Waggle, a US-based pet-focused media company, has obtained $2.3m in a seed round led by merchant bank Raine Group’s unit Raine Ventures, with participation from talent agency United Talent Agency and Broadway Video Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of media company Broadway Video, as well as Lowercase Capital, Brooklyn Bridge Ventures, Ore Ventures and Allen Debevoise.
Verizon Ventures, the corporate venturing division of telecoms firm Verizon, has invested $4m in Israel-based Beamr Imaging, which has created video and image encoding and processing technology. The company claims its codecs reduce traffic and storage costs by at least 20%. Its clients include TV and movie streaming service Netflix.
US-based business-to-business commerce services provider Tradeshift has received an undisclosed amount from Santander InnoVentures, the fintech-focused investment arm of financial services firm Santander. The cash will go towards development of Tradeshift’s platform and will help the startup expand the ecosystem around its offering.
Online classified listings company Info Edge has put $147,000 into India-based contacts management app developer Diro Labs, according to VC Circle. Info Edge now holds a 14.7% stake in the startup, having also provided $450,000 in January 2016.
India-based Savetur Digital, which operates a logistics app called Tygr, has received $3m in pre-series A capital from franchise and retail services provider Franchise India. Tygr tracks and monitors passenger, delivery, logistics and specialty vehicles by combining the internet of things with big data analytics. The company currently only operates in Kolkata but hopes to expand across India as well as into the UK, Singapore and Greece.
Bloomberg Beta, the early-stage corporate venturing arm of media company Bloomberg, has returned to back a $3m funding round for StrongDM, a US-based real-time data error detection system producer, according to TechCrunch. True Ventures, Laconia Capital Group, Social Starts, Jerry Neumann and other unnamed backers also took part. Bloomberg Beta previously participated in an $800,000 funding round in May 2015.
Bloomberg Beta also co-led a $2.5m seed round for US-based machine learning technology developer Alluvium. IA Ventures and Lux Capital co-led the round. Alluvium’s technology enables real-time insights into complex industrial operations.
Japan-based Aperza, which runs an online directory for manufacturing materials called Cluez, has received $1.5m in capital from GMO Venture Partners, the corporate venturing unit of conglomerate GMO Internet Group, according to Tech in Asia. Aperza claims to list some 2.6 million items for a diverse range of products such as semiconductors, plumbing and raw materials.
The Commercial Drone Fund, an investment vehicle of drone manufacturer Airware, has injected an undisclosed sum into Raptor Maps, a US-based developer of a drone-enabled platform aimed at the agriculture sector. The technology allows farmers to undertake statistical analysis to compare and optimise the use of seed types, chemicals and fertiliser regimens.
Internet company Tencent has led a $2.35m seed round for US-based group messaging app provider Pepo, TechCrunch reported on Wednesday. The round was completed by Greycroft, Vectr, Correlation and founder Jason Goldberg. Goldberg previously founded online marketplace Fab.com which had raised $336m from investors including Tencent but collapsed in 2014.
Payment processing company Senjō Group has supplied $1.2m in funding to Singapore-based online marketplace Tjaara, Tech in Asia wrote yesterday. Tjaara, which was founded in August 2016, connects manufacturers and foreign businesses to local wholesalers and small businesses. The platform handles translation, ordering, logistics and product search, and will use the money to expand to United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and north Africa. Senjō additionally provided a $20m trade loan to Tjaara.
An unnamed incubator of JD Finance, the financial services subsidiary of e-commerce company JD, has backed China-based bike and self-driving car company Notebike, China Money Network reported yesterday. The investment of undisclosed size is part of a strategic partnership to jointly develop an autonomous vehicle aimed at the logistics sector.
Tencent has participated in a funding round for China-based sports content provider Haiqiu Technology, according to China Money Network. The round, which was “tens of millions of renminbi” in size (RMB10m = $1.5m) was led by CMC Capital and also featured Yuanxun Investment.
Israel-based Gordian Surgical, which has developed a system aimed at laparoscopic surgical procedures, has closed a $2.25m funding round led by medical device company B Braun Melsungen with a €1m ($1.1m) commitment, according to Globes. Unnamed existing shareholders and three VC funds also contributed to the round. The funding comes as the company secures regulatory approval in the US and in the EU. Virtus Inspire Ventures and angel investors previously provided $1m in October 2015.
Microtech Medical, a China-based medical equipment manufacturer, has raised an undisclosed amount in series B funding led by Qiming Venture Partners, China Money Network reported today. Jiuren Capital, CDBI Partners, Goldport Capita and other unnamed investors also took part. Microtech Medical previously obtained series A capital from Lilly Asia Ventures, the local corporate venturing arm of pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and state-backed China Health Industry Investment Fund.
Printing company Toppan Printing has supported a $3m series B round for Minimal Technologies, a Japan-based developer of a website localisation service called Wovn.io, Tech in Asia has reported. The round was led by SBI Investment, the investment unit of conglomerate SBI Holdings, and also included marketing firm Adways and SMBC Venture Capital, the investment arm of financial services firm Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.