Funding
TXOne Networks, a Taiwan-based industrial control systems cybersecurity subsidiary of cybersecurity software developer Trend Micro, has picked up $12.9m in series A financing co-led by Jafco Asia Investment, Jade Stone Jinghua Limited Partnership Fund and unnamed backers. The company has now raised $23.7m altogether, it said, although it does not appear to have disclosed details about prior funding.
C3, a US-based foodtech developer also known as Creating Culinary Communities, has added $10m to its series B round, bringing the total to $90m thanks to the extension backed by TriArtisan Capital Advisors, the private equity firm that owns restaurant chains such as TGI Friday’s and Hooters, and the firm’s investors. The tranche adds to an initial $80m series B close in July 2021 co-led by logistics hubs an ghost kitchens operator Reef Technology and Brookfield Asset Management, with participation from Egon Durban and Greg Mondre. The company previously raised an undisclosed amount of series A capital from hospitality company Accor Hotels and shopping centre operator Simon Property Group at the time of C3’s launch in February 2020.
Speclipse, a South Korea-based developer of laser spectroscopic and AI-based medical diagnosis technologies, has obtained $7.7m in funding from investors including medical diagnostics devices producer MiCoBioMed and its affiliate MiCo. The round also included Signite Partners, BNH Investment and Shinhan Capital. The same consortium secured a majority stake in Speclipse earlier this year, the company said, and Speclipse has now secured $13m altogether.
Gross-Wen Technologies, a US-based wastewater treatment company backed by engineering services provider Doerfer Companies, has closed a $6.5m series A round co-led by ISA Ventures and Iowa Farm Bureau’s Rural Vitality Fund. Next Level Ventures, Mid-American Angels, Ankeny Angels, Ag Startup Engine, Oman Ventures and 1330 Investments also took part. Gross-Wen secured $2m from Doerfer in June 2018 and the company is based on research at Iowa State University.
CarbonicBoats, an Australia-based unnamed aerial data capture technology developer also known as Carbonix, has received A$6.3m ($4.6m) in seed funding led by defence company Quickstep Holdings. The identity of the remaining investors was not disclosed.
Dealership and car services provider Geweke Auto Group has led a $3.1m funding round for DealerPeak, a US-based customer relationship management platform developer focused on the automotive sector. The round was also backed by Tim Crown, Jim Prendergast and Zach Ferres. The round allows DealerPeak to expand its headcount and provides a runway to a series A round to be raised within months.
US-based non-fungible token platform Vera has closed a $3m seed round led by game developer Animoca Brands, with participation from OKEx Block Dream Fund, Genesis Block Ventures, Krypital Group, Shima Capital, SL2 Capital, Mozaik Capital, Sentor Investments and Sandbar Investments.
Prosperna, a Philippines-based e-commerce software developer backed by fintech company UBX, has raised $555,000 in a second seed round led by Foxmont Capital Partners, according to Tech in Asia. UBX previously supplied $450,000 in a first seed round in July 2021.
Singapore-based alternative protein company Inseact has picked up $1.3m in seed capital backed by an unnamed shrimp producer, according to DealStreetAsia. The round was led by an unnamed family office from Europe, while Asian Development Bank’s ADB Ventures, Loyal VC, Insead Asia Angels Club and private investors also participated.
ByteDance, the China-based digital media company that counts telecoms group SoftBank as an investor, has sold a 1% stake to the Chinese government, according to The Information. It is unclear if the transaction involved any capital or if it was due to regulatory pressure. The deal took place in in April this year and gives the government one seat on ByteDance’s three-person board of directors. ByteDance was reportedly seeking to raise $2bn in fresh funding in December 2020 but no update has emerged.
Switzerland-based compensation management software developer Beqom has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from Golub Capital, according to StartupTicker.ch. Beqom’s early backers include telecoms firm Swisscom’s corporate venturing arm Swisscom Ventures, and the company last raised funding in 2017, when investment bank Goldman Sachs injected $35m.
MioTech, a China-based AI-powered sustainability data provider backed has collected an undisclosed amount of series B-plus capital from investment holding company from Guotai Junan International and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC. MioTech previously obtained an undisclosed amount of series B funding from financial services firm HSBC in January this year, following another undisclosed sum from ratings agency Moody’s in November 2020. MioTech had raised a total of $23m from investors including Horizons Ventures and Zhenfundas of January 2020, before adding an undisclosed amount from media company TOM Group two months later.
