The DS Team has tracked 7 companies that merged, received funding, or were acquired in the month of April 2012. The list includes companies from the following software verticals: Business Intelligence & Analytics, Education & Collaborative Learning Platforms, Content Management & Engagement, Telecom, Marketing Automation, and Customer Service.

1. VoloMetrix Receives $1.6M in Series A

VoloMetrix, analytic applications provider, announced a $1.6 million Series A funding round let by Shasta Ventures. VoloMetrix focuses on Business Intelligence, enabling operational transparency in real time to help executives optimize team performance. This category is called Talent Results Management, with metrics such as cost to acquire customers, costs to support customers and costs to maintain products.

2. Cloud-based Collaborative Learning Suite For K-12 Classrooms: Schoology Raises $6 Million

SchoologySchoology, the leading cloud-based collaborative learning platform for K-20 classrooms, has announced that it has raised $6 million in financing led by FirstMark Capital, a leading NYC-based venture capital firm with a history of successful investments in online, software and education businesses, and joined by existing investor Meakem Becker Venture Capital. Schoology has raised $9.3 million in funding to date.

3. EndPlay Raises $21.5M in VC Funding

EndPlay, content management, engagement and monetization solutions provider, announced today $21.5 million raised in VC funding from VantagePoint Capital Partners and Advanced Technology Ventures. EndPlay plans to use the funding to expand its presence in the U.S. and Europe and develop its product offerings.

4. Intelisys Launches into the Cloud with Agreement to Acquire Cloud Services Coalition

Intelisys, telecom master agency, announced an agreement to acquire Cloud Services Coalition (CSC), scheduled to close on May 1, 2012.  CSC is a portfolio of Cloud Service Providers similar to Dell's cloud network, offering a suite of SaaS solutions.  CSC is owned by Terrapin Solutions.  The new business unit, Intelisys Cloud Services and Complex Bids will continue to fulfill the charter of Cloud Services Coalition and integrate the legacy SWAT and Collaboration programs from Intelisys.

5. Dell Announces Agreement to Acquire Wyse Technologies

Dell has announced an agreement to acquire Wyse Technology, Inc., cloud client computing solutions provider.  The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter.  Dell has been focusing on high-margin business products due to soft PC sales. Since 2009, the company has acquired about a dozen companies--from its $3.9 billion purchase of IT services company Perot Systems Corp. to much smaller companies such as SecureWorks and Boomi Inc. that sell Software-as-a-Service.

6. Marketing Automation Leader Marketo Buys Crowd Factory

Marketo has announced that it has acquired Crowd Factory, Inc., a leading social campaign management platform. With its first acquisition, Marketo breaks social marketing from its usual silo, making it an integrated and integral part of every online marketing initiative. With social marketing a mandate for every company – large and small, business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) – this combined solution enables marketers to amplify and measure social-enabled campaigns to deliver more customers and gain an immediate competitive edge.

7. KANA Acquires Multi-Channel Customer Interaction Solution Trinicom