Weekly corporate venturing deal net: 15-19 June 2015
Each Friday the Global Corporate Venturing Deal Net rounds up the week’s smaller deals and tracks the emerging companies accessing corporate funds.
Fundraising
Yahoo Japan devotes funding to Monk’s Hill Ventures
Yahoo Japan has committed an undisclosed sum to the firm’s first fund, which is expected to close by the end of September 2015 at $80m.
InnoSpring raises $5m corporate-backed fund
InnoSpring Seed Fund II has been backed by Legend, IDG, and SoftBank.
Exits
Fitbit runs towards $731.5m IPO
The fitness tracker producer initially hoped to raise $448m through its initial public offering, but has increased the pricing to $20 a share.
Qihoo, which raised $39m in two rounds backed by IDG before floating on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011, is looking to go private again.
The acquisition provides an exit to Reed Elsevier, which had backed Martini’s series B, C and D rounds.
IDreamSky imagines going private
Chief executive Michael Xiangyu Chen hopes to buy out external shareholders including Legend and Tencent.
Comverse converses with Acision about acquisition
Access Industries-backed Acision is set to receive $135m in cash, 3.13 million shares and potential earnout payments of $35m.
Fosun increases Bona Film stake
Fosun International has agreed to participate in a transaction deal that values Bona at $832m.
IT
Cohesity materialises with $70m
The data storage company has emerged out of stealth and revealed it has raised funding from Google and Qualcomm.
Iris.tv recommends $5.3m series A
Bertelsmann has contributed to the startup’s series A round through its Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments division.
Crocus processes $21m series E
Ventech and corporate-backed IdInvest have participated in a series E round for the mangetic sensors manufacturer.
Actility networks with corporates for $25m
KPN, Orange, Swisscom and Foxconn have contributed to the internet of things company’s funding round.
Health
Fidelity has led the latest funding round for the Pfizer and Roche-backed antibody developer CytomX.
Doctor On Demand treats $50m series B
Previously backed by Google, the telemedicine provider has now also added Qualcomm to its backers.
Livzon analyses Cynvenio’s $25.5m series B
Livzon Pharmaceutical has led a series B round for the genomic analysis company working on treatments for rare cancers.
GSK treats new startups to funding
Adrenergics, CadheRx and Calporta are each set to receive up to $10m in series A funding from GlaxoSmithKline and Avalon Ventures.
Media
The television platform has secured funding from investors including Home Box Office and CBC New Media.
Ströer advertises RegioHelden acquisition
Local online marketing platform RegioHelden, which raised $9m from investors including Bertelsmann, has been acquired by outdoor media company Ströer.
Hearst Shkulev reports Rugion acquisition
Hearst Shkulev has expanded its network of regional news websites by acquiring a majority stake in Rugion.
Consumer
Wiivv goes on a walk with Evonik
Evonik has participated in a funding round for Wiivv, a provider of custom-made, 3D printed insoles.
Investors light up Aledia’s $31m series B
Ikea and Valeo are among the backers of a series B round for the LED lighting manufacturer.
Corporate-backed Partech Ventures led a series B round for the wireless service provider.
La Ruche Qui Dit Oui says yes to $9m
XAnge has contributed to series B funding for the food marketplace also known as The Food Assembly in the UK.
Times Internet feeds JiffStore
JiffStore will use the fresh funding to expand its mobile commerce platform for grocery stores into three more Indian cities.
News Corp increases PropTiger stake to 30%
The media company has invested an undisclosed amount to increase its stake in the online property listings site by 5%.
PolicyGenius accomplishes series A
The $5.3m series A round marks the first investment by AXA Strategic Ventures in the US, following the fund’s creation in February 2015.
Recruit graces Wahanda with another $73m
Recruit, which became the sole external shareholder in the beauty marketplace in May 2015, has provided another round of funding.
Bluerun Ventures, a venture capital firm spun out of Nokia, contributed to the piano lessons provider’s series C round.
Corporates frequent Doppler’s round
Live Nation Entertainment, WME and Universal Music Group have provided an undisclosed amount for the earphones manufacturer.
Financial
Ant Financial processes $45bn valuation
Alibaba spin-out Ant Financial has closed a funding round of undisclosed size at a $45bn valuation.
Beat the Q gets in line for investment
Westpac’s corporate venturing unit Reinventure has entered talks to invest in the mobile payments services provider.
The digital wallet platform developer previously closed a $12m series B round led by Sberbank.
Industrial
SoftBank savours $236m investment
Alibaba and Foxconn have purchased a 20% stake in SoftBank’s robotics subsidiary as it prepares to sell a robot dubbed Pepper.
Fetch Robotics catches $20m series A
SoftBank’s US subsidiary has led a funding round for the robotics company which also included O’Reilly’s corporate venturing unit.
Transport
Didi Dache-Kuaidi Dache books $1.5bn
Backed by Alibaba and Tencent, the ride-sharing app is looking to raise a $1.5bn round to fend off rival Uber.
Services
Studitemps has time for $13.5m series C
Student job platform Studitemps has received $13.5m from investors including XAnge and corporate-backed Iris Capital.