Funding
Lilt, a US-based provider of software which helps organisations tailor their online presences to a wider audience, secured $55m yesterday in a series C round featuring IT services Wipro and semiconductor technology producer Intel, which took part through corporate venturing subsidiaries Wipro Ventures and Intel Capital. Venture capital firm Four Rivers led the round, which included Sorenson Capital, Clear Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Redpoint Ventures and XSeed Capital.
Ceramics product manufacturer Corning added an undisclosed amount yesterday to a series D round for US-headquartered holographic display headset developer DigiLens that totalled over $50m as of the November 2021 first close. The round values DigiLens above $530m and already included consumer electronics manufacturer Samsung, mobile game publisher 37 Interactive Entertainment and subsidiaries of chemicals provider Mitsubishi Chemical, LED technology producer Universal Display Corporation and acoustic component maker Goertek (through its Optimas Capital Management unit).
Vontive, the US-based creator of a no-code mortgage software platform for real estate investment, emerged from stealth yesterday with $25m in series B equity funding and $110m in debt financing from investors including real estate developers Goldcrest and LeFrak. The round was led by Zigg Capital and also backed by Founders Fund, XYZ Venture Capital, 8VC, Nine Four Ventures, Village Global and Godfrey Capital.
India-based e-commerce services provider 1K Kirana Bazaar has raised $25m in series B funding from investors including classified listings operator Info Edge, which supplied approximately $10.8m to take its stake to 21.8%, Entrackr reported on Wednesday citing regulatory filings. The round was led by Alpha Wave and also featured Kae Capital, Beacon Trusteeship, Kalysta Capital, Elite Zilla, Infimomentum Ventures and actor Sachin Sharma. It valued the company at about $110m.
US-headquartered zinc-air battery developer e-Zinc received $25m yesterday in a series A round featuring Toyota Ventures and Eni Next, which invested on behalf of carmaker Toyota and energy utility Eni respectively. Investment firm Anzu Partners led the round, which included BDC Capital and existing backers including Energy Foundry.
Clinical research services provider Tigermed took part in a $17m pre-series A round for LTZ Therapeutics, an immunotherapy developer jointly headquartered in the United States and China, yesterday. K2 Venture Partners led the round while Qiming Venture Partners also participated.
Telecommunications and internet group SoftBank’s SB Opportunity Fund led a $16m series A round for US-headquartered esports tournament operator Community Gaming yesterday. Binance Labs, a subsidiary of digital currency exchange Binance, also took part, as did ConsenSys Mesh – a vehicle for blockchain technology producer Consensys – blockchain entertainment providers Animoca Brands and Polygon Studios, Bitkraft Ventures, Griffin Gaming Partners, CoinFund, Hashed, Multicoin Capital, Shima Capital and angel investors such as Jeff Zirlin and Gabby Dizon.
US-based online life insurance provider Covr Financial Technologies secured $15m in series B funding yesterday from investors including insurance providers Allianz and Aflac – through Allianz Life Ventures and Aflac Ventures – and consumer electronics manufacturer Sony’s Innovation Fund. The corporates were joined by Stone Point Ventures, Connecticut Innovations, Fairview Capital, Contour Venture Partners, Commerce Ventures and Tribeca Early Stage Partners.
Taiwan-based online learning platform developer Hahow closed a $10m series B round on Wednesday co-led by semiconductor founder UMC’s corporate venturing unit, UMC Capital. The round was co-led with Taiwan’s National Development Fund.
Unifimoney, the US-based creator of a digital wealth management tool designed for community banks and credit unions, raised $10m in seed funding from investors including e-commerce and rewards product developer Shop Your Way on Wednesday. The round also featured trade body Independent Community Bankers of America, Oriza Ventures, Altair Capital, Global Millennial Capital, White Bay Group, Hard Yaka, Plug and Play and undisclosed angel investors.
US-headquartered online jewellery and watch insurance provider BriteCo received $9m in series A funding from investors including reinsurance firm Hannover Re on Wednesday. Brand Foundry Ventures led the round, which was also backed by Western Technology Investment, Hyde Park Angels and angel investors John Bunch, Caribou Honig and Jay Weintraub.
Shurafa Real Estate Development led a pre-series B round of undisclosed size on Wednesday for Gathern, the Saudi Arabia-based operator of an online peer-to-peer accommodation rental platform. Fellow property developers Al Majdia Residence, Al Ajlan Riviera and Al Safa Real Estate Development also took part, as did STV, the VC firm backed by telecoms firm Saudi Telecom.
US-based coding software developer StackBlitz secured $7.9m in seed financing on Wednesday from investors including GV, the corporate venturing subsidiary of internet and technology group Alphabet formerly known as Google Ventures. The corporate participated alongside VC firm Greylock, which led the round, and angel investors such as Tom Preston-Werner, Jay Srinivasan and Pratyus Patnaik.
Biologics technology and services provider Alloy Therapeutics invested an undisclosed sum in US-based antibody drug developer Tegmine Therapeutics on Wednesday. Alloy will also handle the antibody discovery and hit validation element of Tegmine’s therapeutics development.
Highres, the Japan-based operator of a data centre catered for graphics processing unit activity, raised ¥570m ($4.6m) from investors including calendar producer Jingukan and agricultural and food product provider Cifra. They were joined by financial services firm Shinsei Bank’s Shinsei Corporate Investment subsidiary, Tokyo University of Science’s Innovation Capital unit and VC firm Now. The round boosted the company’s total equity and debt financing to about $16m.
Power producer Israel Electric Corporation provided an undisclosed amount of funding for Israel-based infrastructure monitoring software developer Prisma Photonics on Wednesday. The investment came two months after Insight Partners led a $20m series B round for Prisma that also featured SE Ventures and Future Energy Ventures, vehicles for energy and automation technology provider Schneider Electric and energy utility Eon.
Barbados-registered blockchain communication protocol developer Bridge Network completed a $3.8m funding round on Wednesday featuring cryptocurrency exchange FTX’s strategic investment vehicle, FTX Ventures, as well as fellow digital currency exchanges Blockfinex and MEXC Global. The round was also backed by Master Ventures, Croc Capital and unnamed other investors.
Switzerland-based internet-of-things technology developer Loriot raised an undisclosed amount on Wednesday in a series A round led by Wika Group, a producer of industrial environment measuring equipment. The capital is intended to form part of a strategic collaboration.
Blockchain technology provider Solana invested an undisclosed amount in Campus Legends, the US-based operator of a non-fungible token platform focusing on US college sports, on Wednesday. The corporate supplied the cash through corporate venturing vehicle Solana Ventures.
M&A
Pharmaceutical firm Pfizer agreed yesterday to buy ReViral, a UK-based respiratory virus drug developer that has raised $120m in funding from pharmaceutical companies EMS and Novo, for up to $525m. CR-CP Life Science Fund, a vehicle for conglomerates China Resources and Charoen Pokphand Group, led ReViral’s $44m series C round in August 2020, investing with Novo, EMS subsidiary Brace Pharma Capital, Andera Partners, Green Sands Equity, New Leaf Venture Partners, OrbiMed Advisors and Perceptive Advisors.
Funds
Sixers Innovation Lab, the US-based venture capital firm backed by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the media and entertainment group that owns basketball franchise the Philadelphia 76ers, has launched a second fund having almost reached its $25m targeted close, Philadelphia Business Journal reported yesterday. The fund will invest in developers of sports, esports and gaming, media, entertainment and consumer technology.
Printing and office supplies equipment maker Dai Nippon Printing provided an undisclosed amount of capital for US-headquartered venture capital firm Allegis Capital yesterday. The agreement will also involve Dai Nippon participating in future funds, it said.
Additional reporting by Liwen-Edison Fu.
