Fast-Talk Raises $8.5 Million
In Second Round of Funding

Fast-Talk Communications plans to announce Monday that it has raised $8.5 million in a second round of funding that was led by Boston Millennia Partners. The Atlanta company (http://www.fast-talk.com/) has developed software that allows users to search audio and video without using a speech-to-text conversion. The company is in the process of launching a new product that can monitor speech as it happening that the company hopes will be of particular interest to law enforcement and private surveillance companies. Other investors in the company include SAIC Venture Capital corp., Cordova Ventures, the Atlanta Technology Angels and H.I.G. Ventures. The new money brings the total raised by the company to $10.5 million.

Hyperchip Receives $43.5 Million

Hyperchip Inc., with headquarters in both Montreal and Dulles, Va., said it has secured 70 million Canadian dollars (US$43.5 million) in its fourth round of financing, bringing the total amount raised to C$220 million. TechnoCap led the round, with participation from Vertex Technology Fund, Advent International, Optical Capital Group, JT Ventures, Artemis and Pilgrim Baxter. The round included a C$50 million loan from Investissement-Quebec. Hyperchip plans to use the funding to help it brings its product to market. Hyperchip (http://www.hyperchip.com/) makes carrier-class core routers.

Sightward Raises $5.8 Million in Second Round

Sightward, Bellevue, Wash., announced that it has closed a second round of funding, valued at $5.8 million, led by Northwest Venture Associates. Fluke Venture Partners, Timberline Ventures, eFund International and the Matthew G. Norton Company also participated to the round. Sightward plans to use the fresh infusion of capital, which bring the total raised to $10.8 million, to expand distribution of its software and services, and expand its sales and business-development teams. Additionally, Sightward will strengthen its executive management group, focusing on business development and finance. Sightward (http://www.sightward.com/) is a predictive-analytics-technology company.

-- Compiled by Cindy Perman and Lisa Bransten

Write to Cindy Perman at cindy.perman@wsj.com and Lisa Bransten at lisa.bransten@wsj.com

Updated January 18, 2002 11:02 p.m. EST