Orange County Register

Four Orange County companies have reported receiving equity investments. The flurry of investments may be more an end-of-the-quarter timing than a true rise in venture investing that has tailed off in recent months.

The companies and their investments are:

1. Hybrid automaker Fisker Automotive in Irvine is the big winner taking in $85 million on top of $95 million previously raised. Register auto blogger Matt Degen gives the details.
2. WiSpry Inc., in Irvine, which makes programmable radio frequency chips for cell phones, has raised $10 million in its third round of institutional investment
3. Cianna Medical, an Aliso Viejo medical device company for breast cancer treatment, also raised $10 million.
4. Socialcast an Irvine social networking company, has raised $1.4 million from venture capitalists and angel investors.

WiSpry’s investors include newcomers, Paladin Capital Group and MuRata Manufacturing, as well as existing investors L-Capital Partners, Blue Print Ventures American River Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Tech Coast Angels and Shepherd Ventures.

The company expects to raise another $5 million before the final close of this round.

It’s technology provides users with smaller, more technically advanced and energy efficient wireless devices.

“Completion of a financing with new investors in this economic climate is validation of the tremendous progress we have made and a tribute to our employees who have continued to (prepare) our first product for volume production this year,” said WiSpry CEO Russ Garcia.

Cianna’s investors include Emergent Medical Partners, Saints Capital, Mitsubishi International Corp., Fog City Fund and several unnamed individuals.

Cianna is a spinoff of BioLucent Inc. Its product is called SAVI, which precisely delivers radiation treatment following lumpectomy surgery.

Socialcast is developing a secure communications technology that allows employees to collaborate in real time. Its investment includes $1 million from True Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm and $400,000 from unnamed angels. The investment requires the company to move to San Francisco and bring onto its board Om Malik of GigaOm, a True Ventures partner.

Other investments and deals….

• So. Cal businesses sell for less in Q1-corrected
• Private equity deals nosedive 68% in first quarter
• Venture-backed firms can’t find buyers or go public
• O.C. eye surgery firm raises $22 million
• 2 O.C. firms involved in business buyouts
• Breast-cancer test receives $15 million funding
• Luxury hybrid sports car maker raises $94 million
• Merger = survival for two O.C. firms
• O.C. company buys Peruvian firm
• O.C. company receives $5.5 million

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