Intel Capital, the corporate venture capital subsidiary of semiconductor technology producer Intel, disclosed on Tuesday that it has invested a total of $72m in 12 startups.
The deals were announced at the unit’s annual Global Summit, though it did not specify how much capital it provided for each round.
The largest of the newly announced rounds was a $20m series A for Gamalon, a US-based customer communications platform developer, that included .406 Ventures, Omidyar Technology Ventures, Boston Seed Capital, Felicis Ventures and Rivas Capital.
In addition to a $7.7m award from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in February 2017, the company secured $4.1m in 2016 according to a securities filing. Its earlier funding came from Boston Seed, Felicis, Rivas Capital and assorted angel investors.
US-based virtual manufacturing software provider Fictiv has raised $15m in an Intel Capital-backed series B round that was led by Sinovation Ventures and backed by tech incubator Tandon Group, Accel, FJ Labs, Stanford-StartX Fund and entrepreneur Bill Gates.
Fictiv has not disclosed details of any earlier financing but said the round took its total funding to $25m. It will use the proceeds to work on tools that will automate and optimise workflows, and to expand its manufacturer network.
Intel Capital also led a $14.2m series A round for US-based conversational interface technology developer Avaamo that featured Ericsson Ventures and Wipro Ventures, respective subsidiaries of communications equipment maker Ericsson and IT services firm Wipro.
Mahindra Partners, a private equity and venture capital subsidiary of conglomerate Mahindra, also took part in the round along with WI Harper, the VC firm that joined Rembrandt Ventures Partners, Streamlined Ventures, Eleven Two Capital and Ovo Fund to invest $6.3m in Avaamo in 2014.
Wipro subsequently made an investment of at least $1m in the company, and a stock exchange filing in March this year suggested it provided $2m for the series A round. Avaamo has now raised $23.5m altogether, it said.
Lyncean Technologies, a US-based developer of compact light source technology, raised approximately $13.8m from investors including Intel Capital for what it described as the first close of its series B round.
EuroUS Ventures, Anchor Fund and Quintus Vermoegensverwaltung, all of which are existing investors in the company, also participated in the round, which followed approximately $7m in debt and equity financing since 2011 according to securities filings and press releases.
US-based fabless semiconductor producer SiFive disclosed that Intel Capital participated in the $50.6m series C round it closed last month, which was co-led by Osage University Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures and Spark Capital, bringing its total funding to just over $64m.
SiFive’s series C round also included SK Telecom, the telecommunications branch of conglomerate SK Group, as well as wearable device producer Huami and data storage technology provider Western Digital.
Intel Capital led a series A round of undisclosed size for Syntiant, a US-based developer of ultra-low-power semiconductors, investing alongside Seraph Group, Danhua Capital and Embark Ventures.
Syntiant, which had raised $5.1m in October 2017 from unnamed backers according to a securities filing, will invest the proceeds in enhancing and commercialising its technology.
The unit also supplied an undisclosed amount for VenueNext, the US-based creator of a software platform that combines all the operational functions of an entertainment venue for its owner. The deal formed part of a partnership with Intel Sports and Intel’s Retail Solutions division.
The investment followed $24m in funding from networking technology provider Aruba Networks, event promoter Live Nation Entertainment, social media company Twitter, Causeway Media Partners and Aurum Partners for VenueNext across two rounds.
China-based cloud services provider Alauda closed a round of undisclosed size that was led by Intel Capital and backed by Enlightenment Capital and an unnamed strategic investor, and will use the cash to grow its engineering and field implementation teams and strengthen its platform.
Banyan Capital and China Broadband Capital provided $12m of funding for Alauda across two rounds before returning for a $15m series B round led by Tencent Cloud, a subsidiary of internet group Tencent, in November 2017.
Another China-based company, Espressif Systems, secured an undisclosed sum in a round co-led by Intel Capital and Beijing Singularity Power Investment Fund, and will use the funding for research and development as it looks to increase its presence in the market.
Movellus, a US-based developer of digital design tools that can replicate traditionally analogue functions, received an undisclosed amount from the unit.
A securities filing last month revealed Movellus had raised $200,000 in convertible note financing from a single investor, having previously secured $1.3m in financing since February 2017, according to two other filings.
Intel Capital also supplied an undisclosed amount of funding for CloudGenix, a US-based wide area networking technology producer that uses Intel architecture in its applications.
The deal followed $34m in funding for CloudGenix, which most recently received $25m in a 2015 series B round led by Bain Capital Ventures that also featured CRV and Mayfield Fund.
Finally, Intel Capital invested an undisclosed amount in Reconova, China-based company that applies computer vision and machine learning technology to visual perception.
The company had raised $15m from Infore Capital, Shanghai Saitian Investment Management, Shangshi Fund and Score Capital, China Money Network reported in December 2017.
Intel Capital has also formed a venture in partnership with the National Basketball Association called NBA + Intel Capital Emerging Technology Initiative to invest in developers of technology for the sports and entertainment industries.
The vehicle will target technologies applicable to the NBA in particular, such as those that can improve the actual game as well as the fan experience, and will offer partnerships in addition to investment.