Google Capital leads $60m Zen Payroll funding round

ZenPayroll, which, unsurprisingly, offers payroll solutions, has raised $60 million in a funding round led by Google Capital. Emergence Capital Partners, Ribbit Capital and existing investors such as General Catalyst, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Google Ventures all participated. “ZenPayroll has changed payroll from an impersonal transaction into a meaningful connection between employers and employees, and we’re delighted to join in their mission to free people to do their best work,” said Laela Sturdy, partner at Google Capital. “They’re growing at an incredible rate and we’re excited to see how they’ll continue to help small businesses around the country.”

Wide area sensor networks company Mojix has raised $14 million in Series D financing. OMERS Ventures led the round, with participation from Mercury Ventures and all previous investors. “OMERS Ventures looks for companies that have built a competitive advantage in markets that are set for sustained growth. With worldwide patents and intellectual property supporting its leading position in the wide area sensor market and burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) space, along with the strong, operationally-focused team assembled by its CEO, Dr. Ramin Sadr, Mojix has positioned itself for success. I am proud to be joining the board, and I look forward to working with other directors to help Mojix reach the next level in its development,” said Kent Thexton, Managing Director, OMERS Ventures who joins the company’s board.

Educents, a marketplace where educators and parents can shop for instructional materials, has raised $2.9 million in seed funding led by SoftTech VC, with participation from Crosslink Capital, Deep Fork Capital, Kapor Capital and Learn Capital. The company listed more than 5,000 items on its marketplace during March 2015, according to the CEO Kate Whiting.

Health tech company Natera has raised $55.5 million in a round of private financing led by Sofinnova Ventures, with participation from Capital Research and Management, Franklin Templeton Investments, Jennison Associates, RA Capital Management, Healthcor Partners, and OrbiMed Advisors. The company will use the funds for the development of its existing products, such as the Pnaroma non-invasive prenatal test.