Funding
Versanis Bio, a US-based developer a treatment for metabolic disease and obesity, completed a $70m series A round yesterday co-led by Atlas Venture and Medicxi, with participation from Aditum Bio. The latter established Versanis Bio with an undisclosed amount of seed financing to commercialise a therapy called bimagrumab that was in-licensed from pharmaceutical firm Novartis.
Japan-based virtual currency exchange Bitbank has raised ¥7.5bn ($68.2m) led by internet company Mixi, which provided $63.6m, while digital media group Ceres supplied the remainder. Ceres had already provided $7.5m for Bitbank in July 2017, which included a secondary transaction.
Panorama Education, a US-based education data analytics provider backed by internet and technology conglomerate Alphabet, secured $60m in a series C round led by General Atlantic yesterday. Owl Ventures, Emerson Collective, Uncork Capital, CZI, and Tao Capital Partners all participated. Panorama Education will use the money to drive continued product development, strengthen its school district partnerships and recruit more staff. The company last raised money in 2017, securing $16m in its series B round, and Alphabet’s GV subsidiary had contributed to a $12m series A round in 2015.
Internet company Tencent has backed a $57m series B round for Jeeves, a US-based operator of an expense management platform for startups, that was led by CRV and valued the company at $500m. Silicon Valley Bank, Alkeon Capital Management, Soros Fund Management and more than a dozen angel investors also took part. Jeeves emerged from stealth in June 2021, revealing a $26m series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Stanford University, YC Continuity Fund, Urban Innovation Fund, Uncorrelated Ventures, Clocktower Ventures, 9 Yards Capital, BlockFi Ventures and angel investors. William Hockey had contributed to a $5m seed round in 2020, but further details have not emerged.
ARS Pharmaceuticals, a US-based developer of a nasal spray to prevent severe allergic reactions leading to anaphylaxis, closed a $55m series D round led by SR One, the corporate venturing arm of pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline, yesterday. RA Capital Management, Deerfield Management and an unnamed fund also took part in the round. Deerfield previously led a $20m series C round in December 2018. ARS does not appear to have disclosed details about its earlier financing.
HebeCell, a US-based universal and cost-effective natural killer cell therapeutics developer, picked up $53m in a series A round led by biotech firm Jacobio Pharmaceuticals. The two companies have entered into a strategic partnership agreement to co-develop therapies for cancer, viral infection and autoimmune diseases.
Alma, the US-based developer of a membership scheme for mental healthcare providers, secured $50m in a series C round yesterday led by Insight Partners, with participation from Optum Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of healthcare services firm Optum, as well as Tusk Venture Partners, Primary Venture Partners, Sound Ventures, BoxGroup and Rainfall Ventures, according to Forbes. The round valued Alma at approximately $500m and comes seven months after Optum Ventures participated in a $28m series B round for Alma. The series B round was also led by Insight Partners and backed by Tusk Venture Partners, Primary Venture Partners, Sound Ventures, BoxGroup and Rainfall Ventures.
KiotVet, a Vietnam-based point-of-sale software platform backed by online travel agency Traveloka, has picked up $45m in a series B round led by KKR, with participation from Jungle Ventures. KiotVet obtained $6m in series A financing from Traveloka and Jungle Ventures in 2019.
Thailand-based insurance technology developer Sunday has secured $45m in a series B round backed by internet company Tencent, Aflac Ventures, the VC arm of insurance firm Aflac, as well as financial services firm Siam Commercial Bank’s SCB10X unit, and ZVC, the corporate venturing vehicle formed by messaging app producer Line’s Line Ventures unit and internet company Yahoo Japan. The round also included Vertex Growth and Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India and Quona Capital. The official announcement follows reports early this week that claimed the company had secured $48m in the round from investors also including Line Ventures, but this turned out not to be accurate.
Solv, a US-based remote healthcare provider backed by medical care provider MultiCare Health System, has completed a $45m series C round co-led by Acrew Capital and Corner Ventures, with contributions from Greylock Partners and Benchmark Capital. MultiCare Health System was among the participants in a $27m series B-plus round in November 2020 that was led by Acrew and also included Light Street Capital, Benchmark and Greylock Partners.
France-based instant grocery delivery service Cajoo has collected $40m in a funding round led by supermarket chain Carrefour, according to TechCrunch. The round also included Headline (the VC firm formerly known as EVentures), Frst and Xange. The latter two had co-led a $7.2m round in February 2021, when assorted angel investors also contributed.
FieldIn, the US-based operator of a farm resource management platform backed by agricultural product distributor Wilbur-Ellis and media, data and investment firm AgFunder, has picked up $30m in a series B round led by Fortissimo Capital, according to AgFunder News. Zeev Ventures, Icon Ventures, Maor Investments, and Akkadian Ventures all participated. Wilbur-Ellis’ corporate venturing arm Cavallo Ventures and AgFunder had taken part in a $12m round in 2019. That round was led by Zeev and also included Germin8 Ventures, Gal Ventures and Terra Venture Partners.
India-based online healthcare services platform Mfine has secured $34m in a series C round backed led by SBI Investment, a subsidiary of financial services firm SBI Group, according to DealStreetAsia. The round also attracted Heritas Capital, Y’S Investment, Beenext, 57 Stars and Seabright. Heritas provided $16m in a funding round in January 2021, when SBI Investment and its fellow SBI subsidiary SBI Ven Capital, Beenext, Y’S Investment, Beenext and Alteria Capital also contributed. Mfine previously added $5.4m in equity and debt financing led by Caretech, a vehicle for the company founders and other individuals, in August 2020, following an initial $17.2m in a series B tranche led by SBI Investment in 2019. SBI Ven Capital Beenext, Stellaris Ventures Partners and Prime Venture Partners filled out that original tranche.
Foretellix, a US-based automated driving systems testing, verification and validation technology developer, has collected $32m in a series B round backed by Volvo Group Venture Capital, the corporate venturing arm of automotive group Volvo, and insurer Nationwide. MoreTech Ventures led the round, while NI, Japan-Israel High Tech Ventures, 83North Ventures, Jump Capital, OurCrowd and NextGear also took part. Foretellix has now raised more than $50m altogether, it said. Taxi firm ComfortDelGro supplied an undisclosed amount to Foretellix through corporate venturing subsidiary ComfortDelGro Ventures in June 2019. 83North, Jump Capital and NextGear had co-led a $14m series A round in January 2019.
US-based checkout-free technology provider Zippin completed a $30m series B round on Wednesday with participation from software producer SAP. The round also included equity crowdfunding platform OurCrowd, Maven Ventures and Evolv Ventures. Zippin has now raised more than $45m altogether, it confirmed. The company raised $12m in a series A round led by Evolv Ventures, the venture fund of food producer Kraft Heinz, in December 2019. The round also included software producer SAP’s innovation arm SAP.io, beverage distributor Arca Continental’s corporate venturing arm AC Ventures, telecoms firm NTT’s corporate venturing unit NTT Docomo Ventures and consultancy Nomura Research Institute. Maven Ventures, Core Ventures Group, Pear Ventures and Montage Ventures also participated in the series A round, having all been identified as returning shareholders.
Lynk, the China-based operator of a business knowledge portal, has added $5m to its latest funding round already backed by MassMutual Ventures, the strategic investment arm of insurance firm Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance, bringing the total to $29m. The additional capital was supplied by financial services firm UBS’s Investment Bank division. MassMutual Ventures co-led the $24m initial tranche with Brewer Lane Ventures in January this year, when e-commerce group Alibaba’s Entrepreneurs Fund also contributed.
Corisma MCS Systems, a US-based medical device developer focused on heart failure, completed a $27m series A round led by pharmaceutical firm China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings on Monday. The corporate will own a 22.2% stake in the business and has secured the commercial rights to Brunei, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam markets.
Japan-based asset management app developer Toranotec has raised ¥2.9bn ($26.4m) in a round led by Japanese state-sponsored JIC Venture Growth Fund and backed by Seven Bank, AG Capital and Sumisei Innovation Fund – on behalf of retail group Seven & I Holdings, consumer finance provider Aiful and insurer Sumitomo Life – as well as Aslead Capital.
US-based mobile game developer Nifty Games has secured $26m in a series B round backed by online store Yes24. The round was led by Vulcan Capital and also attracted March Capital Partners’ March Gaming fund, Defy Partners, Courtside Ventures, Woori Capital, K-Net, Brighton Jones Wealth Management, Gaingels, Speedwagon Capital and private investor Steve Pagliuca. Nifty Games raised an additional $12m in debt financing alongside the equity investment. Mobile game publisher Century Game and esports team owner and services provider Axiomatic Gaming took part in a $12m series A round in April 2020. That round was led by March Capital and included Defy, Vulcan, Courtside, Transcend Fund and One Team Ventures, a fund co-founded by sports leagues the NFLPA, MLBPA, MLSPA, USWNTPA and WNBPA.
South Korea-based online education platform Class101 has closed a $25.8m series B round led by Goodwater Capital, with contributions from Strong Ventures, KT Investment, Mirae Asset Capital and Klim Ventures, according to TechCrunch. SoftBank Ventures Asia, an investment subsidiary of telecoms group SoftBank, led a $10.5m series A round in April 2019, when Mirae Asset Venture Investment, KT Investment, Spring Camp and Strong Ventures also invested. Spring Camp had supplied $500,000 in seed financing in June 2018.
Rafay Systems, the US-based developer of a containerised application management system backed by mobile network operator NTT, received $25m in series B funding on Tuesday led by ForgePoint Capital. The round featured Ridge Ventures, Costanoa Ventures and Moment Ventures. Ridge had led an $8m series A round in 2019, when NTT participated through corporate venturing division NTT Docomo Ventures. The series A round was filled out by Costanoa Ventures and Moment Ventures.
Australia-based insurance technology developer Open has attracted A$31m ($22.9m) in a series B round from investors including its underwriter, insurer Hollard Insurance, according to the Australian Financial Review. Movac led the round, while Latitude and AirTree Ventures also invested. Open, then known as Huddle, picked up $19.3m in a series A round in 2018 led by AirTree, with contributions from Hollard Insurance, media business SevenWest Media and Alium Capital.
Plantible Foods, a US-based startup developing a protein generated from aquatic duckweed, closed a $21.5m series A round yesterday backed by food company CJ CheilJedang and Eighteen94 Capital, the corporate venturing arm of packaged food producer Kellogg. The round was led by Astanor Ventures and also featured Piva Capital, Good Friends, Vectr Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, FTW Ventures and Unshackled Ventures as well as angel investors. Eighteen94 Capital previously took part in a $4.6m round, dubbed a series A in the press, in April 2020.
China-based lithium batteries-driven recycling company Shanghai CN Science and Technology has raised tens of millions of US dollars from investors including carmaker SAIC Auto’s Hengxu Capital unit, according to DealStreetAsia. Matrix Partners China led the round, while China Merchants Securities, CICC Capital’s CICC Chuanhua Fund, Three Gorges Capital, J-Fund and V Fund also participated. V Fund, V.Stone Capital, SDIC Gaoxin, Jundu Investment and Hongde Investment Management were all identified as early backers, but further details could not be ascertained.
Japan-based asset management platform operator Folio has raised ¥2.1bn ($19.1m) from financial services firm SBI Holdings’ SBI Financial Services unit, which took its overall funding to ¥11.2bn ($102m). Signifiant supplied an undisclosed amount in January 2019, following a $63m series A2 round in 2018 from investors including messaging app developer Line and conglomerate Mitsui & Co, as well as Dentsu Ventures and SMBC Venture Capital, respective subsidiaries of marketing firm Dentsu and financial services firm Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. The series A2 round also featured investment bank Goldman Sachs, DCM Ventures and Draper Nexus Ventures.
Blueprint Title, the US-based developer of a title and escrow software platform for real estate deals, has collected $16m in a series B round backed by Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, Avanta Ventures and Greenlight Re Innovations, on behalf of insurance providers Liberty Mutual and CSAA and reinsurer Greenlight Re. The round also featured Mouro Capital, the venture capital firm spun off from financial services firm Santander that used to be known as Santander Innoventures, and was led by Forté Ventures. Bull City Venture Partners, Gaingels, Tribeca Early Stage Partners and Mucker Capital filled out the list of investors. Blueprint had secured $8.5m in a series A round in February 2020 led by Mouro Capital, with participation from Liberty Mutual Strategic Ventures, Greycroft, Mucker Capital, Tribeca Early Stage Partners and unnamed additional investors.
US-based wine subscription service Bright Cellars has received $11.2m in a series B round backed by financial services provider Northwestern Mutual, Revolution Ventures and lead investor Cleveland Avenue, according to TechCrunch. Revolution Ventures led an $8.5m series A round in March 2019, with participation from CSA Partners. Northwestern Mutual had backed a $2.8m funding round in 2018 through corporate venturing arm Cream City Venture Capital, when Cleveland Avenue and CSA Partners also invested.
Capitalise, a UK-based accountancy platform to help SMEs source the right kind of financing, has secured £10m ($13.8m) in funding from credit scoring agency Experian and Post Fiannce, the financial services arm of postal service Swiss Post, as well as QED Investors, Gauss Ventures and Hambro Perks, according to Tech.eu. The company previously secured $4.6m in series A financing led by QED, with commitments from Hambro Perks and Gauss Ventures.
China-based data analytics company Oddup has completed a $12.8m series C round backed by Brand Capital, an investment subsidiary of media company Times Group. IRO Capital, Elliot Capital, Jervois Hillier, Click Ventures and White Capital also took part in the round. Oddup does not appear to have released details about its series B round, having last disclosed $6m in series A financing from Brand Capital, 500 Startups, Click Ventures, Moneta Ventures and White Capital in 2017.
Ayoconnect, the Indonesia-based creator of a digital bill-payment system for businesses, has pocketed $10m in pre-series B funding from Mandiri Capital Indonesia, the investment arm of financial services firm Bank Mandiri, Patamar Capital and assorted angel investors, according to Tech in Asia. It is unclear whether the $10m includes the $5m revealed just over a month ago or is in addition to that capital.
US-based blockchain security and analytics startup AnChain.AI has bagged $10m in a series A round led by SIG Asia Investments, a vehicle for quantitative trading and technology firm Susquehanna International Group (SIG). The round included Fin VC, Nima Capital, Hard Yaka and Amino Capital. A regulatory filing suggests the money was raised last month, although it was only announced on Wednesday. SIG and Animo Capital co-led a $4.3m pre-series A round in 2020, with participation from Aligned Partners and Brightway Future Capital. This followed a $2m seed round in 2019 featuring Amino Capital and CRCM Ventures, with SIG and Brain Robotics Capital also listed as backers.
China-based virtual event management platform EventX has closed a $10m series B round co-led by consumer electronics company HTC and Gaocheng Capital, according to Tech in Asia. Details about EventX’s historical funding could not be confirmed.
Galapagos, the Japan-based provider of web advert design service Air Design, has raised ¥1.1bn ($10m) in series A funding from design studio The Guild, financial services firm Mizuho Financial Group subsidiary Mizuho Capital, digital media firm Gree’s Strive fund as well as Archetype Ventures, Globe Advisors Ventures, Signifiant’s The Fund and Dream Incubator’s Dimension unit. Mizuho Capital and Archetype Ventures had already joined education services provider Globis’ G-Startup fund, insurer Taiju Life Insurance’s Sansei Capital unit, real estate developer GA Technologies’s GA3 and GA4 funds and Accord Ventures to back a ¥220m pre-series A round in May 2020.
US-based non-fungible token platform Cybertino Labs has raised $10m in seed financing from investors including blockchain gaming company Animoca Brands as well as Sky9 Capital, Zoo Capital, Draper Dragon, INCE Capital, UpHonest Capital Divergence Ventures, SNZ and Hashed, according to Crowdfund Insider.
Neuroglee, a Singapore-based developer of digital therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases backed by pharmaceutical company Eisai, has obtained $9.7m in a funding round featuring Openspace Ventures, EDBI and private investors, according to DealStreetAsia. Esai co-led a $2.3m pre-seed round for Neuroglee in 2020 together with Kuldeep Singh Rajput.
India-based point-of-sale financing platform Skeps has attracted $9.5m in a funding round led by Bertelsmann India Investments, a local corporate venturing division of media conglomerate Bertelsmann, with participation from Accel, according to the Times of India. Accel previously supplied $1m in February 2019, when Skeps was still known as StreamSource.
Samast Technologies, the India-based operator of hyperlocal discovery app Magicpin backed by consumer electronics producer Samsung, has secured $3m in funding from RA Holdings, Lightspeed, the Bunting Family and Moonstone, Entrackr reported on Monday. Samsung’s corporate venturing arm Samsung Ventures had backed a $7m series D round in July 2020.
Pakistan-based influencer marketing platform Walee has obtained $2.7m in seed funding from communications company Z2C, DealStreetAsia reported on Tuesday. Walee connects brands and agencies with content creators and claims to have built a network of more than 50,000 influencers and more than 5,000 brands.
Switzerland-based watch manufacturer De Bethune has received an undisclosed amount from collectible luxury timepieces company WatchBox. De Bethune has not revealed any earlier funding.
Protealis, a Belgium-based sustainable plant protein development company backed by agrichemical company Globachem and spun out of VIB and Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), raised €5.7m ($6.8m) in additional series A funding today from Innovation Industries, Korys Investments, HFT Holding, Thia Ventures and Estari. Protealis secured $7.3m in April 2021, although this was described as seed financing at the time. The April round was led by V-Bio Ventures and included Globachem, VIB, KU Leuven’s Gemma Frisius Fund, PMV, Estari, Agri Investment Fund.
Girasol Energy, a Japan-based solar energy technology developer using the internet-of-things tool designed at University of Tokyo, has raised more than ¥500m ($4.6m) in series A funding fromelectric utility Kansai Electric Power Group’s K4 Ventures unit, construction firm Tokyu Construction, property developer Mitsui Fudosan’s 31Ventures subsidiary, YCV – a joint vehicle for financial services firm Yamanashi Central Bank and consultancy Yamanashi Central Bank Management Consulting – as well as VC firm Anri and University of Tokyo’s Innovation Platform.
Spain-based console games developer Breach Studios has secured €3.5m ($4.2m) in funding from gaming company My.Games’ corporate venturing arm My.Games Venture Capital. Breach Studios does not appear to have disclosed any prior funding.
Japan-based professional social media platform YouTrust has raised ¥450m ($4.1m) in a series B round led by Delight Ventures, a venture capital firm sponsored by internet company DeNA, and backed by digital media group Gree’s Strive fund, W Ventures and Anri. YouTrust raised $1m in a pre-series A round backed by Strive fund in February 2020, when W Ventures, Delight Ventures, TLM and angel investors also invested.
Liberaware, a Japan-based industrial indoor drone developer, has raised ¥420m ($3.8m) in a series C round led by Bonds Investment Group, a subsidiary of marketing group Opt, and backed by printing services firm Toppan, financial services firm Orix, security service Central Security Patrols, Kyoto University’s Miyako Capital vehicle and Drone Fund. The company has secured ¥970m in total, having last raised $2.4m in May 2020.
BankiFi, a UK-based fintech developer backed by building society Nationwide, has picked up £2.2m ($3m) in a funding round led by Praetura Ventures, with participation from Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Nationwide supplied an undisclosed amount of funding in September 2019 through its Venturing Fund.
United Arab Emirates-based stablecoin developer UXD Protocol has secured $3m in a seed round backed by quantitative trading firm Alameda Research and led by Multicoin Capital. The round also featured Defiance Capital, CMS Holdings, Solana Foundation, Mercurial Finance and angel investors.
Video conferencing platform Zoom has taken part in a $2.8m pre-seed round for Spinach, a US-based developer of a tool for Zoom that helps structure meetings. Zoom invested through its Apps Fund and was joined by lead investor Cardumen Capital, Tuesday Capital, private investors and unnamed participants.
PGV, a Japan-based mental wellbeing technology developer spun out of Osaka University and backed by its Osaka University Venture Capital (OUVC) unit, has raised ¥300m ($2.7m) in series B funding from pharmaceutical firm Shionogi. OUVC, a repeat investor, last supplied $1.4m in funding in July 2020.
Japan-based specialised ice cream and butter sweets producer HiOli has collected ¥300m ($2.7m) from online supermarket operator Oisix Ra Daichi’s Future Food Fund, diversified aviation equipment and services provider Jalux and SMBC Venture Capital, a vehicle for financial services firm Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.
Japan-based habit development platform WizWe has raised ¥260m ($2.4m) from financial services firm Shinsei Bank, consulting group EggForward, Waseda University’s Weru Investment affiliate and VC firm Mobile Internet Capital. Japan Finance Corporation supplied an additional ¥150m ($1.4m) in debt financing. The company had raised ¥100m from Shinsei Bank, Mobile Internet Capital, Nippon Venture Capital and unnamed individuals in December 2019.
Japan-based massage therapist ordering platform developer Hogugu has raised ¥200m ($1.8m) in pre-series A funding from angel investors including Sho Tagawa. Hogugu had secured $570,000 from marketing agency Vector and private investor Teruaki Yabuta in September 2020.
Japan-based teenagers’ online education service Inspire High has raised ¥150m ($1.4m) in pre-series A funding from electronic product manufacturer Sony’s Innovation Fund, press release distributor PR Times as well as Ikemori Venture Support, United Managers Japan, Tatsuya Suzuki, Yuma Umeda and Masahiro Koshiba.
Japan-based supply chain risk management platform Resilire has secured ¥150m ($1.4m) from investors including Deepcore, Strive, Globis Capital Partners and Mizuho Capital, respective vehicles for telecommunications and internet group SoftBank, digital media group Gree, education services provider Globis and financial services firm Mizuho Bank. Archetype Ventures and DNX Ventures filled out the round, which took the company’s overall funding to ¥180m ($1.6m).
Renalis, a US-based digital health company focused on pelvic health disorders, completed a $824,000 pre-seed round led by the Healthcare Collaboration Fund, a joint vehicle for University Hospitals Ventures, the commercialisation arm of health system University Hospitals, and JumpStart. The latter also invested separately in the round, as did several private investors.
Japan-based disaster prevention technology developer Spectee has raised an undisclosed amount from electric utility Chugoku Electric Power.
Japan-based internet-of-things technology developer Latona has completed an extension of undisclosed size for its series A round featuring printing services firm Dai Nippon Printing. Internet and telecommunications group SoftBank had provided ¥150m ($1.4m) in series A funding in March this year. Latona had raised $3.7m in a series A round featuring Monex Ventures, the investment arm of foreign exchange operator Monex, in January 2021, when Mirai Creation Fund II, which is backed by carmaker Toyota, as well as Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Shizuoka Capital and SMBC Venture Capital, subsidiaries of financial services firms Mitsubishi UFJ, Shizuoka Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) also took part. SMBC provided debt financing at the time.
Japan-based part-time job search platform Timee has raised funding from telecommunications firm KDDI’s Open Innovation Fund 3. Timee had secured $12.7m in September 2020 from investors including child and elderly care provider Global Bridge, internet company Mixi and property developer Prologis, which all invested directly, as well as mobile game publisher Colopl and rail operator Kintetsu Group, which participated through corporate venturing vehicles Colopl Next and Kintetsu Venture Partners. Financial services firm Higo Bank’s Higin Capital and Higin Venture Fund subsidiaries also participated in the equity portion of the round along with assorted angels, while debt financing was provided by unnamed financial institutions.
Japan-based internet-of-things technology-equipped water treatment equipment producer Y’s Global Vision has raised an undisclosed sum from electronic product provider Sony’s Innovation Fund, MCP Holdings and Monozukuri Ventures.
Japan-based autonomous driving-focused navigation tool developer Dynamic Map Platform has received an undisclosed amount from conglomerate Mitsui.
Neuet, the Japan-based operator of bicycle sharing service Charichari, has raised an undisclosed amount from construction firm En Holdings. The money comes just a few weeks after broadcaster JOCH-DTV (Chukyo TV) had injected a similarly undisclosed amount.
Japan-based artificial intelligence-equipped robotics technology developer Sensyn Robotics has raised an undisclosed sum from real estate developer Sun Frontier Fudousan.
Japan-based impact investment platform Phals has received an undisclosed amount from investors including real estate developer Motoya United and currency exchange operator Monex Group. Mirai Trust, Wells Partners, Sustainable Investor, Zuu, Tryfunds Group and World Association of Overseas Japanese Entrepreneurs also took part, as did unnamed other companies and angel investors.
Cloud communications technology developer Avaya Holdings invested an undisclosed amount in Journey.ai, a US-based digital trusted identity platform, on Wednesday. Journey.ai does not appear to have disclosed any earlier funding.
Nebula, a US-based streaming video and technology platform, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with media company Curiosity and secured an undisclosed amount from the corporate. The deal valued Nebula at more than $500m.
ReadyUp, a US-based platform for game developers to build fan communities, has secured an undisclosed amount from esports company Cyberathlete Professional, according to Venturebeat. ReadyUp previously obtained $2m in a September 2018 round led by Boost VC, with commitments from law firm Fenwick & West, blockchain research firm Smith & Crown and individual investors.
IAG Firemark Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of insurance provider IAG, has injected an undisclosed amount in Myriota, an Australia-based developer of satellite internet-of-things (IoT) technology based on University of South Australia research. Myriota previously obtained $19.3m in series B financing from subsidiaries of aerospace manufacturer Boeing and telecommunications firm Singtel, as well as Hostplus and Main Sequence Ventures, which co-led the round, in addition to In-Q-Tel, the state government-owned South Australian Venture Capital Fund, Right Click Capital and former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in April 2020.
Japan-based blockchain-powered game producer Double Jump.Tokyo has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from video game publisher Bandai Namco, cryptocurrency exchange BitFlyer and Z Venture Capital, the corporate venturing unit of internet holding group Z Holdings. The company had received $1.8m from mobile game publisher Gumi in December 2018. Another mobile game publisher, Deluxe Games, had provided an undisclosed amount for the company five months before.
Japan-based artificial intelligence-equipped business records analytics software provider Cinnamon AI has secured an undisclosed sum from distillery Suntory. It had most recently raised ¥500m ($4.5m) from industrial equipment wholesaler Trusco Nakayama Corporation in June this year, following a $12.1m series C round the previous month involving production studio Geek Pictures. The company’s earlier backers include systems integrator TIS, trading firm Itochu’s Techno-Solutions unit, electronics producer Sony’s Innovation Fund, investment and property firm MT Partners, marketing firm Vector, robotic process automation technology provider RPA Holdings and Monex Ventures, a unit of financial exchange operator Monex.
M&A
ScopeAI, a US-based conversational analytics company backed by cloud computing firm Salesforce, has been acquired by Observe.AI, the developer of artificial intelligence technology for contact centres. Financial terms were not disclosed. ScopeAI secured an undisclosed amount of seed capital from Salesforce’s corporate venturing arm Salesforce Ventures in March 2018, when Y Combinator, Menlo Ventures, Social Capital and angel investors also injected cash.
SecBi, an Israel-based threat detection software developer backed by telecoms firm Orange, has been acquired by cybersecurity company LogPoint for an undisclosed sum. The deal is expected to close by the third quarter of this year. Several SecBi shareholders will own stock in LogPoint following the transaction, although Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) was explicitly named. SecBi raised $5m in a 2016 series A round featuring Orange Digital Ventures, the corporate venturing division of Orange, Connecticut Innovations, JVP and angel investor Amichai Shulman.
Cryptocurrency exchange West Realm Shire Services has agreed to buy Ledger Holdings, the parent company of digital currency futures and options exchange LedgerX, providing exits to trading and technology group Miami International Holdings (MIH) and GV, a subsidiary of internet technology provider Alphabet. Ledger last raised capital in 2017, when MIH co-led an $11.4m series B round with Huiyin Blockchain Venture Investments. GV had contributed to a round of undisclosed size in 2014, two years after MIH had also supplied an undisclosed sum.
Consumer finance platform developer Zip has acquired its portfolio company, South Africa-based buy-now-pay-later app developer Payflex, for an undisclosed figure, TechCrunch reported today. Zip had injected an undisclosed amount of funding in Payflex five months ago.
US-based e-commerce personalisation software developer Reflektion has been bought by digital experience management platform Sitecore for an undisclosed sum, offering exits to chipmaker Intel and sportswear brand Nike. Intel had backed a $13.5m funding round for Reflektion in November 2020, investing through its Intel Capital unit. Intel Capital had already led an $8m series B round in 2014, when Nike also injected funding, and backed an $18m round in 2016.
– Additional reporting by Liwen-Edison Fu
