M&A
Cloud and IT services firm Hewlett Packard Enterprise has acquired portfolio company Pachyderm, a US-based data science technology developer also backed by software provider Microsoft, for an undisclosed sum. HPE revealed its Hewlett Packard Pathfinder subsidiary invested in Pachyderm in February 2022, 18 months after Microsoft unit M12 led a $16m series B round taking its total funding to $28m.
SailPoint Technologies bought SecZetta, the US-based developer of an identity authentication software platform, in a deal of undisclosed size allowing insurance firm Massachusetts Mutual Life to exit. The corporate’s MassMutual Ventures unit led a $20.5m series B round in 2021 that followed $10m in series A funding.
Stake Sale
Ecommerce group Alibaba has sold $125m of shares in One97 Communications, the India-based operator of digital payment services platform Paytm, representing a 3.1% stake, The Business Times reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. One97 is also backed by fellow corporates Ant Group, Berkshire Hathaway, Intel and SoftBank.
Funding
| Company | Company name | Sector | Country | Round | Round size($m) | Deal date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefit | Mattress and home furniture brand | Consumer | India | D | 40 | 13/01/2023 | Susquehanna International Group; Investcorp (lead), Sequoia Capital India, Verlinvest |
| SpiderOak | Space system-focused cybersecurity technology developer | IT | US | C | 16.4 | 12/01/2023 | Empyrean Technology Solutions (lead); Method Capital, OCA Ventures |
| Algama Foods | Algae-based food producer | Consumer | France | A | 14 | 13/01/2023 | Thai Union (Thai Union Ventures), Grupo Bimbo; Noshaq, Newtree Impact, Beyond Impact Advisors |
| WorkIndia | Online blue-collar job portal | Services | India | Pre-B | 12 | 11/01/2023 | Persol; SBI Holdings (lead), Yamauchi No 10 Family Office, Insitor |
| Captura | Developer of ocean carbon removal technology | Industrial | US | A | 12 | 12/01/2023 | Equinor (Equinor Ventures) (lead), Saudi Aramco (Aramco Ventures), Hitachi (Hitachi Ventures); California Institute of Technology, Future Planet Capital, mTerra Ventures |
| Digitail | Veterinary practice management software | Consumer | Romania | A | 11 | 12/01/2023 | Alphabet (Gradient Ventures); Atomico, ByFounders, Partech |
| Weavix | Workforce communication management platform | Services | US | A | 10 | 12/01/2023 | Koch Industries (Koch Disruptive Technologies) |
| Degas | Sub-Saharan Africa-focused farmers’ finance digitalisation service | Financial | Japan | N/A | 7.8 | 13/01/2023 | SoftBank (Deepcore), Monex (Monex Ventures); Inclusion Japan, Ikemori Venture Support |
| Alkimiya | Permissionless blockchain protocol developer | Financial | N/A | N/A | 7.2 | 12/01/2023 | Circle (Circle Ventures), Coinbase (Coinbase Ventures); Castle Island Ventures (co-lead), 1kx (co-lead), Dragonfly Capital Partners |
| Scorpio Electric | Electric vehicle spinoff of EuroSports Global | Transport | Singapore | N/A | 6.8 | 12/01/2023 | EuroSports; undisclosed others |
| Measurable Energy | Energy efficiency equipment provider | Energy and Natural Resources | UK | A | 5.4 | 12/01/2023 | Bonheur; Clean Growth Fund (lead), Vectr Investment Partners, MMC Ventures, RO Group (RO Capital Partners) |
| Digital Village | Metaverse services and NFT marketplace provider | Consumer | France | Seed | 4 | 12/01/2023 | L’Oréal (Business Opportunities for L’Oréal Development); Venture Reality Fund, Venrex, British Fashion Council, undisclosed others |
| Relio | Digital business banking platform | Financial | Switzerland | N/A | 3.2 | 10/01/2023 | TX Group (TX Ventures) (lead), Six Group (Six Fintech Ventures); High-Tech Gründerfonds |
| Detected | Automated business onboarding platform | Financial | UK | N/A | 3 | 12/01/2023 | Thomas Reuters (Thomson Reuters Ventures); Love Ventures, Maropost Ventures, Emergevest, Huw Slater, Stephen Garland, Rob Barnett |
| Entuple | Electric powertrain producer | Transport | India | Pre-A | 3 | 12/01/2023 | AirAsia (Capital A); Blue Ashva Capital |
| Vedi | Connected veterinary care provider (formerly VetDB) | Services | Australia | N/A | 2.1 | 13/01/2023 | Merck & Co (MSD Animal Health), Mars Petcare (Companion Fund) |
| Quantum Temple | Web3-based cultural heritage preservation platform | Services | US | Pre-seed | 2 | 12/01/2023 | Algorand Foundation; Borderless Capital (lead), Outliers Fund, Shima Capital, New Moon Ventures, NxGen |
| Owners | Operator of M&A agent service Risonal | Financial | Japan | Pre-A | 1.4 | 13/01/2023 | Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC Venture Capital), Mitsubishi UFJ (Mitsubishi UFJ Capital), SoftBank (Deepcore); CPA Excellent Partners, two unnamed angel investors |
| Station | Autonomous decentralised space design platform | Services | Japan | Seed1 | <1 ($780,000) | 13/01/2023 | Onomichi Sangyo, Uno Real Estate, SoftBank (Deepcore); Setouchi Startups, Hoxin |
| Proven Optics | Financial management software provider | Financial | US | N/A | N/A | 11/01/2023 | ServiceNow |
| Digio | Digital documentation software developer | Financial | India | N/A | N/A | 12/01/2023 | Groww |
| MoviePass | Cinema ticket subscription service | Media | US | Seed | N/A | 12/01/2023 | Animoca Brands (lead), PKO Bank (PKO VC); Claritas Capital, Emerald Plus, Gaingels, Harlem Capital, Sandhill Angels |
| Damon Motors | Electric motorcycle producer | Transport | Canada | N/A | N/A | 12/01/2023 | Indika Energy |
