Financial marketplace operator Tradeweb Markets has provided an undisclosed amount of funding for DealVector, the US-based developer of a registry and communication platform for fixed income assets, the companies said yesterday. DealVector, which was founded in 2012, had secured $28.8m in equity and debt financing from a total of 25 investors that may include DealVector between June this year and the end of last week, according to a regulatory filing.
Internet group Tencent led a $5m round on Tuesday for Oben, the US-based developer of a software platform that can create personalised virtual reality avatars, which included private investor Li Ruigang. Oben said it has now raised more than $13.7m altogether from investors also including SoftBank Ventures Korea, a subsidiary of telecom group SoftBank, as well as conglomerate Dunan Group, entertainment provider SM Entertainment, Cybernaut Westlake Partners, Third Wave Digital, Idealab, Leaguer Venture Investment and angel investor Gordon Cheng.
UK-based cloud payment technology developer Form3 secured $5m on Monday in a series A round featuring financial services firm Barclays, early-stage co-investor Angel Co-Fund and undisclosed angel and existing investors. Form3 will put the funding toward adding features to its payment-as-a-service platform, strengthening its presence in the UK and expanding across Europe and North America.
Auto manufacturer Great Wall Motors has agreed to pay an undisclosed amount for a 25% stake in China-based electric vehicle producer Yogomo Automobile, Sinocast reported on Monday. Yogomo launched its first vehicle, a small, four-door all-electric car widely thought to be modelled on the Kia Picanto, in early 2015.
Party goods supplier Party City has invested an undisclosed amount in online invitation and greeting card creation platform Punchbowl. Although the amount was not revealed, a securities filing from May 2017 indicates the investment, which was announced on Monday, was likely $4m in size. Punchbowl had previously raised at least $5.2m, according to press reports and securities filings, and its earlier investors include chipmaker Intel’s investment arm Intel Capital, Silicon Valley Bank, Contour Venture Partners and eCoast Angels.
E-commerce and mobile payment platform One97 Communications has invested an undisclosed amount in India-based mobile loyalty and data analytics technology provider MobiQuest Mobile Technologies, Hindu Business Line reported on Monday. As part of the deal, One97’s merchant partners will be able to access MobiQuest’s technology to help them secure and engage with customers.
POSpulse, a Germany-based in-store retail data provider backed by telecom services provider Drillisch and media group Medien Union, has received €3m ($3.5m) in series B funding from investors including Follow the Rabbit Ventures and angel investor Paul Kraut. VC fund High-Tech Gründerfonds had supplied an undisclosed amount in seed capital for POSpulse in 2014 before adding a seven-figure euro amount in a series A round featuring Medien Union’s Intermedia unit and Drillisch’s Mobile Ventures subsidiary at the end of 2015.
Kaiser Permanente Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of care consortium Kaiser Permanente, led a $3m extension on Wednesday to the series A round being raised by US-based patient data protection startup Protenus. F-Prime Capital Partners and LionBird Venture Partners also contributed to the extension, which will be added to the $4m Protenys raised in February 2016 from LionBird, Arthur Ventures, DreamIt Ventures, Cognosante, Tedco and Baltimore Angels.
Tomorrow, the US-based developer of a financial and legal planning platform aimed at families, has raised $2.6m in seed capital from Allianz Life, a subsidiary of insurance group Allianz, as well as Maveron, Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI), Echelon Capital, Clocktower Technology Ventures, Plug And Play, Flying Fish Partners, Curious Capital and undisclosed angel investors. The funding was disclosed on Tuesday, the same day the startup launched its app.
Enterprise software provider Salesforce Ventures invested an undisclosed amount in Appiphony, a US-based startup that provides app development services on the Salesforce platform, on Tuesday through its strategic investment subsidiary, Salesforce Ventures. The funding was provided through Salesforce Ventures’ $50m SI Trailblazer Fund, and came in advance of the planned launch of Strike Connect, Appiphony’s Salesforce-based integration framework for developers, which is slated for release in the third quarter of 2017.
Next SCM Solutions, the India-based operator of fashion supply chain management software platform Increff, has secured $2m in a round backed by warehouse robot supplier Grey Orange Robotics, the Economic Times reported on Monday. VC firm Sequoia Capital led the round, which included angel investors Rajesh Ramaiah, Anshuman Das, Rishi Das and Jasbir Juneja.
Business IT and digital media services provider TechSophy supplied an undisclosed amount of series A funding to US-based cognitive intelligence technology developer Decooda International on Wednesday. Decooda released its latest product, CX I.Q., a platform that adds details to customer experience scoring by inserting a specific question that is intended to detect the emotional and cognitive state of the person in question, the same day.
Canada-based motion detection software developer Aerial Technologies has received C$2.25m ($1.8m) in convertible note financing from investors including communications technology provider Quebecor Group and Wayra, a subsidiary of telecom firm Telefónica . The round was co-led by Fonds Innovexport and private investor Jean-François Grenon, and included Kibo Ventures and angel investors affiliated with seed-stage VC firm TandemLaunch.
1st Consult Technologies, the India-based operator of ambulance location and hailing platform Ambee, has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from on-demand ride provider Uber, investment firm Amaya Capital, an unnamed family office and undisclosed angel investors, VCCircle reported on Tuesday. Ambee had raised $200,000 from undisclosed angel investors when Uber founder Travis Kalanick invested $50,000 in January this year, at which time Ambee planned to raise another $1m, according to Business Standard.
Auto components producer ABI-Showatech has provided $600,000 in funding for PlayAblo, the India-based developer of a gamified learning platform, VCCircle reported on Wednesday. PlayAblo, which is owned by parent company GoSharp Technology & Consulting, had previously received an undisclosed amount of funding from Brand Accelerator, a subsidiary of media firm Times Group, in November 2016.
On-demand ride platform Careem has invested $500,000 in Swvl, the Egypt-based creator of an app that connects commuters with private bus services, Reuters reported on Monday. As part of the deal, Magnus Olsson, Careem’s co-founder and chief experience officer, will take a board seat at Swvl, which was founded in March this year.