Funding
Internet and gaming group Tencent has supplied $12m in series A funding for Horizon Quantum Computing, a Singapore-based provider of quantum computing software services, DealStreetAsia reported yesterday, citing a regulatory filing. Horizon had previously raised $3.2m in seed-plus funding from Sequoia Capital India and existing backers SGInnovate, Abies Ventures, DCVC, Qubit Protocol, Summer Capital and Posa CV in mid-2020.
UK-based authentication technology developer Tru.id increased a seed round backed by internet company NHN to $9m on Friday with approximately $5.3m from venture capital firm Sorenson Ventures. The mid-2020 first tranche was disclosed in February 2021, led by Episode 1 and also featured NHN subsidiary NHN Ventures, MMC Ventures, Brightway Future Capital, Tony Jamous, Trevor Healy and Chris Mairs.
Kikitrade, the China-headquartered operator of an online cryptocurrency and social investment platform, closed a $6m funding round today co-led by entertainment group Media Asia. VC firm AppWorks co-led the round, which included Audeo Ventures and unnamed existing investors. Blockchain game developer Animoca Brands provided an undisclosed sum for the company in October 2021, four months after backing a $12m pre-series A round alongside Dragonfly Capital, Cherubic Ventures, Vulpes, Super Chain Capital, Artesian, Head & Shoulders X, SNZ Holding, Alan Howard and Joseph Lubin.
Industrial equipment and appliance manufacturer Robert Bosch paid an undisclosed sum for a 14% stake in India-based connected mobility software developer Zeliot Connected Services on Friday. Zeliot will also integrate with Bosch’s Mobility Marketplace product.
US-headquartered metaverse game studio Battlebound completed a $4.8m seed round last month featuring blockchain entertainment app developer Dapper Labs. VC firm Andreessen Horowitz led the round, which was also backed by Play Ventures and angel investors including Kristian Segerstrale, Ryan Wyatt, Gabby Dizon, Roham Gharegozlou, Alex Price, Raaid Hossain, Thomas Vu and Kenny Carvalho.
Consulting firm Internet Research Institute, IT industry event organiser Nano Opt Media and financial services firm Shinsei Bank’s Shinsei Corporate Investment fund joined unnamed private investors today to add ¥120m to Japan-based entertainment digitalisation technology developer Ecbo Square’s series B round, expanding it to ¥580m ($4.7m). E-commerce firm Rakuten provided the first ¥460m in December 2021 at a valuation of $57m.
Dank Bank, the US-based creator of a digital trading platform for non-fungible tokens based on online memes, secured $4.2m in pre-seed funding on Friday from investors including Samsung Next, a subsidiary of consumer electronics producer Samsung. The corporate was joined in the round by Mechanism Capital, Morningstar Ventures, Starry Night Capital, Kyros Ventures and angel investors Balaji Srinivasan and Cryptopathic.
US-based virtual workspace technology developer Welo disclosed on Friday it has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from project management software provider Atlassian and video communications platform developer Zoom. The corporates supplied the cash through corporate VC vehicles Atlassian Ventures and Zoom Apps Fund respectively.
Energy utility Eneos and financial services provider SBI supplied ¥400m ($3.3m) in funding for Japan-based electric vehicle charging service Ubiden today. The company raised the cash through corporate venturing vehicles Eneos Innovation Partners and SBI Investment.
Modulize, the Norway-headquartered creator of a collaborative software platform designed for general contractors, received €1.9m ($2.1m) in seed funding from investors including real estate developer Møller Eiendom today. VC firm Kompas led the round, which also featured Pi Labs, Investinor and Antler.
Encino Environmental Holdings, a provider of carbon emissions products, invested an undisclosed amount in US-headquartered miniaturised camera and satellite provider Satlantis last month. Satlantis is the US affiliate of Spain-based Satlantis Microsats, which counts gas utility Enagás among its investors.
IT services firm Admitad has disclosed $1.2m in funding it has provided for White Label, a Germany-based provider of online media сoupon technology. The cash came through an $350,000 investment at an undisclosed date and a further $850,000 supplied in 2021.
Sticitt, the South Africa-based operator of an education-focused digital payment system, has received an undisclosed amount of seed funding from investors including IT services firm Realm Digital, Disrupt Africa reported last month. Nustate Capital Ventures led the round, which also featured Grindstone Ventures, Hlayisani Capital and GalloProvincialis.
MediColle, the Japan-based developer of a fact-checking service for healthcare content, secured ¥100m ($815,000) today from investors including cloud software-focused consultancy Topgate. The round also featured VC firm Mobile Internet Capital.
Additional reporting by Liwen-Edison Fu. Photo courtesy of Horizon Quantum Computing.
