Social media company Facebook and digital payment processor PayPal committed an undisclosed amount on Wednesday to the ongoing series F round being raised by Indonesia-based on-demand ride provider Gojek which has a $3bn target for its close. The participants already included insurer AIA, internet technology provider Google, conglomerates Astra International and Mitsubishi, e-commerce firm JD.com, internet group Tencent, payment services provider Visa and financial services firm SCB as of March this year.
PayPal also provided an undisclosed sum for open banking software producer Sweden-based Tink the same day. Tink had raised $98.1m from postal service and financial services provider Poste Italiane and financial services firms ABN Amro and BNP Paribas, which invested through ABN Amro Ventures and Opera Tech Ventures, as well as Dawn Capital, HMI Capital, Insight Partners and Heartcore Capital in January this year at a $452m valuation. The round increased Tink’s overall funding to more than $193m and followed a similarly undisclosed amount from PayPal seven months earlier.
Alpaca Japan, the Japan-based creator of a financial market forecasting platform, closed a series B round sized at more than ¥1bn ($9.2m) today that included financial services group SBI and financial data provider Minkabu the Infonoid, doubling its overall funding to ¥2bn in the process. It raised $1m from corporates Bip Systems, Archetype, NEC and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation in 2015, adding $1.75m from NEC’s Innovative Venture Fund, D4V, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG)’s Mitsubishi UFJ Capital vehicle, exchange operator Monex’s Monex Ventures subsidiary and individuals including Eric Di Benedetto in 2017, and $5.8m in equity funding from MUFG, SMBC Venture Capital, IVF, NEC Capital Solutions and Venture Labo Investment’s CSV Venture Fund, Archetype Ventures and D4V in 2018 together with $890,000 in debt from Japan Finance Corporation.
Bonusly, a US-based employee rewards platform developer backed by media group Bloomberg, has completed a $9m series A round led by venture capital fund Access Venture Partners and backed by Next Frontier Capital, Operator Partners and FirstMark Capital, TechCrunch reported on Monday. FirstMark joined Bloomberg vehicle Bloomberg Beta in Bonusly’s $1m seed round in 2014, and the same two returned to add $1.5m in April 2019.
Electronics and medical equipment producer Philips has co-led a $9m series A round for US-based chatbot developer Orbita through corporate venturing subsidiary Philips Health Technology Ventures. The round was co-led by VC firm HealthX Ventures and included Cultivation Capital and Newark Venture Partners. The company had previously raised $5.8m from undisclosed investors in August 2018, according to a regulatory filing.
Steel and mining group Severstal invested an undisclosed amount in Airborne, the Netherlands-based creator of a manufacturing platform for composite parts, on Monday through subsidiary Severstal Ventures. The corporate had previously joined chemicals producer Sabic and Pangaea Ventures to provide an undisclosed sum for the company in January this year, following a similarly undisclosed amount from Sabic’s corporate VC unit, Pangaea, HPE Growth, Participatiemaatschappii Innovation Quarter and Innovatiefonds Brabant in 2017. Airborne has now raised tens of millions of euros altogether, it revealed this week.
Spain-based hyperloop technology developer Zeleros Hyperloop closed a funding round on Monday sized at more than €7m ($7.8m) featuring engineering firm Altran, the state-owned Grupo Red Eléctrica, Goldacre Ventures, Road Ventures, Plug and Play, Spanish Angels Capital and MBHA. The round was described by Zeleros as its fifth, one of which consisted of an undisclosed amount from Angels Capital and Plug and Play in July 2018.
Brazil-based accounting software provider Accountfy has completed a $6.5m funding round that included insurance firm HDI Seguros and VC firm Redpoint Eventures, Contxto has reported. The funding will support an expansion into Europe and North America as well as research and development, with the company interested in adding new features to its platform.
India-based online financial services comparison platform BankBazaar confirmed on Wednesday it has raised Rs 450m ($6m) in series D1 funding from e-commerce and cloud services group Amazon, credit rating provider Experian, Eight Roads Ventures – a subsidiary of investment and financial services group Fidelity – Sequoia India and WSV, a joint venture between telecommunications firm SK Telecom and Walden International, following reports in April this year. Its overall funding now stands at approximately $116m.
UK-based flow sensor technology developer Flusso secured $5.7m in series A funding on Wednesday from investors including aerospace manufacturer Marshall of Cambridge’s Martlet unit and Foresight Williams Technology EIS Fund, which is backed by engineering technology provider Williams Advanced Engineering. The round was led by Parkwalk Advisors and also featured Cambridge Angels, Cambridge Enterprise and 24 Haymarket, latter two having joined Foresight Williams and Parkwalk in Flusso’s $5m seed round in April this year [disclosure: 24Haymarket is an investor in Mawsonia, publisher of Global Corporate Venturing].
Anvil, the US-based creator of an automation software platform for paperwork, received $5m on Wednesday in a series A round led by internet technology provider Google’s artificial intelligence fund, Gradient Ventures. Citi Ventures, the VC arm of financial services firm Citi, also took part in the round, along with Menlo Ventures, Financial Venture Studio and 122 West.
SE Ventures, the strategic investment vehicle for energy and automation technology producer Schneider Electric, led a $4.7m funding round on Tuesday for Poka, the Canada-based creator of a smart manufacturing platform. The round included Robert Bosch Venture Capital (RBVC), the corporate VC vehicle for industrial technology provider Robert Bosch, as well as retail chain Groupe Leclerc and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. SoftTech VC and iNovia Capital had provided $2m for Poka in 2015 before it added $7.7m from RBVC, iNovia, the Leclerc family, CDPQ and Uncork Capital in January 2018. It said it has now raised about $18.4m in total.
Cognosos, the US-based creator of an internet of things-focused tracking system for the supply chain, has completed a $4.5m funding round featuring media and automotive services conglomerate Cox Enterprises and private investor Pete Kight. The company raised $7.1m in a 2017 series A round led by Cox Enterprises that included Kight and hedge fund manager Covalent Partners, before adding $1.5m from three undisclosed investors in April 2019.
Electronic brokerage Interactive Brokers and financial services firm Phillip Capital Group provided $4m for US-based futures exchange operator Small Exchange on Wednesday. The company had previously raised $10m from online financial media network Tastytrade and investment firm Peak6 in January 2019, and another $10m from market maker Citadel Securities and VC firm Jump Capital four months later.
Family office Kimera has invested $4m in iNurture Education Solutions, an India-based higher education course provider backed by media group Bertelsmann, VCCircle reported on Wednesday. The corporate’s Bertelsmann India Investments unit provided an undisclosed amount $5m for iNurture in 2014 following undisclosed amounts from GVFL and Ascent Capital, before joining Ventureast and Ascent Capital in a $4.3m round in January 2018.
VC firm Brewer Lane Ventures has invested $4m in Powerlytics, a US-based granular business data provider backed by derivatives exchange operator CME Group, the company announced yesterday. Powerlytics raised $145,000 from undisclosed investors in 2011 before CME reportedly invested $2m to lead a $1.7m funding round in 2014. The corporate made the contribution through subsidiary Liquidity Ventures, and Powerlytics’ earlier investors also include Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
IT services provider Omicron Media and quantitative trading firm Susquehanna International Group (SIG) have co-led a $4m seed round for US-based enterprise search software startup Searchable.ai, TechCrunch reported yesterday. The corporates were joined by Defy Partners, NextView Ventures and undisclosed angel investors, and the funding came after an earlier seed round in October 2019, when Searchable raised $2m from SIG, Defy Partners and assorted angel investors.
Germany-based 3D printer developer Kumovis has received €3.6m ($4m) in series A funding from chemical producer Solvay’s corporate venturing unit, Solvay Ventures, as well as polymer film producer Renolit, High-Tech Gründerfonds and Ffilipa Venture Capital. The latter two had previously supplied a seven-figure euro amount for Kumovis in October 2018.
TheCoo, the Japan-based owner of fan engagement app Fanicon and live ticket distribution platform Fanistream, raised ¥380m ($3.5m) on Tuesday from media group MBS Media Holdings’ MBS Innovation Drive vehicle, internet company Yahoo Japan’s YJ Capital unit and D4V, a joint venture between design and consulting agency Ideo and VC firm Genuine Startups, in addition to Nippon Venture Capital and S5-Partners. It had raised $650,000 from Nippon Venture Capital and Genuine Startups in 2015, and $2.7m from YJ Capital, Nippon Venture Capital, entertainment and talent management agency Yoshida Masaki, Mizuho Bank subsidiary Mizuho Capital and Japan Finance Corporation in April 2018.
Solar cell and module producer Q Cells invested A$5m ($3.4m) in SwitchDin, an Australia-based developer of decentralised energy management software, on Tuesday. SwitchDin intends to use the funding to beef up its research and development activities and expand internationally, particularly in Europe where Q Cells is headquartered.
Credit unions Veridian and Texas Dow Employees Credit Union have provided an undisclosed amount of funding for US-based voice authentication technology developer Illuma Labs, CUtoday has reported. The company is the developer of lluma Shield, which authenticates audio in real time to combat fraud in call centres.
Luup, the Japan-based operator of an electric kickboard rental service, secured ¥350m ($3.2m) on Monday from mobile game publisher Akatsuki, IT and graphic design agency The Guild, public relations firm The Breakthrough Company Go, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s SMBC Venture Capital, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group’s Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, East Ventures, Scrum Ventures, KSK Angel Fund and Pksha Sparx Algorithm I, which is backed by algorithm producer Pksha. It has now raised $3.7m in total, having also graduated from rail operator Tokyu Corporation’s Tokyu Accelerate Program and education services provider Globis’s G-Startup accelerator.
Financial exchange operator Nasdaq invested an undisclosed amount in Caspian, the UK-based creator of artificial intelligence software for use in financial fraud and money laundering investigations, yesterday. The capital was supplied through corporate venturing unit Nasdaq Ventures, and Caspian has also formed a partnership with Nasdaq’s Market Technology subsidiary.
Automotive services provider Royal Automobile Club of Victoria has led a £2.4m ($3m) funding round for Australia-based tailored travel services provider Tripfuser, PhocusWire has reported. The transaction was disclosed alongside news that acting Tripfuser chief executive Matt McCann will take on the role permanently.
Israel-based irrigation technology developer Saturas has received an undisclosed amount for the first close of a $3m funding round. The capital was supplied by fertiliser additive producer Hubei Forbon Technology, VC firm Gefen Capital and innovation commercialisation firm Trendlines Group, through its Agrifood Fund. All three also took part in a $4m series A round for Saturas in early 2018 alongside collective farm Ramat Magshimim, winery owner Miguel Torres Winery and existing backers Israel Farmers Union and Shlomo Nechama.
Tellus You Care, the US-based creator of a digital monitor for use in senior care, has raised a total of $2.75m in funding from investors including internet company Digital Garage and NTT Docomo Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of mobile network operator NTT Docomo, Forbes has reported. The corporates were joined by All Turtles, Miyako Capital, which manages VC investments on behalf of Kyoto University, and University of Tokyo Edge Capital, which does the same for University of Tokyo.
MTG Ventures, the corporate venturing subsidiary of brand developer MTG, led a ¥280m ($2.6m) series A round for Ginkan, the Japan-based creator of food and drink review and payment platform Synchro Life, on Tuesday. The round included digital gifting service Giftee, price data aggregator Aucfan, restaurant operators SLD Entertainment and DD Holdings (through DD Holdings Venture Capital), marketing agency Ceres, insurer Taiju Life’s Sansei Capital Investment and financial services firms Orient Corporation and Mitsubishi UFJ, the latter through Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. Its last funding was supplied by Giftee in February this year.
Internet-of-things services firm Communications Systems has invested an undisclosed amount in UK-based wireless network services provider Quortus in collaboration with telecommunications technology producer CellXion. Quortus has not revealed details of past financing but Communications Systems said it supplied the funding in connection with a strategic partnership.
GV, a corporate venturing subsidiary of internet and technology group Alphabet, led a $2.25m seed round on Tuesday for Ahana, the US-based creator of an analytics platform for database software product PrestoDB. The round included Leslie Ventures, the family office for entrepreneur Mark Leslie, as well as undisclosed angel investors, and the capital will be put toward product development and growing Ahana’s technical team.
Financial services firm Aozora Bank supplied an undisclosed amount for Caster, the Japan-based operator of a remote temp work platform, on Wednesday through subsidiary Aozora Corporate Investment. Gunosy Capital and SMBC Venture Capital, subsidiaries of news aggregator Gunosy and financial services firm Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, invested $3.2m in Caster in May 2019 to take its total funding to $9m, before it raised an undisclosed sum from recruitment firm Dip Corporation in January 2020 and $5.5m from internet company Gree’s Strive fund and Yamaguchi Capital in April. Its early backers include World Innovation Lab and Daiwa Corporate Investment.
Japan-based monoclonal antibody developer MabGenesis secured ¥240m ($2.2m) on Monday from investors including construction firm Aoki Group’s Anniversaire Holdings unit, financial services firms Miyazaki Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation through Miyagin Venture Capital and SMBC Venture Capital respectively, and Nagoya University–Tokai Regionwide University Venture Fund, which is managed by VC firm Beyond Next Ventures. MabGenesis raised $340,000 from investors including Beyond Next Ventures in December 2019 having already graduated from the firm’s Brave Acceleration Program.
Finland-based marine biorefinery developer Origin by Ocean has completed a €2m ($2.2m) seed round that included Kiilto Ventures, a subsidiary of bonding technology producer Kiilto, as well as professional services firm KPMG and children’s entertainment rights owner Moomin Characters. They were joined by company founders Mari Granström and Mikael Westerlund, angel investor Riitta Ekengren and all of its senior advisors.
Electronics component producer Mikasa Shoji provided an undisclosed amount for Japan-based internet-of-things orchestration technology developer Uhuru on Monday. Uhuru had already received a total of at least $8.9m from corporates SoftBank, NEC Corporation, Salesforce, Mitsui, NGK and Dentsu as of September 2019, before adding undisclosed amounts from Salesforce Ventures, enterprise software provider Salesforce’s corporate VC unit, in January this year, and from industrial manufacturer Toyoda Gosei in April.
Intelllex, the Singapore-based creator of an artificial intelligence-equipped knowledge management platform, closed a $2.1m funding round yesterday that included media company Thomson Reuters. VC firm Quest Ventures led the round, which also featured Insignia Ventures and K3 Ventures. The company also named angel investors Sim Wong Hoo, Tan Kim Seng, Jeffrey Khoo, Kelvin Chan, Chandra Mohan and Chong Chiet Ping as early backers.
Toshiba Data, a subsidiary of electronics manufacturer Toshiba, supplied an undisclosed amount of funding on Tuesday for UbiRegi, the Japan-based developer of a smart point-of-sale system. The investment was made in connection with a strategic partnership agreement, four years after UbiRegi raised an undisclosed sum from advertising technology provider DA Consortium and restaurant manager Kichiri Holdings.
Floating Point Group, a US-based developer of cryptocurrency trading technology, has completed a $2m seed round that included Seabury Global Markets, the electronic trading subsidiary of investment banking and professional services firm Seabury Group. The round was also backed by BoxOne Ventures, PIF.vc and angel investors including Naval Ravikant, Steve Kokinos and unnamed asset management executives.
Eco-Pork, a Japan-based developer of robotics technology for use in pig farming, raised an undisclosed amount of funding yesterday from Real Tech Fund, a joint venture formed by biofuel producer Euglena, research firm Leave a Nest and investment firm SMBC Nikko. It came after Real Tech Fund joined Leave a Nest and Tanaka Scale Works, a manufacturer of digital scales, to invest $470,000 in Eco-Pork in August 2019.
IT services firm Nihon Unisys invested ¥200m ($1.8m) in Ground, a Japan-based provider of logistics management software, yesterday in connection with a strategic partnership agreement. Ground was formed by home builder Daiwa House in 2015 and received $9m from the corporate in 2017, before adding $15.8m from consumer electronics provider Sony’s Innovation Fund, leasing services firm JA Mitsui Leasing, Sapphire Capital, IMM Investment and its IMM Investment Group Japan subsidiary in August 2019.
PickUp, a US-based developer of technology that helps make sporting media more interactive, has received an undisclosed amount of seed funding from investors including Drive by DraftKings, the venture studio formed by daily fantasy sports platform DraftKings. The round was led by venture capital firm KB Partners and also featured VC fund Connetic Ventures.
Crofarm, the India-based owner of fresh produce sourcing service Otipy, has secured $1m in a funding round led by internet group Smile Group, YourStory reported on Tuesday. The company had previously received $500,000 from angel investors including Vinay Mittal and Ramit Sethi in January 2019, and the round was disclosed alongside the launch of Otipy.
Rangsons Technologies, a subsidiary of diversified conglomerate NR Group, has led a pre-series A round of undisclosed size for FirmRoots, the India-based owner of healthy snack brand Timios, VCCircle has reported. Family office Paipal Ventures also took part in the round, which came after packaged food producer MTR Foods invested an undisclosed amount in the company through its MTR Seed Fund in mid-2018.
Vivid Digital, the China-based owner of online television platform LotusTV, closed a ¥60m ($550,000) pre-series A round today featuring cross-border entertainment provider MCIP Holdings and unnamed angel investors. Gaming services provider Alt Plus acquired a stake in Vivid in 2017 before it raised undisclosed amounts from event ticketing portal Clubberia in March 2018 and online book retailer Million Years Bookstore three months later.
Telework Technologies, a Japan-based startup developing a multi-location workspace app, received an undisclosed amount yesterday in an angel round featuring game testing services provider Gaiax. The corporate participated alongside angel investors Shōji Kodama and Shintarō Tabata, and the cash will support app development as well as pre-market testing and product launch.
Blast, the Japan-based operator of sanitary goods brand Nagi, raised an eight-figure yen amount (¥10m = $90,000) today from asset management firm Sevenwoods Investment and angel investors including Yū Akasaka. The round came after video content producer One Media, mobile marketing technology producer Adways and corporate-backed VC fund B Dash Ventures had supplied an undisclosed amount of funding for Blast in March 2018.
Waterproofing products and services provider Nordic Waterproofing Group agreed on Monday to pay SEK1.3m ($140,000) for a 25% stake in Playgreen Finland, a Finland-based designer and installer of solar energy systems. The deal also gives the corporate the option to increase its stake to 80% over the next two years.
Additional reporting by Liwen-Edison Fu.
