Venture Funds Invest In Materials, Energy

Venture capital firm Lux Capital says it has commitments for $245 million for its third venture fund. The company plans to invest the money in early-stage firms in the energy, technology, and health care sectors, with an emphasis on unconventional areas such as three-dimensional printing, metamaterials, robotics, and solid-state electronics. Lux will make seed investments ranging from $100,000 to $15 million. Meanwhile, the investment firms Beringea and Credit Suisse have launched a $180 million fund for the state of Michigan. It will target later-stage firms at or near profitability in sectors including advanced materials, manufacturing, and cleantech.