US-based software development platform Pixie has raised $9.2m in a series A round led by Benchmark, with participation from conglomerate Alphabet’s GV subsidiary, according to TechCrunch. The company revealed the funding as it released its product as a public beta.
US-based beauty products marketplace Mira Beauty has picked up $9m in a series A round co-led by Unilever Ventures, the consumer conglomerate’s venturing subsidiary, and venture capital firm 14W. The money will allow Mira Beauty to move its mobile app out of beta and redesign its website.
Collective, the US-based operator of a back-office platform for self-employed workers, has received $8.7m in its inaugural funding round backed by Gradient Ventures, an investment arm of conglomerate Alphabet, according to Crunchbase News. General Catalyst and QED Investors led the round and Expa and assorted angel investors also contributed.
Elevate Security, a US-based human risk management software developer, has raised $8.3m in series A1 funding led by Foundry Group, with commitments from cloud computing firm Salesforce’s Salesforce Ventures unit and Shasta Ventures. Costanoa Ventures and Defy also took part in the round, which brought Elevate Security’s overall financing to $18.3m. The money will support recruitment, expanded go-to-market capabilities and drive business growth.
US-based open-source software developer Cube Dev has received $6.2m in seed financing from investors including Slack Fund, the investment vehicle for messaging platform Slack, according to TechCrunch. The round was led by Bain Capital Ventures and also attracted Eniac Ventures, Betaworks, Innovation Endeavors, Uncorrelated Venutres and Overtime.vc.
Greenbird, a Norway-based big data integration technology provider for utilities and the industrial internet of things, has obtained €5m ($5.9m) in funding from ENV, the venture arm of utility company EnBW, and the state-owned investment firm Nysnø Climate Investments as well as ETF Partners. The cash will drive international growth and allow Greenbird to grow its partner ecosystem.
Tarfin, a Turkey-based provider that allows farmers to purchase seeds on more favourable terms, has closed a $5m series A round backed by Syngenta Ventures, the investment arm of agrochemical company Syngenta, according to Agfundernews. Quona Capital led the round, which also included Elevator Ventures, the venture capital unit of financial services firm Raiffeisen, Collective Spark Fund and Wamda.
Mexico-based online grocery store Jüsto has picked up $5m in funding from Bimbo Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of bakery chain Bimbo, and Sweet Capital, according to TechCrunch. The funding follows Jüsto’s expansion beyond Mexico City and comes only three months after its $12m bridge round backed by Femsa Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of beverage bottler Femsa.
Commmune, a Japan-based provider of a customer engagement tool developer, has raised ¥450m ($4.3m) in a series A round from UB Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of business intelligence provider Uzabase, and DNX Ventures. The funding will be used to enhance its technology and increase headcount. UB Ventures had already invested $464,000 in the company in July 2019.
Nature Architects, the Japan-based developer of a metamaterials design algorithm dubbed DFM, has raised a ¥90m ($853,000) series A extension round from MMC Innovation, a joint vehicle for advanced materials firms Mitsubishi Materials Corporation and Japan Material Technologies Corporation, industrial mould manufacturer Nifco and Pksha Sparx Algorithm Fund. Combining the initial $3m in series A funding in May 2020 – from air conditioner maker Daikin and farm machinery firm Kobashi Industries, FFG Venture Business Partners, an investment vehicle for financial services firm Fukuoka Financial Group, and Drone Fund — the series A has reached roughly $3.9m.
Japan-based optical frequency comb software supplier Xtia (formerly OptoComb) secured ¥400m ($3.8m) from conglomerate Sojitz Corporation in September, it has revealed, which pushed its series C funding to $20.4m, of which $4.7m was provided by Sojitz. The deal was first disclosed in September.
Brazil-based real estate marketplace EmCase has closed a $3.5m funding round backed by online marketplaces operator Mercado Livre’s Meli Fund, Monashees, Caravela Capital, Pear Ventures and NBV, according to Contxto. The company will now scale its operations in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and will also improve its recommendation algorithm.
Investment firm Midas Capital has made a partial transfer of shares held in Japan-based digital marketing company Avic to Mizuho Capital, venture capital arm of financial services firm Mizuho Bank, and VC firm Mobile Internet Capital, which have invested ¥330m ($3.1m).
Brazil-based urban farming company BeGreen has raised $3m from shopping centre developer Aliansce, according to Contxto. BeGreen will use the money to open eight more farms, the majority of which will be located near Aliansce-owned malls.
iWeecare, a Taiwan-based developer of a continuous temperature monitor for newborns, has raised $2.4m in pre-series A funding led by Translink Capital, with participation from circuit board surface mount producer Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology, electronics manufacturer Might Electronic, the National Development Fund, BE Capital, NCTU Angel Club, Verge HealthTech Fund and Darwin Venture.
US-based digital financial account switching platform ClickSwitch has collected $2m in a series B1 round backed by financial services firm USAA through an unnamed subsidiary. ClickSwitch has now raised more than $21m and will use the latest cash infusion to expand its offering and hire another 10 to 20 staff this year.
Xbit, the Japan-based operator of shift management software Rakushifu, has received ¥200m ($1.9m) from Nissay Capital, Mizuho Capital and YJ Capital, respective corporate venturing units of insurer Nippon Life, financial services firm Mizuho Bank and internet company Yahoo Japan, as well as venture capital firm East Ventures.
Acall, the Japan-based operator of a workspace management platform dubbed WorkstyleOS, has raised an undisclosed amount (understood to be roughly ¥130m = $1.2m) of funding from real estate developer Hankyu Hanshin Properties’s HHP Co-Creation Fund, stationery and office supplies maker Kokuyo and leasing services firm JA Mitsui Leasing. This round has pushed the company’s overall funding to $7.9m. The company’s past investors also include property developer Tokyu Fudosan Holdings’ TFHD Open Innovation Program and mobile phone seller T-Gaia Corporation; however, it is unclear when they invested. Acall had secured $4.6m in series A funding in June 2020 from VC firm Jafco and Development Bank of Japan’s DBJ Capital unit that took its total funding at the time to $6.5m.
Hackazouk, which provides a cloud-based recruitment system dubbed Official-Alumni.com, has raised a second series A tranche from Okasan Capital, a vehicle for brokerage Okasan Securities. The first portion of the round took place in June 2020 and was backed by Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Mizuho Capital, respective subsidiaries of financial services firms Mitsubishi UFJ and Mizuho Bank, as well as Dream Incubator. The series A round has reached $1.1m.
Hags, a US-based creator of digital experiences aimed at students, has raised $1m in a seed round led by conglomerate Alphabet’s GV unit, with participation from BoxGroup and private investors. The company’s inaugural product was a digital yearbook that high school students could sign through ephemeral messaging service Snapchat. The company will now expand its product with additional features.
Colombia-based voice communication platform Vozy has raised $800,000 in funding from Wayra Telefónica, the accelerator of telecoms firm Telefónica, as well as Ark Fund, 10X Capital Fund, Magma Partners, SC Angeles, Andeo Capital and various angel investors. Vozy will use the money to expand further throughout Latin America and build out the technology to recognise more accents.
Menou, the Japan-based provider of an artificial intelligence (AI)-equipped visual inspection system aimed at the manufacturing industry, has raised ¥80m ($757,000) from internet and telecommunications firm SoftBank’s AI-focused Deepcore fund, LED lighting inspection service CCS and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, the corporate venturing vehicle for financial services firm Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.
Rabobank, a Netherlands-based bank, has joined the $600,000 round for ChainCargo, a local logistics startup finding space in empty lorries.
Globis School of Management has supplied ¥50m ($474,000) in a round of undisclosed size for iMed Technologies, a Japan-based developer of artificial intelligence-equipped cerebrovascular surgery support software, investing alongside SBI Investment and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, respective subsidiaries of financial services firm SBI and insurer Mitsui Sumitomo. This represents the eighth investment from the school’s Globis Alumni Growth Investment, also known as G-Growth Fund, which backs startups founded by the institution’s students and alumni.
PalledAd, a Japan-based advertising digitisation technology startup, has raised ¥20m ($189,000) of pre-seed round from U-Tokyo Entrepreneur Supporter’s Club Incubation Fund, DG Ventures, the investment arm of internet company Digital Garage, IT services firm Hitokuse, Logly Investment and unnamed angel investors.
Japan-based remote eye care services provider Mitas Medical, has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from plastic products maker Takagi Seiko Corporation.
Japan-based co-living service AddRess has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from Marui Group, Ritsumeikan Social Impact Fund, a vehicle for Ritsumeikan University, and Himawari G4, a fund owned by Chibagin Capital, part of financial services firm Chiba Bank.
Japan-based online fan letter service provider Sozi has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from mobile game publisher Akatsuki’s Heart Driven Fund, Green Ventures, Genesia Ventures and assorted angel investors.
UTokyo Economic Consulting, a Japan-based, economics-focused consultancy formed by University of Tokyo, has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from newspaper publisher Nikkei and market research and credit report firm Tokyo Shoko Research.
China-based internet company Baidu is looking to spin off its Smart Living Group unit and has signed up its own corporate venturing arm, Baidu Capital, as well as CPE and IDG Capital for a series A round of undisclosed size that will value the spinoff at $2.9bn. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter.
Utility company A2A has put undisclosed sums into three companies: Hades, a Switzerland-based company using computer vision to inspect wastewater networks that is linked to University of Zurich, Circular Materials, an Italy-based developer of technology to remove heavy and precious metals from wastewater, and Siteflow, a France-based producer of software to digitise maintenance processes in production plants.
Mercado Livre has also acquired a minority stake in Brazil-based logistics services provider Kangu, again conducting the deal through its Meli Fund, according to NeoFeed. The corporate has not disclosed further details.
Cambodia-based media company Mediaload has secured an undisclosed amount in series A capital from True Group, the telecoms arm of conglomerate Charoen Pokphand, according to Kr-Asia. The cash will allow Mediaload to broaden its content offering and seek a regional expansion.
US-based digital guest engagement platform Thanx has received an undisclosed amount from retail marketing technology firm RHI Group. Thanx expects the money will allow it to become profitable and the company does not expect to raise any future equity funding.
Canada-based automotive predictive maintenance platform Pitstop yesterday obtained an unspecified amount of series A finaincng led by industrial technology firm Sensata Technologies, with contributions from Ripple Ventures and Hike Ventures. Pitstop will look to expand its market reach, bolster its product and build additional prediction algorithms.
Japan-based artificial intelligence-powered dialogue interface software developer CotobaDesign has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from IT services firm SCSK.
Japan-based consumer-generated advertising technology provider Watashiha has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from internet and telecommunications firm SoftBank’s Deepcore fund and DG Daiwa Ventures, a vehicle for internet company Digital Garage.
– Additional reporting by Liwen-Edison Fu
