Concord Health Partners and Maverick Ventures co-led a $10m series A round for Cylera, a US-based connected healthcare technology developer backed by electronics producer Samsung, last month to take its total funding to $7m. Samsung subsidiary Samsung Next reportedly joined Maverick Ventures and Two Sigma Ventures in a $5.5m seed round for the company in 2018, and it has also named Contour Venture Partners, Dreamit Ventures, Great Oaks Venture Capital and Red Bear Angels as earlier backers.
Proprietary trading firm Jump Trading provided an undisclosed amount for Chiliz, the Malta-based operator of a blockchain-powered digital trading card game known as Fan Tokens and a sports fan engagement platform called Socios, on Wednesday. Chiliz described itself as a crypto unicorn in the statement announcing the deal, which came after it raised $27m in a private token sale in April 2018 and an undisclosed sum from blockchain investment firm Kosmos Capital two months later.
Powerlaw AI, a China-based developer of intelligent legal software, has raised $9m from investors including industrial manufacturer Huayu Innovation & Technology, DealStreetAsia reported on Tuesday. Venture capital firm Source Code Capital led the round, which also featured Matrix Partners China, Sequoia Capital China and Linear Capital. It came after Powerlaw secured an undisclosed amount of pre-series A funding from Sequoia China, Linear Capital and IMO Ventures.
Zijin Hongyun Fund, which is managed by e-commerce group Alibaba’s Alibaba Health subsidiary and private equity firm Huatai Zijin Investment, has led a round of undisclosed size for China-based mass spectrometry technology developer Yingsheng Biology, China Money Network reported today. The company secured $14.5m from supply chain services provider Xiamen C&D and BioVenture in a mid-2019 series C round following an undisclosed amount of earlier funding from investors including Source Capital and SunzFund.
Insurance firm Baloise Group invested $5.9m in Denmark-based carsharing subscription service GoMore as part of a DKK55m ($8.8m) funding round today that included unnamed existing investors. Angel investor Jesper Buch supplied an undisclosed sum for GoMore in 2013, and it raised $1.8m from Seed Capital and unnamed existing backers in 2014, $1.4m from Polar Light Capital and private investor Kaare Danielsen the following year, an undisclosed sum from angel investor Lennart Lajboschitz in 2016 and $5.6m from insurer Macif in 2017, in return for a stake just under 10%.
Starfire Energy, a US-based developer of carbon-free ammonia and hydrogen production technology, secured an undisclosed amount from investors including clean power producer New Energy Technologies, petroleum supplier Chevron, gas utility Osaka Gas USA and industrial equipment manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries yesterday. The round was led by VC firm AP Ventures, and Chevron took part through strategic investment vehicle Chevron Technology Ventures.
US-based smart hearing aid developer Olive Union closed a $7m series B round on Monday featuring Bonds Investment Group, a subsidiary of online advertising agency Opt, as well as VC firm Beyond Next Ventures and the Japanese state-owned Japan Policy Finance Corporation. The company said it has now secured $20m in total, employment and learning support provider Litalico having supplied $10m in funding in 2019. Its earlier investors reportedly include Magna Investment.
Communication services provider IDT Corporation led a $7m series B round on Wednesday for MarketSpark, a US-based company that converts traditional telephone systems to wireless. The round included real estate developer Klein Enterprises and Goldie Group, and Klein Enterprises CEO Daniel Klein is joining MarketSpark’s board of directors along with IDT chief executive Shmuel Jonas. It has not disclosed details of earlier funding.
Ballogy, a US-based developer of software that helps athletes prepare for sporting events, has completed a $6m series A round featuring web development services provider FiveRivers Technologies. The round included Jones & Spross and angel investors William Martindale, Gil Marmol, James Isch, Ulice Payne Jr, Gary Harris, Rocky Turner and Napoleon Brandford III, and the company said it has now raised $9.5m altogether.
Rabo, a Japan-based developer of cats’ lifestyle-focused technology, received ¥600m ($5.5m) in series A funding on Tuesday from digital media company Gree’s Strive vehicle, insurance firm Taiju Life’s Sansei Capital unit and financial services firm Mizuho Bank’s Mizuho Capital subsidiary as well as XTech Ventures and W Ventures, and an undisclosed amount of debt financing. It said it has now raised about $7.7m in total, having secured an eight-figure yen amount (¥10m = $89,000 at contemporary rates) from unnamed angel investors in April 2019 and $910,000 from ISGS Investment Works, W Ventures, iPlab Startups and angel investor Takuma Iwasa in January 2020.
US-based shipment tracking software developer Malomo secured $5m in seed funding from investors including digital agency The Vaan Group on Wednesday. Base10 Partners led the round, which included Harlem Capital, High Alpha, Hyde Park Venture Partners, CX Collective and angel investors Paul Singh, Curtis Cheng, Jeremy Cai and Alexandre Perrier. Malomo said it has now raised $8.2m in total, $2.8m coming from Base 10, Harlem Capital and existing backers Hyde Park and High Alpha in October 2020.
Chikaku, a Japan-based provider of digital apps for the elderly, raised ¥500m ($4.6m) on Tuesday from Aflac Ventures, ABC Dream Ventures, GMO VenturePartners, SMBC Venture Capital and Yamaguchi Capital – respective subsidiaries of insurer Aflac, broadcaster Asahi Broadcasting, internet company GMO and financial services firms Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Yamaguchi Bank – and debt financing from unnamed financial institutions. The company had previously raised a total of $9.4m as of its last round, in late 2019.
US-based synthetic data technology developer Synthesis AI emerged from stealth on Wednesday having received $4.5m in funding from iRobot Ventures, the investment arm of domestic robotics producer iRobot, as well as Bee Partners, PJC, Swift Ventures, Boom Capital, Kubera VC and Leta Capital. It said all the investors took part as existing backers.
Taiwan-based machine learning technology developer InfuseAI closed a $4.3m series A round on Tuesday led by contract electronics manufacturer Wistron. The round also featured Hive Ventures, Top Taiwan Venture Capital Group and Silicon Valley Taiwan Investments. The proceeds will go to further development of the company’s technology.
Sonas, a Japan-based University of Tokyo spinout and developer of an internet-of-things communication tool dubbed Unisonet, secured ¥450m ($4.1m) on Monday from investors including JR East Start Up, the corporate venturing arm of rail operator JR East. The round included Innovation Platform for the University of Tokyo and Anri, the VC firm that joined Global Brain in the company’s $3.1m series A round in 2018.
Crypto-focused quantitative trading firm Alameda Research has invested $4m in South Africa-based cryptocurrency exchange operator Ovex, The Block reported last month. VC firm Newtown Partners had invested an undisclosed amount in the company in April 2019 before Invictus Capital added an undisclosed amount the following month.
3D Printing Corporation, a Japan-based developer of business-to-business 3D printing technology, raised ¥400m ($3.6m) on Wednesday from investors including industrial gas producer Taiyo Nippon Sanso, metal processing equipment maker Amada, consultancy Yamanishi Chugin Keiei Consulting, leasing services firm Fuyo General Lease and Tokyo Institute of Technology’s Innovations and Future Creation (Mirai Souzou). It had secured $1.2m from Mirai Souzou and Yamanashi New Business Support Investment Limited Partnership in October 2019.
India-based car servicing provider Pitstop has received $3.5m in a series B round led by VC firm Ventureast and backed by insurance firm Acko Technologies, LetsVenture, AngelList India and Blume Ventures, YourStory reported on Tuesday. The company had raised a total of $6.2m as of a $1.2m investment by Acko in September 2020, and its earlier investors include vehicle leasing service Goldbell Group, insurance broker Landmark, VC firm Blume Ventures and assorted individuals.
Moomin Characters, the company that manages the rights to the Moomin comic and cartoon series, has taken part in a SEK30m ($3.5m) round for Wayout, a Sweden-based owner of solar-powered microbreweries in Africa, along with private investment vehicle Alsteron and angel investor Margareta Steinsvik, Di Digital reported last month. Wayout was valued at $29m in the round, which followed roughly $4.3m in earlier funding according to Di Digital.
Oye Rickshaw, an India-based rickshaw hailing service backed by consumer electronics manufacturer Xiaomi, has secured Rs 240m ($3.3m) from venture debt specialist Alteria Capital, Press Trust of India reported on Monday. Xiaomi had joined Chiratae Ventures, existing backer Matrix Partners and angel investor Pawan Munjal in the company’s $10m series A round in February 2020.
Refex Capital, a subsidiary of conglomerate Refex Group, has led a pre-series A round of undisclosed size for India-headquartered coffee product brand Rage Coffee that included networking technology provider Emarson Computers, VCCircle reported on Wednesday. It also featured 9 Unicorns Venture Capital Fund, CC One Venture Labs, Spotlight Capital and revenue-based financing platform GetVantage, which contributed to the round in January this year. Rage Coffee had secured an undisclosed sum from Refex Capital, Keiretsu Forum Chennai and various angel investors in January 2020.
Z-Max Media Solution, the Japan-based developer of artificial intelligence analytics platform Wisbrain, has rebranded to Ultimatrust having raised ¥340m ($3.1m) in series A funding from investors including printing services provider Dai Nippon Printing, it said on Monday. The round was led by Abies Ventures Fund and it also featured private investor Shunichi Yamada.
Zignaly, the Singapore-based operator of a social investment platform, has received $3m from investors including digital currency market maker AcheronTrading and cryptocurrency exchanges AscendEX, OKEx (through its Block Dream Fund) and Switchain. The round was led by Parataxis Capital and also featured Sino Global Capital, LD Capital, LVT Capital, AU21 Capital, Disrupt.com, DAOMaker, GDA Capital, BSCPad, Kryptos.fund and LedgerPrime.
Nanom, a US-headquartered developer of nanoparticle-based battery production technology, has raised a total of $3m from investors including law firm Perkins Coie, VentureBeat has reported. The company has just rebranded from Greenvolt and its other backers include Village Global, Iceland Venture Studio and the European Union’s Green Deal initiative.
Japan-based clean electricity provider Earthene has secured ¥300m ($2.7m) in a series A round featuring digital media company Gree’s Strive fund, Incubate Fund and Energy & Environment Investment. Earthene had previously received approximately $690,000 in a December 2019 seed round that included Incubate Fund.
Electronics producer TDK invested an undisclosed amount in Analog Inference, a US-based developer of low-power artificial intelligence technology, yesterday through corporate venturing unit TDK Ventures. The company had previously received $4.5m in funding from a single investor in 2018 according to a regulatory filing, and it named VC firm Khosla Ventures as an existing investor this week.
InfiniDome, an Israel-based provider of cybersecurity technology for wireless devices, completed a $2.4m pre-series A round on Monday that included industrial and consumer goods producer Honeywell. The round was led by Next Gear Ventures, the VC fund that joined Boundary Holding and Aston Partners in InfiniDome’s $1.6m seed round in June 2020.
Diversified trading group Itochu provided an undisclosed amount for Japan-based last-mile delivery service AnyCarry today through corporate venturing subsidiary Itochu Technology Ventures. The company will use the funding to expand its delivery area along with the range of businesses with which it works.
Japan-based e-commerce support service Acrove raised an undisclosed amount on Monday from investors including CyberAgent Capital, a corporate venturing subsidiary of internet company CyberAgent. The round was also backed by VC firm East Ventures.
Lean on Me, the Japan-based creator of an online learning platform for developmentally disabled users, received ¥254m ($2.3m) on Monday from Mizuho Capital, Senshu Ikeda Capital and SMBC Venture – on behalf of financial services firms Mizuho Financial Group, Senshu Ikeda Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation – as well as Samurai Incubate, Seiho Investment Works and angel investor Tomoya Nakano, in addition to debt financing from Mizuho Bank and Shoko Chukin Bank. It had raised an undisclosed amount from investors including corporates Sakura Internet, Synergy Marketing and Smart Value in February 2020.
Automotive manufacturer Porsche has provided an undisclosed amount of funding for FanZone, the Germany-based operator of an online platform for digital trading cards using non-fungible token technology, Deutsche Startups reported on Monday. The carmaker invested through its corporate venturing subsidiary, Porsche Ventures.
Arent, a Japan-based provider of computer-aided design software, spun off digital asset management service VestOne on March 1, it revealed on Wednesday. The announcement was made alongside news VestOne has raised ¥100m ($910,000) from diversified conglomerate Nisshinbo Holdings.
Aptpod, a Japan-based developer of mobility-focused internet-of-things technology, received an undisclosed amount from Macnica Investment Partners, the corporate venturing arm of electronics manufacturer Macnica, on Monday through a strategic partnership agreement. The company had raised a total of just over $20m as of a $7.3m series C round last month featuring medical information provider M3, Kiraboshi Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, DBJ Capital and Mizuho Securities Principal Investment.
Norway-based humanoid robot developer Halodi Robotics has closed an undisclosed amount of funding from packaging machinery producer Altopack and grocery retail provider StrongPoint, Nordic9 reported on Tuesday. StrongPoint had provided $460,000 in equity funding for the round last month and the same amount in research and development financing. Halodi had previously received $2.9m from unnamed investors in December 2019 at a reported $41m valuation.
Log Build, a Japan-based developer of robotics and virtual reality technology for the construction industry, secured ¥80m ($730,000) in seed funding on Monday from investors including building materials providers Sedia System and Japan Kenzai. The corporates were joined in the round by angel investor Yōichi Asō.
Pan for You, a Japan-based provider of digitalisation technology for bakeries, raised an undisclosed amount of series A funding today from KDDI Regional Initiatives Fund 1, an investment vehicle for telecommunications group KDDI. The company, also known as YuaBread, had received an undisclosed amount from e-gifting service Giftee and Kyushu Open Innovation Fund last month as part of the round, which it expects to close next month.
Marketing and consulting group Macbee Planet invested in Cloud Capital, the Japan-based operator of crowdfunding platform Fundinno, on Tuesday through a strategic partnership agreement, having raised a similarly undisclosed amount from packaging technology provider Kikuchi Seisakusho in February this year. It had raised $8.1m from internet company NLinks, leisure service provider Koshidaka Holdings, automotive parts producer Sanoh Industrial, investor relations service provider IR Robotics, FinTech Global, Logly Investment and Ikemori Venture Support in September 2020 to take its total funding to $13.3m.
Classified listings operator Info Edge and VC firm Waterbridge Ventures have provided Rs 50m ($680,000) in pre-series A funding for Legitquest, the India-based developer of a software platform that applies artificial intelligence to the legal search process, Press Trust of India reported on Monday. Info Edge had previously paid approximately $210,000 for a 16.7% stake in the company in November 2019.
Enterprise software provider Asteria Corporation invested an undisclosed amount in Japan-based cryptocurrency platform Crypto Asset Market on Tuesday through its Asteria Vision Fund. Crypto Asset Market had received an undisclosed amount from five angel investors including Kazutaka Muraguchi in February 2020 and $390,000 from VC firm i-Nest Capital and existing backers including Kazutaka Muraguchi in January this year.
Japan-based sales assistance software producer Buff received ¥61m ($555,000) on Tuesday from CyberAgent Capital, a subsidiary of internet company CyberAgent, and Delight Ventures, a VC firm backed by internet technology group DeNA. The company had reportedly previously raised up to $450,000 from CyberAgent Capital in early 2019.
Real estate developer Xymax supplied an undisclosed amount of funding for Street Smart, the Japan-based operator of a digitalisation service for enterprise customers, on Tuesday. The capital will be allocated to increasing headcount and further developing its services.
Mirairo, the Japan-based developer of disability certification app Mirairo ID, has raised an amount likely to be ¥20m ($180,000) from insurance firm Nippon Life and real estate developer Mitsubishi Estate. The company said it has now raised ¥300m in total and it had previously received ¥280m from corporates Osaka Metro, Keio Corporation, Seibu Railway, Sakura Internet, Sumitomo Forestry, Zenrin DataCom, Tokio Marine Nichido and Yamato Holdings in February this year.
Entrepreneur David Evans Shaw invested an undisclosed amount in US-based anti-infective developer Maxwell Biosciences on Tuesday. Maxwell was spun out by ETH Zürich before winning $100,000 in a Venture Kick competition in 2017 and closing a $4.5m series A round in December 2020 that included microsensor provider Sensirion Holding and undisclosed existing and private investors.
Additional reporting by Liwen-Edison Fu.
