes into a 
clean-burning gas that substitutes for natural gas. 
The process is designed to significantly reduce environmental impact compared 
to fossil fuel-based power plants, including the elimination of net carbon 
dioxide emissions, the company said. 
"Texas regulations and energy demands make Texas an ideal location for green 
energy," said Asfaha Tesfai, senior VP of business development for Future 
Energy. "This alliance will ensure sufficient fuel availability to proceed 
with project development." 
In August, Future Energy operated its SilvaGas process on a commercial scale 
at a demonstration plant in Burlington, Vt., which converted more than 285 
tons of wood chips into enough of natural gas substitute to power 6,000 
homes. 
The private company designed and built the plant in partnership with the U.S. 
Department of Energy, which provided technical assistance and funding for 
facility construction, and the Burlington Electric Department. 
Future Energy now is working to develop relationships, such as its alliance 
with WoodFuel.com, that would help it commercialize the process. 
Privately held WoodFuel.com is a business-to-business, e-commerce company 
that links buyers and suppliers of raw wood material online. The company 
aggregates wood fuel from its network of suppliers and delivers the wood as a 
renewable energy resource. 
Since its April launch, WoodFuel.com said it has created a total of 283 new 
accounts and sold 15,845 tons of wood fuel. 
_______________________________________________________

Clearinghouse puts pieces in place for 2001

12/05/2000 
Gas Daily 

Over-the-counter (OTC) energy clearinghouse EnergyClear moved one step closer 
to its planned 2001 launch, choosing onExchange's technology platform for 
EnergyClear's online trading system.

OnExchange, which works with electronic exchanges to add risk-management 
capabilities for their customers, said EnergyClear initially will offer its 
services to traders in the wholesale gas and power markets. As early as next 
spring - once the system comes online - it will provide centralized 
comparison, netting and settlement of OTC energy contracts for trades 
executed over the phone or through electronic marketplaces, onExchange says.

EnergyClear Co-founder and President Lee Burton said the implementation of 
onExchange technology satisfies a long-standing need in the OTC markets, 
while providing other benefits as well. "The OTC markets have been seeking 
the efficiencies of multilateral clearing for some time now and, in 
conjunction with . . . onExchange, EnergyClear offers the first neutral, 
independent, unbiased clearing solution," Burton said.

OTC energy contracts currently are negotiated between principals, via 
electronic exchanges or through interdealer brokers over the telephone. 
Future markets planned for the clearinghouse include petroleum products, 
crude oil, petrochemicals and bandwidth.

With the deal, EnergyClear becomes onExchange's first customer. Terms of the 
deal were not disclosed.

IDC analyst Aaron McPherson suggested a bright future for EnergyClear. 
"Online forwards and derivatives trading and clearing solutions typically 
deliver a five- to 10-fold increase in trading volume over underlying cash 
markets. These solutions will improve the overall efficiency of the energy 
market, allow energy companies to manage their risk much more effectively and 
increase liquidity."

Houston-based EnergyClear is comprised of EnergyClear Corp. and EnergyClear 
Operations Co. (EOC). EOC is owned by the Bank of New York, Prebon Yamane and 
Amerex. CH
_________________________________________________

Credit Lyonnais to launch B2B marketplace next year.

12/06/2000 
Les Echos 
P32 
(C) Copyright 2000. 

Credit Lyonnais has announced the launch in spring 2001 of a B2B marketplace, 
Seliance, in association with Internet incubator Chrysalead, France Telecom 
and computer services firm Euriware. After a first round of financing 
Seliance has capital of EUR 12m. The site, in which Credit Lyonnais has a 75% 
stake, will come into operation in the second quarter of 2001.

___________________________________________

o Report: Softbank Puts European Joint Ventures on Hold

NEW YORK -- Softbank has stopped investing through
two joint ventures aimed at bringing U.S. technology
companies to Europe, according to a report in the
Wall Street Journal. eVentures U.K., a $50 million
fund set up with News Corp.'s epartners, has shut
down and its 12 employees have been laid off. Softbank
and Vivendi's 500 EUR fund, @visio, which focused
on continental Europe, has also stopped making new
investments and will concentrate on is portfolio,
according to the report. Softbank will continue
to make direct early-stage investments in Europe,
according to the report.
http://www.softbank.com/
_____________________________________________

o Merrill Lynch Launches New Venture Fund For Employees

NEW YORK -- Merrill Lynch announced the launch of
the Internal Venture Capital Fund, a fund created
for Merrill Lynch employees. The new venture will
support and fund business plans created by Merrill
Lynch employees, specifically in financial services
technology. Merrill Lynch will use Cap Gemini Ernst
& Young, efinanceworks, and Startup factory for
investment strategies and additional support. Merrill
Lynch said it plans to invest in the new companies
with the possibility of becoming the first client
or strategic partner once the product comes to market.
The fund expects to provide seed funds to three
to four companies by early next year.
http://www.ml.com/

______________________________________________________-

o Corporate Wireless Apps Firm Nisus Gets $2 Million Round One

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. -- Nisus, a firm that develops
wireless applications for businesses, said it has
raised $2 million in its first round of financing
from undisclosed corporate and individual investors.
The firm also announced co-founder Satish Vankayalapati
as CEO. Mr. Vankayalapati was formerly a management
consultant with McKinsey and an executive and board
member of Avantel. The firm additionally announced
the names of board members Keith Block, senior vice
president of Oracle's North American consulting
and global data warehousing businesses; Arthur L.
Cherry, Jr., president and CEO of Federated Management
Services and a former senior executive at Scudder
Investments; and Robert Rudelius, Chairman and CEO
of MediaDVX, former President and COO of Control
Data Corporation, and former global head of the
media and entertainment division of AT&T Solutions.
http://www.nisus.com/
_____________________________________________

o Network App Firm Lumeta Raises $250,000 Series A

SAN FRANCISCO -- Lumeta, a network management and
security application firm, said it has raised $250,000
in a Series A round from meVC Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Fund I, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Draper Fisher
Jurvetson Gotham Ventures of New York City.
http://www.lumeta.com/
_____________________________________________

o Wireless Apps Firm InPhonic Has Third Round, Ups Staff by 32

WASHINGTON -- InPhonic, a business-to-business infrastructure
firm that focuses on creating branded wireless communities
and virtual private label wireless networks, said
it has raised an undisclosed amount of third round
funding from Riggs Capital Partners, RAF Net Ventures,
CMS, and the Mid Atlantic Venture Fund. John Sculley,
former CEO of Apple Computer and PepsiCo, also participated
in the round. The company confirmed that it has
raised in excess of $121 million to date, including
this round. The company also said it has added 32
employees in sales, customer support, and the mobile
commerce division.
http://www.inphonic.com/
_____________________________________________

o B2B App Firm NetVendor Lands Funding from CommerceOne

ATLANTA -- NetVendor, which provides business-to-business
software for direct materials suppliers, said it
formed a strategic alliance with Commerce One, a
publicly-traded marketplace for buyers and suppliers.
Commerce One invested equity in the company, between
$5 million and $10 million, and will be featured
as a link in NetVendor's software. NetVendor received
$52 million in May from Internet Capital Group,
Wheatley Partners, RRE Ventures, CSFB Private Equity,
and Bluevector.
http://www.netvendor.com/
_____________________________________________