VC Roundup: Quaker gets aroused, Safeguard swaps debt

Welcome to the VC Round-up, where we’ll parse through venture capital news related to Philadelphia-based private equity firms and the companies they fund. Subscribe to the roundup as an email newsletter. If you have any VC-related news to pass along to us, please drop us a line.
DEFINITE READS
As we tweeted yesterday, Fast Company interviewed Josh Kopelman about why people should start a company in Philly. In the interview Kopelman points to local universities and the low cost of living as prime reasons people should set up shop here. The article came after the local community lobbied the magazine to be included in its series.
According to a press release, Quaker BioVentures has teamed up with a student-run VC firm to invest in Semprae Laboratories. The company makes “arousal” oils. Yes, we’re serious.

MIGHT BE WORTH YOUR TIME
You can blame the recent hubbub over the Petty’s Island eagles on a VC firm, according to the Inky. A North Carolina-based real estate venture firm is being accused of illegally harassing the birds to clear the way for development. There’s a football joke in here somewhere.
GIVE A GLANCE
MentorTech Ventures has invested $800,000 in AllSeniorHomes, a startup in Seattle that passes leads to nursing homes.
Safeguard Scientifics, the publicly held investment firm that mostly targets life sciences, had is Q4 earnings call. The highlights: the company has restructured its debt as its stock took a slight dip.
One blogger describes First Round’s Charlie O’Donnell’s job as “hang(ing) out in the Ace Hotel Lobby and chat(ing) with any entrepreneur who walks up to him.” O’Donnell is in New York and has taken up temporary residence in the hotel until the firm’s offices are completed.
The VC Roundup will deliver Philadelphia private equity news hot and fresh every Tuesday morning.