Funding
AI
Pexa Insights, the data analytics subsidiary of property transaction settlement platform Pexa Group, has agreed to acquire a stake of up to 25% in Australia-based artificial technology developer Elula in return for an undisclosed amount of funding.
Construtech
Advanced materials producer Saint-Gobain’s strategic investment arm, Nova, and port operator Grupo Murchison have taken part in a $3m round for Argentina-based construction digitisation software developer Nuqlea, Bloomberg Línea reported on Friday. Newtopia VC led the round, also investing alongside Catalysts.
Fintech
Payment services firm Mastercard has led a $40m round for Saudi Arabia-based digital payment services provider HyperPay in connection with a strategic partnership, Financial IT has reported.
GMO Venture Partners, a subsidiary of internet company GMO, has taken part in a $3m round for India-based online venture debt platform 8vdx, the Economic Times reported on Friday. Y Combinator, Zillionize, Cathexis, Grant Park Ventures, Asymmetry Ventures, Earlsfield Capital Partners and Fox Ventures filled out the participants with angel investors Vikram Chachra and Kevin Moore.
Foodtech
Kirin Health Innovation Fund, a joint vehicle for brewery group Kirin Holdings and venture capital firm Global Brain, invested an undisclosed amount in US-based plant-derived sweet protein developer Joywell Foods earlier this month, it was revealed today. The cash was likely part of a $25m series B round announced on Friday that was led by Piva Capital and which included Evolv Ventures, the VC firm backed by packaged food producer Kraft Heinz, as well as B37 Ventures, Global Brain, Khosla Ventures, SOSV’s IndieBio fund and Alumni Ventures.
Impact
BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund, an investment vehicle formed by financial services firm BNP Paribas and non-profit organisation Solar Impulse Foundation, has contributed to a $15m round for UK-based biodiversity monitoring technology developer NatureMetrics. 2150 led the round, which included Ananda Impact Ventures, Swen Capital Partners’ Blue Ocean and Systemiq Capital.
IoT
Diversified trading firm Itochu Corporation, digitisation technology group Wiz and real estate developer Apaman Network provided ¥500m ($3.9m) in funding today for Candy House Japan, the Japan-based creator of a smart lock system called Sesame.
Specialised protective clothing producer Lakeland Industries invested £1.5m ($1.9m) in Inova Design Solutions, the UK-based owner of wireless body sensing equipment provider Bodytrak, earlier this month. Lakeland had provided $2.7m in funding for Inova in October 2021 and the latest deal increased its stake from 11% to 18%.
Mobility
Hyundai Venture Investment and JB Asset Management have participated in a $25.5m series B round for South Korea-based mobility communications technology provider Autocrypt on behalf of carmaker Hyundai and financial services firm JB Financial Group. The round valued the company at $120m and included Korea Asset Investment Securities, Ulmus Investment, BSK Investment, Shinhan Venture Investments, Stic Ventures and Pathfinder H.
Web3 and AR/VR
Virtual reality game publisher Somnium Space has led a $4m series A round for France-based mixed reality infrastructure provider Lynx. The round featured unnamed investors that included returning backers and former Meta and Google engineers.
LG Technology Ventures, a subsidiary of diversified conglomerate LG, has backed a $36m round for US-based augmented reality technology developer Jadu, according to Dot.LA. Bain Capital led the round, which included General Catalyst Partners and Alumni Ventures, and it took the company’s overall funding to more than $45m.
Investment banking firm JP Morgan has participated in a series C round for Elliptic, the UK-based provider of a risk management service for digital assets, according to Crowdfund Insider. The round was initially revealed to be sized at $60m in October 2021 when telecommunications and internet group SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2 and financial services firms Wells Fargo and SBI Group were revealed as participants.
Fashion retailer H&M’s investment arm, H&M Co:Lab, led an £18m ($22.7m) series B round for UK-based textile dyeing process developer Colorifix on Friday. Cambridge Enterprise, Sagana, Bombyx Growth Fund, PDS Ventures, Regeneration.VC and SynBioVen filled out the investors.
