picoChip Designs, the UK-based fabless semiconductor company, has raised $27m (€20.2m) in series D funding from Highland Capital Partners and undisclosed strategic investors. picoChip is developing high-performance chips for wireless infrastructure applications. The funding brings the total raised since the company was set up in 2000 $75.5m (€63m).

MyStrands, the Spain and US-based developer of a social recommendation technology, has raised $25m (€18.7m) in series B funding from Debaeque Venture Capital, Sequel R&D and Antonio Asensio. MyStrands has developed a social recommender engine that is able to provide real-time personalised recommendations of products and services through computers, mobile phones and other internet-connected devices.

Marine Current Turbines, the UK-based developer of technology for large-scale power generation from tidal currents, has raised £7.5m (€11.2m) from City Capital Asset Management, Triodos Investment Management and other undisclosed institutional investors. The company says that its SeaGen tidal energy project, being installed in Northern Ireland, is the world’s first commercial-scale subsea turbine. The funding will be used to support the SeaGen tidal energy project as well as future developments in the UK and abroad.

ReVolt Technology, the Switzerland-based developer of rechargeable battery technology, has raised €10m from Northzone Ventures, SINTEF Group, Sofinnova Partners, TVM Capital, Verdane Capital and Viking Venture. ReVolt says that its Zinc-air batteries have more than twice as much energy as conventional Li-ion batteries, cost less to manufacture, are safer to use, and are environmentally friendly. The funding will be used for technology development and to install pilot lines to produce prototypes batteries for the consumer electronics markets.

Elsewhere, InFone Tech, the Israel-based developer of technology for cellular communications, raised $20m (€14.9m) from Gemini Israel Funds, Genesis Partners and other undisclosed institutional investors; Nimbuzz, the Netherlands-based developer of applications to connect global users of mobile devices, raised $10m (€7.5m) from Holtzbrinck Ventures, Mangrove Capital Partners and Naspers; and Canalce, the France-based online consumers entertainment search engine, raised €7m from Banexi Ventures Partners and CIC Capital.

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