Pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly invested $10m in US-based exosome drug developer Evox Therapeutics on Tuesday, supplying the capital through convertible bond financing alongside a $20m upfront payment as part of a research collaboration and licence deal. Evox had previously raised about $60m including $45.4m in a 2018 series B round led by Redmile Group and backed by GV, a subsidiary of internet and technology group Alphabet, as well as University of Oxford, existing backer Oxford Sciences Innovation, Panacea Healthcare Ventures, Borealis Ventures, Cowen Healthcare Investments and various angel investors.
US-based esports entertainment provider Boom.tv secured $10m on Tuesday in a series A round led by company builder and VC firm Bitkraft Esports Ventures that included gaming services provider Pole To Win and MTG Media Group, the digital entertainment provider also known as Modern Times Group. The round also featured Crest Capital, Everblue, ImaginationVC, WTI, and H. Barton Asset Management as well as Tandem Capital, First Round Capital, CrossCut Ventures and Boost VC, which had joined Bitkraft Esports Ventures and Betaworks in Boom.tv’s $3.5m seed round in 2016.
China-based accelerator virtualisation software startup VirtAI Technology has closed a pre-series A round featuring artificial intelligence technology producer iFlytek that was sized at almost $10m, China Money Network reported on Monday. VC firm Gobi Partners led the round, which included hedge fund manager Hillhouse Capital, angel investor Yao Song and private equity firm Yonghua Capital, which was billed as an existing backer. It had raised an undisclosed amount in a December 2019 angel round, according to China Money Network.
Germany-based sports analysis software provider Bepro11 has raised €8.8m ($9.9m) from investors including Softbank Ventures, a subsidiary of telecommunications and internet group SoftBank, EU-Startups has reported. The corporate was joined by Altos Ventures, Saehan Ventures, Springcamp and Mirae Asset Ventures, a VC vehicle for financial services group Mirae Asset. The round followed $9.2m in a 2018 round led by SoftBank Ventures Asia (then SoftBank Ventures Korea) and backed by Altos Ventures and KT Investment.
Alcoholic beverage producer Campari has paid an undisclosed amount for a 49% stake in Tannico, the Italy-based operator of an e-commerce platform for premium wines and spirits. Venture capital firms Boox and P101 were existing investors in the company but it is unclear whether they sold shares as part of the transaction.
Biotech producer BioMérieux led a $9.5m series D round yesterday for US-based cell therapy developer Accellix. The funding was raised alongside the conversion of $8.5m in outstanding convertible notes to equity, and Michael Reynier, vice-president of BioMérieux’s Healthcare Industries Business Area, is joining Accellix’s board of directors. Known as LeukoDx until July 2019, the company had previously raised $380,000 in 2009, $115,000 in debt financing in 2010 and $250,000 later the same year, according to regulatory filings.
CareAcademy, the US-based operator of an online healthcare training platform, completed a $9.5m financing round yesterday that included Wanxiang America Healthcare Investment, a subsidiary of auto components producer Wanxiang, as well as cancer research network ECMC. The round was led by Impact America Fund and included Rethink Impact, ReThink Education, Revolution Rise of the Rest, Strada Education Network and Techstars Ventures. The company had received $1.7m from investors including Rethink Education, Lumina Foundation and Techstars Venture Capital Fund in 2017, before adding $800,000 in November 2018 according to a securities filing.
Israel-based workplace collaboration platform developer Spike raised $8m yesterday in a series A round led by growth equity firm Insight Partners that included web development software producer Wix, NFX and Koa Labs. The latter three had already supplied $5m in funding for Spike in March 2019 and the company said this week it has raised almost $16m altogether.
Zehitomo, the Japan-based operator of a job-matching service for freelance workers, received ¥820m ($7.7m) yesterday from Persol Innovation Fund, DG Daiwa Ventures, SMBC Venture Capital and Mizuho Capital on behalf of recruitment firm Persol Holdings, internet company Digital Garage and financial services firms Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Mizuho Bank respectively, as well as property developer Mitsubishi Estate, online travel agency AirTrip, marketing firm Vector, Accord Ventures, Energy and Environment Investment, Coral Capital, DNX Ventures, KVP, Social Starts and multiple individuals. It last raised money in mid-2018.
US-based data onboarding technology developer Flatfile secured $7.6m in seed capital on Wednesday from investors including internet technology provider Google’s artificial intelligence fund, Gradient Ventures. The round was led by Two Sigma Ventures and also featured HNVR, Work Life Ventures, Quiet Capital, Basecamp Fund and Soma Capital as well as Afore Capital and Designer Fund, which had joined Gradient Ventures, Founder Collective, Liquid2 Ventures and various individuals to invest $2m in Flatfile in September 2019.
Lane, the Canada-based creator of a communication platform for office landlords, has raised C$10m ($7.4m) in a series A round led by VC firm Round 13 Capital and backed by Alate Partners and Panache Ventures. The latter two participated in Lane’s $2.5m seed round in May 2019 alongside Colliers Proptech Accelerator Powered by Techstars, the accelerator co-founded by commercial real estate developer Colliers.
Raed Ventures, the VC arm of conglomerate Almajdouie Holding, led a $7m funding round for United Arab Emirates-based consumer finance provider Tabby, Wamda reported on Monday. MSA Capital and Arbor Ventures also contributed to the round, the latter having already taken part in a $2m seed round for Tabby in November 2019 that was led by Global Founders Capital.
Japan-based electricity trading service Digital Grid received ¥750m ($6.9m) on Monday from electronics producer Toshiba, consulting firm Yachiyo Engineering and Ohisama Kenhan, an affiliate of solar system installer Ohisama Energy, as well as solar-focused investment fund OTS and an undisclosed additional company. It had raised a total of $12.4m as of a November 2019 investment by Toyota Tsusho, the trading arm of carmaker Toyota, and its existing shareholders include a raft of corporate investors.
Qualcomm Ventures, mobile chipmaker Qualcomm’s corporate venturing subsidiary, has provided undisclosed amounts of funding for three China-based companies, DealStreetAsia reported today. The companies in question are embedded sim card provider Redtea Mobile, in-car security technology developer Tensor Technology and Dalongyun, a cloud-based game developer that reportedly also counts internet group Tencent among its investors.
South Korea-based radar technology developer Bitsensing secured $5.8m in pre-series A funding on Monday from investors including automotive component manufacturer Mando Corporation and apparel exporter Hansae. VC firm LB Investment led the round, which also featured SB Partners, Future Play and SJ Investment Partners. The latter two had joined SparkLabs and Korea Science & Technology Holdings in the company’s $850,000 seed round in July 2019.
Salesforce Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of enterprise software provider Salesforce, has joined private equity firm Sverica Capital Management to invest an undisclosed amount in Coastal Cloud, a US-based consulting firm focusing on Salesforce’s customer relationship management platform. The cash will fund product development for Coastal Cloud, which has not revealed any other financing since it was founded in 2012.
Automotive component manufacturer Lear Corporation led a $4m funding round on Tuesday for US-based global positioning technology developer Navmatic through corporate venturing unit Lear Innovation Ventures. The corporate was joined by UpWest Labs, Next Gear Ventures and undisclosed private investors, and Lear provided its share in connection with a strategic partnership agreement.
Carmaker Hyundai Motor Company provided an undisclosed amount of funding for Germany-based hydrogen storage system developer Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies last month, it has revealed. Mining group Anglo American Platinum (AAP) invested an undisclosed amount in Hydrogenious in 2014, before the company added $18.9m from fuel tank manufacturer Royal Vopak, diversified conglomerate Mitsubishi, polymer and chemicals producer Covestro and AAP-backed VC firm AP Ventures in August 2019.
Trade Hounds, the US-based operator of a professional community for the construction industry, closed a $3.2m seed round today featuring construction firm Suffolk Construction and construction worker agency CCS Construction Staffing. VC firms Corigin Ventures and Brick and Mortar Ventures co-led the round, which followed $5m in funding in October 2019, according to a regulatory filing. The company’s existing investors include Hyperplane Venture Capital.
US-based cybersecurity software provider Axio secured an undisclosed amount yesterday in a round led by fintech-focused VC firm Fin Venture Capital that included NFP Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of insurance brokerage NFP, as well as IA Capital Group. The company received $1.1m from unnamed backers in 2016 according to a securities filing, before disclosing an investment by NFP Ventures in November 2018, the month after it had raised $2.7m in equity funding according to a separate filing.
Oil and gas supplier Shell Ventures led a $2m series C round for US-based industrial artificial intelligence technology producer Veros Systems yesterday through its Shell Ventures unit, investing with existing backers Chevron Technology Ventures – a subsidiary of energy provider Chevron – Austin Ventures and LiveOak Venture Partners. Veros raised $3m in April 2018 according to a securities filing, and had secured a total of at least $12.9m as of a $3m investment by Shell Ventures predecessor Shell Technology Ventures in 2014.
Education-focused private equity fund Kaizen Private Equity has invested Rs 149m ($2m) in India-based online learning platform developer Toppr, Inc42 reported today, citing a regulatory filing. Toppr had secured a total of about $58m in financing as of a $35m series C round in late 2018 featuring media group Bennett Coleman & Co’s Brand Capital unit and Eight Roads Ventures, part of investment and financial services group Fidelity, as well as Kaizen, Helion Ventures, SAIF Partners and Alteria Capital, valuing it at $200m.
Japan-based content management system provider PR Table rebranded to Talentbook on Monday having raised an undisclosed amount from Strive, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, UB Ventures and Mizuho Capital on behalf of internet company Gree, insurer Mitsui Sumitomo, business intelligence provider Uzabase and financial services firm Mizuho Bank respectively. Strive (then called Gree Ventures), UB Ventures, Mizuho Capital and DK Gate had provided $3m for the company in a late 2018 round that increased its overall funding to $5m.
UK-based biopharmaceutical protein developer Qkine completed a £1.5m ($1.9m) series A round on Monday that included Martlet Capital, an investment vehicle for aerospace manufacturer Marshall of Cambridge. The round was led by Parkwalk Advisors and also featured Cambridge Enterprise, O2H Ventures’ Human Health EIS fund and angel investor Jonathan Milner. It came after an undisclosed amount from Cambridge Enterprise and unnamed individuals in April 2018 and $720,000 from the same investors in June 2019.
IT services firm Wipro invested an undisclosed amount in US-based network security software provider CloudKnox Security yesterday through subsidiary Wipro Ventures’ Fund II. Dell Technologies Capital, the investment arm of computing technology producer Dell, joined Sorenson Ventures, ClearSky Security and Foundation Capital to supply $12m for CloudKnox in February this year, following $10.8m from Dell Technologies Capital, ClearSky Security and Foundation Capital in late 2018.
France-based waste-to-energy technology developer Naoden received €1.6m ($1.8m) in funding on Tuesday in a round that, according to Renewables Now, included Engie Solutions, the smart energy subsidiary of energy utility Engie, and Bouyer Leroux Development, a vehicle for building materials supplier Bouyer Leroux. They were joined by EIT InnoEnergy, Atlantique Vendee Innovation, La Financiere Guilberteau, Investir&plus, Litto Invest and Pays de la Loire Participation.
SMDV, the corporate venturing arm of conglomerate Sinar Mas, has led a series A round of undisclosed size for Singapore-based cross-border payment services provider Wallex Technologies, e27 reported on Wednesday. Bace Capital and Skystar Capital co-led the round, which included unnamed existing investors. It came after an undisclosed amount of pre-series A funding from financial services firm Bank Central Asia’s Central Capital Ventura unit, Beenext and Indonusa Dwitama in late 2018, the company’s earlier backers including KDV Capital, 500 Startups and Amand Ventures.
Pharmaceutical company Cipla has agreed to pay Rs 90m ($1.2m) for a 21.9% stake in GoApptiv, an India-based provider of connection services for the pharmaceutical industry, VCCircle reported yesterday, citing a stock exchange filing. The funding will be provided over two tranches, the first of which will close in the next month, before Cipla supplies the rest in October 2020.
Japan-based entertainment development technology provider Whomor raised ¥130m ($1.2m) today from deep learning technology producer Preferred Networks and Resona Capital, the VC arm of financial services firm Resona Bank. Whomor has now collected $6.3m in total, including $1.6m in 2015 from internet company Digital Garage’s DG Incubation unit and DK Gate, a joint venture between Digital Garage and publisher Kodansha; an undisclosed sum from Dream Incubator in 2016; and $2.4m from DG Incubation, DK Gate, telecoms firm Jupiter, East Investment Capital’s CIP Fund, Tokyo Institute of Technology’s Innovations and Future Creation unit, ISGS Investment Works, unnamed individuals and debt from Japan Finance Corporation, in June 2018.
Content monetisation services provider Coil invested $1m in Hacker Noon, the US-based operator of an online technology-focused publishing platform, on Wednesday at an $11.5m valuation. The companies have signed a three-year web monetisation deal in conjunction with the investment, which came after Hacker Noon raised nearly $1.1m through an equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine that closed in March 2019.
Japan-based nursing services provider Anshin Support received an undisclosed amount of funding on Wednesday from diversified trading group Sojitz and Management Service Corporation, the IT services firm also known as MSC Group. The cash will go to bolstering its internet-of-things capabilities, increased partnerships with local services providers, customer data analysis and more effective management of home-based service operators.
Mantra, the Japan-based creator of Manga comic translation tool Mantra Engine, secured ¥80m ($730,000) on Monday from investors including telecommunications and internet group SoftBank’s AI fund, Deepcore, as well as DMM Ventures, the VC arm of e-commerce holding company DMM Group. The corporates participated alongside Legend Partners and unnamed angel investors, and the round represents its first external investment.
Speciality chemicals producer Sanyo Chemical Industries supplied an undisclosed amount for Tiem Factory, the Japan-based manufacturer of aerogel insulator Sufa, on Wednesday. The company had raised $6.3m from insurance provider Sompo Japan Nipponkoa, aluminium building material producer YKK AP, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Kyoto University Innovation Capital, Mebuki Regional Revitalisation Fund, Universal Materials Incubator and Future Venture Capital last month.
Online video communication platform Zoom invested an undisclosed amount in Norway-based webchat technology developer Neat in 2019, Fortune reported on Monday. Neat creates meeting room systems for use on Zoom it claims offer improved video and audio quality.
Additional reporting by Liwen-Edison Fu.
