Zookal, an Australia-based provider of digital education services, has received A$15m ($9.8m) in a funding round featuring property developer Wee Hur and private investors Koh Boon Hwee and Bernard Sabrier, Australian Financial Review reported on Monday. The company had raised a total of $2m as of a $560,000 round featuring Omer Regev and existing backer Filtro Investments in 2013, before adding $3.8m in 2016.
US-based cybersecurity technology developer RunSafe Security has increased its series A round to $9.8m, securing $3.5m from Lockheed Martin Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin, and venture capital firm NextGen Venture Partners. The December 2019 first tranche was led by Alsop Louie Partners and included Working Lab Capital, Inner Loop Capital and Renegade Ventures, and it followed $2.4m in a May 2018 seed round led by Alsop Louie and backed by Center for Innovative Technology (CIT)’s Gap Fund.
Susquehanna Growth Equity (SGE), a subsidiary of quantitative trading and technology firm Susquehanna International Group, made a ‘significant’ investment of undisclosed size in Clutch, the US-based operator of an online reviews platform for enterprise services, on Monday. The funding was the first external capital to be raised by Clutch. SGE managing director Scott Feldman is joining the company’s board of directors while SGE director Josh Elser will take a board observer role.
Heartbeat Health, the US-based creator of a digital platform assisting cardiovascular health, completed an $8.2m series A round yesterday that was co-led by Optum Ventures, the corporate VC arm of healthcare services provider Optum, and VC firm .406 Ventures. The round also featured Kindred Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Designer Fund and Max Ventures – all four of which were described as existing investors despite Heartbeat not having revealed details of its earlier financing.
GrainChain, the US-based creator of a commodity measurement software platform, has raised $8.2m in funding, $5m of which came from Medici Ventures, the corporate venturing subsidiary of e-commerce company Overstock.com. The round included Eden Block and undisclosed other investors, and Medici Ventures’ contribution was made through a warrant secured when it invested $2.5m in GrainChain in December 2018.
Insurance and financial services group Legal & General’s Retail Retirement division paid an undisclosed sum for a 20% stake in Australia-headquartered, home equity-based retirement funding provider Household Capital on Tuesday. The corporate said it provided the funding as part of a series B round, though Household has not disclosed details of the wider round, nor of its previous financing.
UK-based drone delivery service and drone infrastructure manager Skyports increased its series A round to £6m ($7.8m) on Monday after airline carrier Irelandia Aviation invested approximately $850,000. The $7m first tranche in December 2019 was co-led by airport operator Groupe ADP and Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures, the strategic investment arm of rail operator Deutsche Bahn, and was backed by VC firm and existing backer Levitate Capital.
Intel Capital, a subsidiary of semiconductor and data technology producer Intel, led a series A round of undisclosed size on Tuesday for Reniac, a US-based developer of open source data management software. Semiconductor foundry UMC also took part, through its UMC Capital unit, as did Bullpen Capital, Divergent Capital, Leawood Venture Capital, J-Angels and Upheaval Investments. Reniac had previously raised an undisclosed sum from Intel Capital and existing investors including semiconductor technology producer Phison Electronics, Menlo Ventures, Divergent Ventures, Bullpen Capital and First Star Ventures in 2017.
GradeSlam, the Canada-based developer of an educational support system that facilitates remote learning in schools, rebranded to Paper on Wednesday having raised $7.5m from investors including internet technology provider Google. The round also featured Birchmere Ventures, BDC Capital, Real Ventures, Red House Education, Edovate Capital and Anges Quebec. The company had already raised at least $2.6m as of February 2019, from Google’s Assistant Investments vehicle, Birchmere, BDC Capital, Reach Capital, Anges Quebec, Real Ventures and various individuals.
US-based dry adhesive product developer NanoGriptech secured $6m yesterday from investors including industrial conglomerate Koç Group and Inventram, a joint investment venture between Koç Group and diversified trading group Mitsui. The round also featured Innovation Works, Idea Foundry, Grouse Ridge Capital, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh and Industrial Technology Investment Corporation – part of R&D consortium Industrial Technology Research Institute – which had already invested $1.7m in NanoGriptech in December 2018.
Virtual school operator K12 led a $5m series A round for Nepris, the US-based creator of an online platform that connects workplaces and schools, yesterday. Education finance non-profit Strada Education, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF), Next Wave Impact Fund, Sustain VC and Bonsal Capital also took part in the round. Nepris received $550,000 from NewSchools Venture Fund and assorted angel investors in 2014 and $1m from MSDF, Voqal, Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund, Investor’s Circle Patient Capital Collaborative and various angels in 2016 and has now raised $7.5m in total.
Travel services Flight Centre Travel Group has paid an undisclosed amount for a 22.5% stake in United Arab Emirates-based travel e-commerce software developer TPConnects Technologies. The deal was a strategic investment and Flight Centre plans to utilise the company’s technology to improve its personalised booking system.
Camber Creek, the VC firm spun off from real estate developer Berman Enterprises, led a $4.8m seed round for residential fitness and amenities services provider TFLiving on Monday. VC firm Courtside Ventures also participated in the round along with undisclosed strategic investors, and the cash will fund executive appointments and the fulfilment of master services agreements TFLiving has signed with property owners.
Energy utility Gedia Energies et Services has invested €3.6m ($4.1m) in France-based energy transition technology developer Demand Side Instruments, Ouest-France has reported. The funding is intended to help the company strengthen its business at home while expanding internationally.
Omniscience, the US-based creator of a financial services-focused computing platform, raised an undisclosed amount of funding on Monday from insurance firm Guardian Life and RGAX, a subsidiary of reinsurance provider Reinsurance Group of America. The company has not disclosed details of its previous funding but its earlier investors including Plug and Play Insurance, Oriza Ventures and GVA Capital.
Fuzu, the Kenya-based operator of an online recruitment platform, has received €3.4m ($3.9m) in series A funding from investors including recruitment firm Barona and consumer price comparison service Aucfan, which invested through its Aucfan Incubate unit, Disrupt Africa reported on Tuesday. Investment manager Kepple Group’s Kepple Africa Ventures, Cornerstone Enterprises, Finnfund, Sparkmind.vc and Seedstars International also took part in the round, which came after $1.6m from FinnFund in 2016.
BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners, the VC firm sponsored by health insurance provider Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, invested an undisclosed amount in Emids, a US-based developer of digital transformation technology for healthcare businesses, on Tuesday. Emids had raised $13.3m from Baird Capital and Council Capital in 2013 but both exited the company in September 2019, selling their stakes to alternative investment manager New Mountain Capital.
Field Intelligence, the Nigeria-based operator of a supply chain finance platform for pharmacies called Shelf Life, completed a $3.6m series A round on Wednesday that included the fund launched by supply chain services provider Imperial Logistics and VC firm Newtown Partners earlier this week. Impact-focused family office Blue Haven Initiative led the round, which will fund the addition of more features to the service and its expansion in Nigeria and Kenya.
Real estate developer Lippo Group has provided an undisclosed amount of pre-series A funding for Singapore-based cross-border payment platform developer MoolahGo, DealStreetAsia reported on Wednesday. It had previously received an undisclosed amount of seed capital from angel investor Eric Barbier in March 2019 and the latest funding will support the introduction of new services and the startup’s entry into new markets.
US-based customer support technology developer Assembled emerged from stealth on Wednesday with an amount of seed funding reported by TechCrunch to be $3.1m. The round was led by payment technology provider Stripe and included Basis Set Ventures, SignalFire and a group of angel investors the startup said included several early Stripe employees.
Indonesia-based waste management services provider Waste4Change secured an amount of funding on Monday likely to be $3m from investors including SMDV, the corporate venturing subsidiary of diversified conglomerate Sinar Mas. The corporate was joined by VC firms East Ventures and Agaeti Venture Capital, and a DealStreetAsia report last month indicated the size of the round. The cash will support the expansion of Waste4Change’s waste recovery capacity and the development and launch of a smart cities platform slated for release later this year.
Influence.co, the US-based operator of an online networking platform for influencers and other digital creators, completed a $3m seed round yesterday featuring SPH Ventures, the corporate VC unit owned by media company Singapore Press Holdings. The round was led by Bonfire Ventures and included ACT Capital Partners, Alumni Ventures Group and Next 10 Ventures. It came after $500,000 from BCV Ventures, Twenty3 Capital, Jaszac Investments and AE Jarrah Group in January 2018.
Lennar Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of home builder Lennar, led a series A round yesterday for Greyter Water Systems, the US-based developer of a water recycling system, that included $3m in equity. Greyter plans to use the funding to increase its production capacity along with staff numbers.
Financial services firm ING has supplied an undisclosed amount of funding for HQlax, the Switzerland-based operator of a blockchain-based securities lending platform, having partnered the company since 2018. Financial exchange operator Deutsche Börse had invested a seven-figure euro amount (€1m = $1.2m at contemporary rates) in HQlax in August 2018 before increasing the size of its stake in January 2019.
Canada-based online insurance retail platform PolicyMe raised C$3.3m ($2.4m) in funding on Wednesday in a round co-led by real estate developer Westdale Properties and Consorcio – HCS Capital, a joint venture between insurance firm Consorcio and VC firm HCS Capital Partners. The funding will support the addition of technology and financial literacy tools to the startup’s life insurance platform.
Shell Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of oil and gas supplier Shell, provided an undisclosed amount of funding for US-based on-demand automotive services provider Spiffy on Wednesday. Spiffy offers access to car detailing, washing, high-volume oil changes and tire maintenance at short notice and will use the capital to expand those services and enter new markets.
Toxys, a Netherlands-based creator of animal-free laboratory tests, secured €2m ($2.2m) in funding from investors including financial services firm Rabobank yesterday. The round was also backed by KIKK Capital, InnovationQuarter, Zeeland Investment fund and members of the company’s management team, and it follows an undisclosed amount from InnovationQuarter and Zeeuws Investment Fund in 2016.
Magnosco, a Germany-based developer of early-stage skin cancer detection technology, has raised an undisclosed seven-figure amount in a round led by Corecam Capital Partners that included Sprim Ventures, the investment arm of healthcare consulting agency Sprim, Gründerszene reported on Monday. The cash will fund further development of the company’s miniature skin cancer detection device.
Laboratik, the Japan-based developer of a team engagement tool, received $2m in pre-series A funding on Monday from investors including Deepcore, the artificial intelligence fund formed by internet and telecommunications group SoftBank. The round also featured Eltes Capital, likely a subsidiary of cybersecurity software provider Eltes, and Mizuho Capital, the VC arm of financial services firm Mizuho Bank, in addition to Archetype Ventures and Artesian. Its earlier investors include accelerator operator Zeroth.
MobieTrain, the Belgium-based operator of a mobile learning platform for workers, has secured €1.8m ($2m) from media company Concentra and Limburgse Reconversie Maatschappij (LRM) in addition to an undisclosed amount of debt financing from BNP Paribas Fortis, DataNews reported yesterday. LRM had joined financial services firm ING and unnamed private investors to provide $1.1m in funding for the company in March 2019
Sustainable diesel and aviation fuel producer Neste has invested an undisclosed amount in Germany-based high-temperature electrolysis technology developer Sunfire. The company received a seven-figure amount in 2014 from Total Energy Ventures and Electranova Capital, representing oil and gas supplier Total and utility EDF respectively. Both returned for an eight-figure round led by Inven Capital, a subsidiary of energy utility CEZ, in 2015, and Sunfire raised $28.8m in a January 2019 round led by industrial product maker Paul Wurth and backed by Total Energy Ventures, Inven Capital, Idinvest Partners and Sunfire Entrepreneurs Club.
Capitainer, a Sweden-based developer of blood-testing technology, completed a €1.4m ($1.6m) funding round on Wednesday that was co-led by health product maker Nordic Consumer Health, EU-Startups reported. Wolf Family Trust co-led the round, which included unnamed angel investors and members of Capitainer’s management team. Founded in 2013, Captainer has not disclosed previous funding but Nordic Consumer Health described itself this week as a founding investor in the company.
Receptionist, the Japan-based reception software developer formerly known as Delighted, raised an undisclosed amount today from Opt Ventures and Salesforce Ventures, subsidiaries of marketing firm Opt and enterprise software producer Salesforce respectively. The company had already received funding from Salesforce Ventures in February 2019, following a similarly undisclosed sum from Daiwa Corporate Investment, Tsuneishi Capital Partners and undisclosed private investors in 2017 and $1.1m from the same two investors in March 2018.
Orange Digital Ventures Africa, a corporate venturing vehicle for telecoms firm Orange, led a $1.5m seed round on Tuesday for Youverify, a Nigeria-based identity verification technology developer. The startup will put the funding toward business development and the strengthening of its technology.
Case Status, a US-based legal marketing software developer and graduate of the 2018 class of Techstars Atlanta, which is backed by media and automotive services conglomerate Cox Enterprises, secured $1.5m from venture investment firm BIP Capital on Wednesday in the form of a second seed round. Alabama Futures Fund had announced in May 2019 it had recently invested in Case Status without giving the size of the deal.
Singapore-based moving services provider Moovaz has received an undisclosed amount of series A funding from SCAngels, the investment arm of logistics firm YCH Group, and the Singaporean state-owned SGInnovate, The Business Times has reported. The company secured $1m in seed funding from family office Mojo Partners and unnamed angel investors in May 2018 before adding an undisclosed sum from VC fund Hustle Fund in February 2019.
Ola Electric Mobility, the electric vehicle leasing spinoff of ride hailing service Ola, has secured almost $1m in series B funding from Pawan Munjal’s family trust, DealStreetAsia reported yesterday. It had raised at least $56m in a series A round featuring Tiger Global Management, Matrix Partners India and Ratan Tata that closed in May 2019, before telecoms and internet conglomerate SoftBank added $250m in July at a $1bn valuation. Carmaker Hyundai and its Kia Motors subsidiary invested an undisclosed amount two months later.
Telecoms firm Bharti Airtel has provided an undisclosed amount for India-based health and fitness app developer Spectacom Global through its Airtel Startup Accelerator Program, the Economic Times reported yesterday. Spectacom plans to provide fitness and nutrition videos in addition to promoting live extreme sports events.
Times Internet, the online services subsidiary of media group Bennett Coleman & Co, has invested Rs 70m ($940,000) in India-based digital payment platform developer Instamojo, Inc 42 has reported. Kalaari Capital, Blume Ventures and 500 Startups provided $2.6m for the company in 2014, before it raised an undisclosed amount from consulting firm Anypay and Kalaari Capital in 2017 and $7m in series B funding from Anypay and Gunosy Capital, a subsidiary of curated news app developer Gunosy, in January 2019.
EpicBase, a voice-to-text software developer spun off from e-book distributor Media Do, raised ¥85m ($810,000) from investors including Media Do itself yesterday. The round was led by Coral Capital, the VC firm formerly known as 500 Startups Japan, and also featured angel investors Hirofumi Miki, Shōji Miyata and Kensuke Naitō.
FlexxPay, the United Arab Emirates-based operator of a pre-payday finance service, has received an undisclosed amount of pre-series A funding from MEC Ventures, a joint venture between financial services firm Al Salam Bank and VC fund MSA Capital, Startup Mgzn reported on Wednesday. Wamda and Arzan Venture Capital co-led the $1.5m first close of the round in December 2019.
Elie, a Japan-headquartered developer of silkworm-based foods, secured ¥45m ($430,000) in funding yesterday from investors including insurance firm Mitsui Sumitomo’s corporate VC unit, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Capital, and gas utility Keiyo Gas. The corporates were joined by investment bank Ibis Capital Partners and the round will support research, product development and marketing.
Educational services provider Globis invested an undisclosed amount in Japan-based mobility data technology developer MaaS Tech Japan yesterday through corporate venturing subsidiary Globis Capital Partners. The startup has earmarked the money for recruitment and technology development.
