Sapphire Energy Inc., a Sonoma, Calif.-based company that creates “green” gasoline by producing crude oil out of algae, has raised $144 million to build a demo plant in New Mexico. Just over $104 million is in the forms of grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Agriculture Department, while the equity tranche includes investments from Arrowpoint Partners and Monsanto Co. Sapphire Energy previously raised over $100 million from Monsanto, Arch Venture Partners, Venrock and the Wellcome Trust. www.sapphireenergy.com
Manta, a Columbus, Ohio-based online small business owner community, has raised $44 million in minority equity funding Norwest Venture Partners. Some of the proceeds were used for existing shareholder liquidity. www.manta.com
The Minerva Project, a new online university with stringent admission policies, has raised $25 million in first-round funding from Benchmark Capital. Larry Summers will serve as chairman of the company’s advisory board. www.minervaproject.com
Skout, a San Francisco-based mobile network for meeting new people, has raised $22 million in new VC funding from Andreessen Horowitz. www.skout.com
Dragonplay, a Tel Aviv-based developer of free-to-play social games, has raised $14 million in Series A funding from Accel Partners. www.dragonplay.com
Adimab Inc., a Lebanon, N.H.-based developer of human antibodies, has raised $13.8 million in Series F funding from existing investors. The company previously raised capital from Borealis Ventures, Google Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Polaris Venture Partners and SV Life Sciences. www.adimab.com
Bizo, a San Francisco-based provider of business audience marketing solutions, has raised $10 million in Series B funding. Crosslink Capital led the round, and was joined by existing backers Bessemer Venture Partners and Venrock. www.bizo.com
FirstBest Systems Inc., a Bedford, Mass.-based provider of software solutions for global property and casualty insurers, has raised $10 million in new VC funding. NewSpring Capital and Verisk Analytics were joined by Brookstone Partners and return backer Flybridge Capital Partners. www.firstbest.com
Pertino Inc., a Cupertino, Calif.-based cloud networking software startup, has raised $8.85 million in Series A funding from Norwest Venture Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners. www.pertino.com
Aframe, a London-based cloud video production platform, has raised $7 million in Series A funding. Octopus Investments and Eden Ventures were joined by return backer Northstar Ventures. www.aframe.com
PureWave Networks Inc., a Santa Clara, Calif.-based provider of 4G wireless base stations, has raised $5 million in Series C funding. No investor information was disclosed, but prior backers include Allegis Capital, ATA Ventures and Leapfrog Ventures. www.pwnets.com
Real Valuable Corp., maker of the CoffeeTable iPad catalog shopping app, has raised $2.5 million in Series A funding from RR Donnelley (Nasdaq: RRD). www.coffeetable.com
GameGenetics, a Berlin-based aggregator and distributor of free-to-play online games, has raised a “seven-digit Euro figure” of Series A funding from Target Partners and High Tech Gründerfonds. www.gamegenetics.com
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