Sight Machine, a US-based developer of big data technology for manufacturing companies, has raised $5m in series A funding from O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, the corporate venturing unit of media company O’Reilly Media, as well as Mercury Fund, Michigan eLab, Huron River Ventures, Orfin Ventures, Funders Club and IA Ventures. The company, backed by O’Reilly AlphaTech and IA at seed stage, will spend the funding on upgrading its technical and market development activities.
YJ Capital, the corporate venturing arm of internet services provider Yahoo Japan, invested ¥408m ($3.4m) in WhitePlus, the Japan-based operator of online laundry service Lenet, on Tuesday. WhitePlus, which received $3m in 2013 from investment firm Jafco, will invest the money in enhancing its service and expanding its workforce.
US-based digital media monetisation technology company Cinemacraft closed a $3.9m series A round on Tuesday led by 500startups and featuring NTT Docomo Ventures, the investment arm of mobile network NTT Docomo, Samsung Ventures, the corporate venturing subsidiary of electronics producer Samsung, broadcaster Turner and Fierce Capital. Founded in Japan in 2012, Cinemacraft had previously raised about $3m at seed stage from the same investors.
Fetch Robotics, a US-based startup developing robots for use in the logistics and light industrial sectors, launched on Monday with $3m of funding from O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures and venture capital firm Shasta Ventures. The cash will help it bring its first line of robots to market.
IDG Ventures India, a local corporate venturing affiliate of media and data company International Data Group, has invested Rs 180m ($2.9m) in India-based online recruitment marketplace MyNoticePeriod, Times of India reported on Monday. MyNoticePeriod, which was incubated at Nasscom Startup Warehouse, raised $330,000 in an IDG Ventures-led seed round in September 2014 that also featured a host of angel investors.
IDG Ventures USA, the US-focused corporate venturing unit of International Data Group, meanwhile has backed Soothe, a company which has developed an app that allows customers to book same-day massage therapies. The $1.7m seed round also featured a range of angel investors.
Japan-based online learning company Schoo has raised ¥340m ($2.9m) from Dentsu Digital Holdings, a subsidiary of marketing firm Dentsu, consultancy Link and Motivation, Itochu Technology Ventures, a corporate venturing subsidiary of conglomerate Itochu, Anri, and Incubate Fund. Schoo received $1.5m in 2013 from Itochu Technology Ventures, Anri, and Incubate Fund, the latter two having supplied it with seed funding in 2012.
Germany-based molecular diagnostics company Oncgnostics has closed a seven-figure euros series A round. German state and corporate-backed High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) participated in the round alongside investment firm Beteiligungsmanagement Thüringen, bank Sparkasse Jena-Saale-Holzland, research foundation Stiftung für Technologie, Innovation und Forschung Thüringen (Stift) and angel Anastasia Zepik. HTGF and Stift previously backed a 2012 seed round which raised an undisclosed amount.
UK-based precision manufacturing contractor VTL Group secured £1.5m ($2.3m) from Business Growth Fund (BGF), backed by five major UK financial services firms. BGF previously invested £4m in the business in 2013.
SoftBank Ventures Korea, the local corporate venturing arm of Japan-based telecom company SoftBank, and cloud services provider Akamai Technologies have invested in Israel-based cloud computing company Saguna Networks. Unnamed existing investors also joined. The company has not disclosed any previous rounds.
Arlon Group, a private investment group that invests on behalf of agriculture conglomerate ContiGroup Companies, has made an investment of undisclosed size in Brazil-based Grano Alimentos. Grano manufactures packaged frozen vegetable products.
Incubator Rocket Internet-backed Netzoptiker, a Germany-based eye wear online retailer, has been acquired by eye wear online retailer MyOptique Group. Netzoptiker raised €1.3m ($1.4m) from Rocket Internet and co-operative bank Crédit Agricole.
China-based job hunting website Nashangban has closed a RMB25m ($4m) series A round backed by Rushan Investment Management, the investment vehicle of diversified industrial group DunAn Holding Group. Intune Capital and angel investor Wang Huai participated. The company previously received an undisclosed amount in seed funding in 2013 from angel investor Xu Xiaoping.
Announced earlier this week, instant messaging company Line’s $42m Line Life Global Gateway fund has made its first investment. Japan-based online video production company 3Minute has secured an undisclosed amount, and will use it to expand its network of female YouTube creators by a 100 new members from a current 23.
Senovo, a human resources company focused on the IT sector, has backed Germany-based education startup Qlearning’s seed round. The amount was reportedly in the low seven figures. Telecom company Deutsche Telekom’s incubator hub:raum, bank Investitionsbank Berlin, venture capital firm M-Investar and seed fund K5 Ventures also joined.
Another Germany-based online learning platform, Lecturio, also secured an undisclosed amount this week. Holtzbrinck Digital, the internet holdings arm of publishing group Georg von Holtzbrinck, led Lecturio’s series B round which also featured Holtzbrinck Ventures (HV), the former corporate venturing arm of the publisher, second-hand car sales website car4you, Seventure Partners, and Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen (TGFS). HV, Seventure and TGFS previously invested an undisclosed amount in Lecturio’s series A round in January 2014.