Cisco Leads $27 Million Round For Aravo

Aravo, a SAAS supplier chain management tool just raised a whopping $27 million in Series D funding led by Cisco, with other investors participating. In addition, Cisco’s web meeting and collaboration platform, WebEx, will be integrated with Aravo’s Supplier Information Management (SIM) to facilitate real-time collaboration between buyers and suppliers.

This latest investment brings Aravo’s total funding to $50 million. Investors that participated in the latest round include Big Sky Partners, Stephen Friedman and William Harrison. Aravo says the new funding will be used to develop new products and to expand sales, marketing, and delivery channels. As part of the agreement, Aravo will work closely with Cisco to power and enhance Cisco WebEx. Aravo’s software includes options to track ISO certifications, sustainability initiatives, and risk analysis.

While this isn’t an acquisition, this latest news continues Cisco’s strategic investments and shopping spree. With deep pockets, Cisco has acquired a number of enterprise-focused companies, including ScanSafe, Starent Networks, and Tandberg. While Cisco doesn’t seem to be sniffing around for an acquisition of Aravo yet, it wouldn’t surprise me considering its recent shopping spree.