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NetApp to buy SolidFire

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BS Reporter
Last Updated : Dec 28 2015 | 12:29 AM IST
NetApp has agreed to buy storage start-up SolidFire for $870 million to boost its presence in the growing market for flash systems. NetApp was the number four player in the market for all-flash devices in 2014, with about $110 mn in sales, according to Gartner Inc, a market research firm. Colorado-based SolidFire had sales of about $50 mn the same year, Gartner said. NetApp chief executive George Kurian is seeking to trim costs while focusing on areas such as flash storage and software, Bloomberg News said.

VMFive raises $6 million
App streaming services start-up VMFive has raised $6 million in a Series-A funding from CDIB Partners, Trend Micro, GMobi and Cherubic Ventures. This funding represents quick progress for the team, which spent quite a bit of time in the past couple of years pitching its product, Adplay, across the region. VMFive is now focusing on Japan and South Korea as both countries ranks in the top five on Google Play's game revenues list, according to Tech in Asia.

Letv launches VR headset
China's Letv has announced the release of its first virtual reality headset for $23. LeVR COOL1 is like a more refined Google Cardboard. Letv calls its device a 'virtual private theatre', and is hoping its suite of apps will help the headset stand out from the competition. Its online streaming service is already popular in China, and the firm has rebuilt several of its movie, sports, and music streaming apps to play nice with virtual reality, Tech in Asia said.

Crispr makes great strides
In a single year, Switzerland-based gene-editing start-up Crispr Therapeutics raised $89 million in venture funding, got $105 mn to enter a partnership with drugmaker Vertex, and recently announced a deal with Bayer AG worth $335 mn. Crispr won't start human trials of its therapies until 2017, Bloomberg News reported.

PurelyB raises $500k
PurelyB, an all-women Malaysia-based start-up, has raised $500,000 in a seed round. Available in English and Chinese, PurelyB claims it is building Asia's first health and wellness content integrated marketplace. By 2016, these products and services will be available for purchase on PurelyB's site, Tech in Asia said.
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First Published: Dec 28 2015 | 12:11 AM IST

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