Identify3D, the US-based developer of a data platform for digital manufacturers, closed a “multi-million” dollar seed round on Wednesday that included Siemens Venture Capital, a subsidiary of appliance and industrial product maker Siemens, which invested through the Next47 unit. The round was led by SoftTech VC and featured La Famiglia, Dart Capital Partners and Bee Partners, which led the startup’s $700,000 pre-seed round in June 2015.
Digital Alloys, a US-based multi-metal additive manufacturing system producer that was spun out of 3D printing technology developer New Valence Robotics’ NV Labs unit in January 2017, raised $5m on Wednesday in a series A round led by venture capital firm Khosla Ventures. The startup’s technology can rapidly print production-quality metal parts at what it claims is a fraction of the cost of other metal 3D printers.
Modanisa, the Turkey-based operator of a ‘modest’ women’s fashion brand, completed a funding round of undisclosed size on Monday that was led by VC firm Wamda Capital and backed by STC Ventures, the corporate venturing unit owned by telecommunications company Saudi Telecom. STC Ventures had previously led a $5.5m round for Modanisa in early 2015 that included Aslanoba Capital, an investment vehicle that had previously supplied $3m in funding for the company.
Germany-based digital asset management platform Liqid has raised €4.5m ($4.8m) in funding from Berliner Volksbank Ventures, the venture capital arm of financial services firm Berliner Volksbank, as well as Project A Ventures, HQ Trust, and DvH Ventures. The capital, which increased Liqid’s overall funding to about €10m since it was founded in early 2015, will be used to expand the company’s 30-strong team as well as the range of services provided by its product.
GIS Strategic Ventures, the corporate venturing subsidiary of insurance firm Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, invested an undisclosed amount in PokitDok, the US-based creator of a healthcare software development platform, today, taking PokitDok’s total funding to $48m. It follows a $35.1m round led by Lemhi Ventures that closed in December 2015 and an undisclosed amount from pharmaceutical distributor McKesson two months later, and PokitDok’s existing backers include telecom company Rogers Communications.
CLS Data, the risk mitigation and operational services subsidiary of financial settlement services provider CLS Group, has invested in WhenFresh, the UK-based creator of a big data platform that predicts when consumers are likely to make buying decisions, as part of a £3m ($3.7m) series A round, Tech City News has reported. The round was also backed by unnamed investors from the financial and insurance technology sector.
India-based logistics platform Blowhorn has raised $3.65m in series A funding from IDG Ventures India, the local VC affiliate of media company International Data Group, as well as Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Draper Associates and Unitus Seed Fund, Press Trust of India reported on Monday. Blowhorn had previously closed an undisclosed amount of seed funding from Unitus and Draper in 2014.
Indonesia-based peer-to-peer lending platform Amartha has secured an undisclosed amount of series A funding from Mandiri Capital, the strategic investment subsidiary of financial services firm Bank Mandiri, as well as Lynx Asia Partners, Beenext and Midplaza Holding, Tech in Asia reported on Tuesday. The amount was described by Mandiri Capital CEO Eddi Danusaputro as between $2m and $5m in size, and Beenext and Midplaza participated as existing investors.
Epicrop Technologies, a US-based company applying epigenetic technology to improving crop yields, has raised $3.2m in series A funding from investors including student loan financier Nelnet, according to a statement issued by venture development company TechAccel on Tuesday. The round also included TechAccel, VC fund North Forty Ventures, real estate investment firm Speedway Properties and boutique investment bank Allen & Company
Wirex, the UK-based creator of an online banking platform that can work with both conventional and cryptocurrencies, has received $3m in series A funding from financial services provider SBI Group, Finextra reported on Monday. The funding was secured as Wirex prepares to introduce new features to its platform that will include additional currencies, contactless cards and bitcoin payments, and bitcoin-based financial products.
Adhesive materials manufacturer Avery Dennison has invested $3m in Wrapify, the US-based operator of a service where brands can connect to people willing to advertise their products on their vehicles, TechCrunch reported on Tuesday. Avery Dennison produces the adhesive wrapped label materials Wrapify supplies to its users, and its investment will be used to add more features to the company’s platform and to expand its engineering and sales teams.
Israel-based cyberattack simulation developer Cymulate completed a $3m series A round yesterday led by Susquehanna Growth Equity, a branch of technology and trading firm Susquehanna International Group. The round came after Eyal Gruner, chief executive of cybersecurity software producer Cynet, led a seed round of undisclosed size for the company.
Cobalt Robotics, a US-based developer of security robots, emerged from stealth last week with an undisclosed amount of funding, secured in a seed round co-led by media and data company Bloomberg’s early-stage investment arm, Bloomberg Beta, and VC fund Promus Ventures. The round also featured Haystack, Subtraction Capital, Comet Labs and assorted angel investors.
Anchor FM, the US-based operator of a social online radio network, has raised $2.8m in a round led by Accel that included media company Chernin Group, TechCrunch reported on Tuesday. Omidyar Network and angel investor Mick Batyske also contributed to the round, which followed an undisclosed amount of seed capital from Betaworks, CrunchFund, Eniac Ventures, Homebrew, Acequia Capital, Quire, SV Angel and angel investors Scott Belsky and Avi Muchnick.
Caterpillar Ventures, the corporate venturing vehicle for construction equipment maker Caterpillar, has invested an undisclosed amount in Busybusy, the US-based creator of a software platform that enables labour costs on construction jobsites to be tracked in real time. The corporate will offer Busybusy’s technology to construction customers through its Cat Connect software and services offering.
Japan-based virtual reality game and technology developer Dazzle has received ¥200m ($1.8m) in funding from construction engineer provider Yumeshin Holdings and its IT engineer training subsidiary, Yume Education, The Bridge has reported. Yumeshin had previously invested ¥150m in Dazzle in June 2016, and the startup plans to use the latest funding to hire developers and support staff.
Automotive manufacturer Daimler and oil and gas producer Shell have provided an undisclosed amount of funding for Germany-based same-day delivery startup Tiramizoo, the latter investing through its Shell Technology Ventures unit, Deutsche Startups reported on Monday. A Shell spokesperson said the corporate invested in Tiramizoo because of its interest in the efficient transport of goods and people.
Toss Lab, a South Korea-based business messaging platform developer backed by mobile semiconductor maker Qualcomm and telecom group SoftBank, has raised $1.7m in a series A round co-led by VC firm Ascent Capital Advisors and private investor Shin Hyun Sung, E27 reported on Wednesday. SoftBank subsidiary Softbank Ventures and Cherubic Ventures had invested $2m in Toss Lab in 2014 before Qualcomm Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of Qualcomm, and Hnap added $2.5m in February 2016.
Entertainment producer Spackman Entertainment Group and talent agency Spackman Media Group invested an undisclosed sum in Singapore-based skincare brand Skin Inc Global yesterday. The company will use the funding to open concept and e-commerce stores in North Asia, linking up with local retailers and harnessing the celebrity of Spackman Media’s client base to expand in the region.
India-based data science technology startup PipeCandy has secured $1.1m in a seed round backed by IDG Ventures India, Axilor Ventures, Emergent Ventures and Indian Angel Network, Times of India reported on Wednesday. IDG Ventures India and Axilor formed an investment partnership earlier this month and also combined for the $5.8m series A round closed by digital pathology technology developer SigTuple in February 2017.
Media company Guardian Media Group (GMG) and Betaworks supplied an undisclosed amount of funding on Tuesday for Vizual.ai, the US-based developer of a platform that uses artificial intelligence to create suitable imagery for video and text content. The startup’s technology was first tested by Digg, a Betaworks Studio company, which encouraged Betaworks to lead the round, and GMG is one of its first customers.
Networking equipment manufacturer Cisco has invested $1m in US-based incubator Alchemist Accelerator through its $150m Cisco Spark Innovation Fund, Cisco vice-president and general manager Jason Goecke has told VentureBeat. Alchemist pays $36,000 for a 5% stake in each of its participating startups, all of which focus on business-to-business enterprise technology.
Internet-of-things technology provider Reply has supplied an undisclosed amount of funding for two startups through its corporate venturing unit, Breed Reply. The companies in question are Canard Drones, the Spain-based creator of a drone inspection system for airport systems, and Wearable Technologies, a UK-based startup developing networked safety clothing for industrial workers.
Angel investor Anand Chandrasekaran has invested an undisclosed sum in India-based crowdfunding platform LetsVenture, VCCircle reported yesterday. LetsVenture had previously raised an undisclosed amount from investors including IDG Ventures India and Times Internet, the online services branch of media company Times Group, across two rounds in 2014 and 2015.