US-based network interconnect services provider CENX secured an undisclosed sum on Tuesday from Verizon Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of telecommunications company Verizon Communications, communications technology producer Ericsson, Highland Capital Partners, Mesirow Financial Private Equity, DCM Ventures and Cross Creek Advisors. Ericsson invested an undisclosed sum in CENX in 2012, three months after it raised $9.5m from Verizon, Mesirow, DCM, Highland and software company Wasatch
Japan-based advertising technology developer Fringe81 has raised ¥420m ($3.5m) from NTT Docomo Ventures, iStyle Capital and Dentsu Digital Holdings, the respective corporate venturing units of mobile network NTT Docomo, market design company iStyle and marketing firm Dentsu, as well as online media companies Gree and TBS. The funds will go to advancing recruitment, with a particular focus on the smartphone area of Fringe81’s business.
Venture capital firm Runa Capital has invested $3.4m in Finland-based software vendor MariaDB, according to Russian press reports. Formerly known as SkySQL, MariaDB had previously raised a total of $26.5m from Intel Capital, the corporate venturing subsidiary of semiconductor maker Intel, California Technology Ventures, Finnish Industry Investment, Open Ocean Capital and Spintop Private Partners.
US-based, travel-themed digital media company Atlas Obscura has raised $2m in seed funding on Wednesday from investors including media companies The New York Times Company and Graham Holdings, Capital New York reported on Wednesday. Additional backers included venture capital firm New Atlantic Ventures and a host of angel investors.
Japan-based app analytics provider Fuller has secured ¥230m ($1.9m) in a series A round backed by game developer Colopl, digital marketing firm Opt, media company Asahi Shimbun, car rental company Nihon Kotsu, enterprise software provider Infoteria, Global Catalyst Partners and undisclosed private investors, The Bridge reported today. Internet service provider Asahi Net and M8 Capital provided $1.2m in seed funding for Fuller in 2012.
OrbitHCI, a US-based startup developing an online messaging system targeted at elderly users, has raised $1m in seed funding from Google Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of internet company Google, and VC firm Atlas Venture, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. Founder Keith Kocho previously founded ExtendMedia, a content management system developer acquired by networking technology producer Cisco in 2010 for $80m.
Ardusat, a US-based provider of learning resources about space, secured $1m on Wednesday in a seed round backed by satellite data provider Spire, aerospace economic development organisation Space Florida and VC fund Fresco Capital. The funding will support the expansion of Ardusat’s Experiment Platform, which enables students to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics through custom experiments conducted in space or on earth.
Inmoji, a US-based startup that aims to integrate advertising content into messaging conversations, raised a $1m seed round on Thursday from investors including Start Tank, the incubator backed by online payment company PayPal. The round also included Atlas Venture, ex-Paypal Media COO David Chang and additional undisclosed investors.
India-based travel services app developer Trip38 has received Rs 60m ($1m) in seed funding from InterGlobe Technology Quotient, the travel services subsidiary of conglomerate InterGlobe Enterprises, and VC firm Lantern Capital, the Economic Times reported on Monday. Trip38 will spend the funding on marketing, and on upgrading its technology and product features.
Crevo, the Japan-based operator of a crowdsourced platform for animation, raised ¥100m ($840,000) in seed funding on Wednesday from CyberAgent Ventures, the corporate venturing unit of internet company CyberAgent, and corporate-backed VC fund B Dash Ventures. Launched by animation studio PurpleCow in March 2014, Crevo has reportedly previously received funding from VC firm East Ventures.
Spika, the Japan-based creator of nail design photo app Nailbook, has also raised ¥100m, from B Dash Ventures and Gree Ventures, Gree’s corporate venturing unit, The Bridge reported on Thursday. Incubate Fund and Soraseed Startups invested ¥50m in Spika, which will use the latest funding to hire more engineers and designers, in January 2014.
Denmark-based educational app developer WriteReader received $800,000 in seed funding on Thursday from Lindhardt & Ringhof, a publishing subsidiary of media group Egmont. The company’s lead product is Write to Read, a literacy app aimed at young children.
Corporate-backed VC fund High-Tech Gruenderfonds (HTGF) has invested an undisclosed sum in AltusInsight, the Germany-based developer of big data processing software LambdaNow. In addition to its software, AltusInsight also provides big data consultancy services for enterprise customers.
HTGF and undisclosed business angels also invested a high six-digit euro amount in 99chairs, a Germany-based startup that helps users access personalised interior design concepts, on Thursday. 99chairs will use the cash to upgrade its software for use by designers and customers.
Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Fund, the VC fund formed by financial services firm Bank of Ireland and VC firm Kernel Capital, has invested an undisclosed but ‘significant’ amount in UK-based medical diagnostics technology provider Cirdan Imaging, FinsSMEs reported on Monday. Cirdan, which was formed in 2010 and previously backed by Invest Northern Ireland, will use the capital to expand its operations.
Italy-based online learning software developer OilProject has received €200,000 ($225,000) in funding from TIM Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of telecommunications company Telecom Italia. OilProject aims to digitise teaching in classes throughout Europe.