Funding
Xbiome, the China-based creator of an artificial intelligence-equipped drug development platform, has raised almost $100m in a series B round featuring Legend Capital, the venture capital firm established by conglomerate Legend Holdings. It was joined in the round by 5Y Capital, Primavera Capital, Gaorong Capital and Hike Capital.
Pharmaceutical firm Novo has provided €86m ($97.2m) in funding for 21st.Bio, a Denmark-based provider of scale-up services for bioindustrial startups. The company has also licensed technology from bioinnovation technology producer Novozymes.
NASN Automotive Electronics, a China-based developer of control systems for intelligent vehicles, has completed a RMB500m ($78.5m) series C round that included advanced battery producer Contemporary Amperex Technology. The round also featured Bank of China Group Investment, a vehicle for financial services firm Bank of China, as well as Hillhouse Capital’s GL Ventures unit and CMC-SDIC Capital.
Avoma, the US-based developer of an artificial intelligence-equipped meeting assistant, has secured $12m in a series A round featuring video communication software producer Zoom’s Apps Fund. VC firm Headline led the round, which was also featured Storm Ventures, Global Founder Capital, Operator Partners, Industry Ventures and existing backers K9 Ventures, Dragon Capital and Twin Ventures.
Conglomerate Sojitz has co-led a $12m pre-series B round for Ripplr, the India-based operator of a digital logistics and product distribution platform. The equity and debt round was co-led by Stride Ventures and included 3one4 Capital, Zephyr Peacock India Growth Fund, Yukti Securities and private investors Abhay Hanjura, Vivek Gupta, Aniketh Jain and Ashish Aggarwal.
Switzerland-headquartered metaverse developer Space has received $7m in funding from investors including blockchain entertainment app developers Dapper Labs and Animoca Brands. They were joined by CoinFund, Hof Capital and Digital Currency Group.
Cogsy, the UK-based creator of an inventory management software platform for retailers, has closed a $6m seed round featuring WooCommerce, the e-commerce software subsidiary of website creation platform developer Automattic. The round was led by VC firm Accel and included Sugar Capital, Riverpark VC, Bain Capital Ventures and angel investor Brian Long. It incorporated a hitherto undisclosed $1m pre-seed round earlier this year.
Blockchain entertainment app developer Animoca Brands has led a $5m funding round for US-headquartered metaverse gaming studio Planet Mojo. Courtside Ventures, Republic Crypto, Polygon Studios and Sky Vision Capital also contributed to the round together with undisclosed others.
Diversified conglomerate ITC has paid an undisclosed amount for a 8.7% stake in India-based infant skincare brand Mother Sparsh Baby Care. The corporate had previously announced last month it intended to acquire a 16% share in Mother Sparsh.
Tibles, the US-based operator of a non-fungible token marketplace, has received $3m in seed capital from investors including blockchain game developer Dapper Labs, TechCrunch has reported. The round was led by Cadenza Ventures and also backed by CoinFund and Warburg Serres, both of which had joined Dapper Labs and Multicoin Capital in a $1.1m round for the company in May this year.
US-based, university-focused coffee retailer Brewbike has secured over $3m in a bridge round featuring branding and design agency Koto and Westbrook, the media and entertainment group launched by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. CEAS Investments, Connetic Ventures, Techra Investments, Chicago Booth Angel Network and Be-Cause Ventures filled out the round with angel investors Joe Mansueto and Venetia Kontogouris.
Docket, a US-based developer of hybrid meeting management software, has raised $3m from investors including video communication software provider Zoom’s Apps Fund. VC firm Elevate Ventures led the round, which also featured True Blue Partners, Indiana University’s IU Ventures fund and existing backers Maven Ventures and High Alpha Capital.
Credix, a Belgium-based startup developing a decentralised credit platform, has received $2.5m in seed funding from investors including blockchain provider Solana Labs’ strategic investment arm, Solana Ventures. The round was co-led by DRW Cumberland and ParaFi Capital and also backed by Transfero Swiss BRZ Solana Ecosystem Fund – a vehicle for stablecoin creator Transfero Swiss – and MGNR.
Blockchain consulting firm Next Chymia Consulting has provided $2m in seed funding for Paylend, a Kenya-headquartered provider of financing and digitisation services for small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa.
Oil supplier Indian Oil Corporation has acquired a stake of almost 5% in Indian Gas Exchange, the India-based operator of an automated digital trading platform for gas. Adani Total Gas and Torrent Gas had provided a total of $1m for the company, a subsidiary of automated electricity trading service IEX, in January this year in return for 5% stakes, before fellow gas utility GAIL purchased a 5% stake for an undisclosed sum the following month.
Media company Schibsted has supplied approximately $1.2m to lead a €1.5m ($1.7m) funding round for Campanyon, a Norway-based online marketplace for sustainable campsites and camping equipment. The round also featured unnamed existing investors and came eight months after the company raised $600,000 from Startuplab Founders and angel investors Even Heggernes, Trond Riiber Knudsen, Odd Reidar Øie, Aleksander Gamme and Jan Grønbech.
Cosmic Guild, a play-to-earn gaming guild with no official headquarters, has raised $1.5m in a seed round led by Binance Labs, the strategic investment arm of cryptocurrency exchange Binance. It invested alongside quantitative trading firm Alameda Research, DeFiance Capital and Play Ventures.
Fabriclore, the India-based operator of a curated textiles marketplace, has secured $700,000 in a pre-series A round featuring engineering and construction services firm Eiffel Industries and silk fashion producer Mulberry Silks, VCCircle has reported. The companies contributed a total of $460,000 and the round was led by $240,000 from micro VC fund Fluid Ventures.
Arise, the joint venture formed by telecommunications firm Telkom Indonesia’s MDI Ventures unit and VC firm Finch Capital, has led a seed round of undisclosed size for Pitik, the Indonesia-based developer of a farm management software platform for poultry farmers. MDI Ventures itself also participated in the round, along with Wavemaker Partners.
M&A
Wind Creek Hospitality, which manages the gambling assets of Native American tribe Poarch Band of Creek Indians, has purchased FlowPlay, the US-based operator of an online portal for casual and social gambling games, for an undisclosed amount. Intel Capital, the corporate venturing subsidiary of semiconductor and data technology producer Intel, co-led FlowPlay’s $3.7m debut round in 2018 with Ambient Sound Investments, investing alongside individuals Ben Feingold and Michael Schutzler. It added $165,000 in debt financing in 2010 and $500,000 in equity funding two years later, according to securities filings.
