AAA Corporate venturing deal net: 6-10 August 2018

Corporate venturing deal net: 6-10 August 2018

E-commerce firm JD.com provided an undisclosed amount of series C++ funding for China-based cloud computing software developer EasyStack on Wednesday, three months after EasyStack raised approximately $47m in series C-plus funding from unnamed investment fund. That round in turn followed $68m from investors including Cash Capital, RuShan Capita, YingDong investment and BlueRun Ventures across three rounds between 2014 and January 2017.

US-based road traffic analytics provider StreetLight Data completed a $10m series C round on Tuesday featuring Engie New Ventures and Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners, respective subsidiaries of energy utility Engie and telecommunications firm Deutsche Telekom, as well as Osage University Partners and unnamed additional backers. Streetlight had previously raised $15.6m from investors including Deutsche Telekom, Engie New Ventures, Osage University Partners and Vision Ridge Capital Partners.

Propel Venture Partners, the venture capital firm backed by financial services firm BBVA, has led a $9m series A round for Steady, the US-based creator of an online platform that helps gig workers manage their activities. Omidyar Network, 25Madison, Clocktower Ventures and Commerce Ventures also contributed to the round, which was disclosed after Steady launched last week. Propel vice-president David Mort will join the startup’s board of directors.

Good Catch, a US-headquartered provider of plant-based seafood products, completed an $8.7m series A round on Tuesday featuring packaged food producer PHW Group and grocers Thrive Market and Fresh Direct. The round was led by New Crop Capital and included Stray Dog Capital, Clear Current Capital, VegInvest, Rocana Capital, Blue Horizon, EverHope Capital, Baleine & Bjorn Capital, M13 and Starlight Ventures

China-based medical data management platform developer Genedock has closed a RMB50m ($7.3m) series B round that included Baidu Venture Capital, a corporate VC subsidiary of internet group Baidu, as well as biotech developer Huada Gene and Morningside Capital, Sohu reported on Monday. Jingwei China provided an undisclosed amount of series A funding for Genedock in 2015, a year before Legend Star, part of conglomerate Legend Holdings, joined Puhua Capital and Shell Fund to invest an undisclosed sum.

Roller Networks, the Australia-based developer of a venue management platform for leisure venues, has received A$7m ($5.2m) in series B funding from investors including media group Fairfax, Australian Financial Review reported on Monday. The round was led by Acadian Software and it took Roller’s overall funding to A$15m according to AFR, which identified angel investors Tony Harrington, John Mullen and Robbie Cooke among the company’s backers. Fairfax was an existing investor and held a 12.3% stake as of 2016.

SenSat, a UK-based startup developing what it calls a simulated reality platform, secured £3.3m ($4.2m) today in a seed round featuring Zag, the investment vehicle for advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty. The round included Force Over Mass and Round Hill Venture Partners, and the funding will be used to further develop SenSat’s core technology and expand its US office in San Francisco.

Indonesia-based retail management software developer Warung Pintar raised $4m on Tuesday from Line Ventures, the corporate venturing vehicle for messaging platform Line, as well as Vertex Ventures and Pavilion Capital, both of which are owned by the Singaporean government, Business Times reported. The startup had previously secured $4m in seed funding from internet company Digital Garage, conglomerates Triputra Group and Sinar Mas, East Ventures and Insignia Ventures Partners in February 2018.

Marketing software provider HubSpot participated in a $3.5m seed round yesterday for Blissfully, the US-based creator of a platform designed to manage an enterprise’s software-as-a-service subscriptions. Hummer Winblad Venture Partners led the round, investing together with Founder Collective, which had previously led a $1.5m round for the company in 2016, and undisclosed angel investors.

Moved, the US-based operator of an organisation and management service for house moves, has secured $3.2m in seed capital from investors including Lowe’s Ventures, the strategic investment subsidiary of home improvement retailer Lowe’s, as well as FJ Labs, AngelPad and Real Estate Technology Ventures, TechCrunch reported yesterday. The startup disclosed the funding alongside a partnership with instalment finance Affirm, which will supply Moved customers with financing to assist with moving costs.

Bitcoin mining technology producer Bitmain supplied $3m in seed capital for TribeOS, the Bermuda-registered developer of a blockchain-equipped digital advertising marketplace, on Tuesday. TribeOS will use the funding to fully build out its team as it prepares for a 2019 launch of its product, which intends to use blockchain technology to eliminate advertising fraud.

DNAlite Therapeutics, a US-based startup developing gene therapies for monogenetic gastrointestinal diseases, received $1.5m on Wednesday in a seed round featuring pharmaceutical company BrightGene Bio-Medical Technology. The round was led by Berkeley Catalyst Fund and included University of California Berkeley, Blue Bear Ventures, SOSV, SVE Capital and the Baldota family.

Pathrise, a US-based career advice and mentoring services provider for students, has raised $1.2m in seed funding from investors including online higher education marketplace operator Quero Education, EdSurge reported on Wednesday. GoAhead Ventures, Western Technology Investment, Long Venture Partners, LetsVenture and angel investor Kutlu Kazanci also contributed to the round, which followed Pathrise’s participation in accelerator Y Combinator.

Tanzania-based health insurance provider Jamii Africa has secured $700,000 in funding from investors including Patrick Munis, president and CEO of IT services provider NewWave Telecom and Technologies, Disrupt Africa reported on Tuesday. Jamii had previously raised $750,000 in a February 2017 seed round, having already participated in financial services firm Barclays’ Accelerator, and is targeting a $2m close for its latest round.

Digital product development agency Monstar Lab and consulting firm Skylight Consulting have provided an undisclosed amount of funding for Thailand-based recruitment software developer TalentEx, The Bridge reported on Wednesday. Although the official size of the round was not disclosed, The Bridge stated that it appears to be in the eight-figure yen region (¥10m = $90,000).

Millennial Card Technologies, the India-based owner of microcredit card issuer Olly Credit, has received an undisclosed amount from Jade Value, an investment entity overseen by microfinance provider CashBus, VCCircle reported yesterday. The investment followed a seed round of undisclosed size featuring Incubate Fund and angel investors Sandesh Kirkire, Anand Kumar and Yogesh Chaudhary that was closed in June 2017.

Wayra, the seed-stage investment arm of telecoms firm Telefónica, has invested an undisclosed amount in Chile-based contract and document management platform developer Webdox. The startup has not publicly disclosed any earlier funding.

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