AAA Deal Roundup: SoftBank spinoff Upload seeks $250m for fund

Deal Roundup: SoftBank spinoff Upload seeks $250m for fund

Aerial Photography of City Skyline
Aerial Photography of City Skyline

Fund

Upload Ventures, the Brazil-based venture capital firm spun off by Japanese telecommunications firm SoftBank, is raising $250m for a Mexico and Brazil-focused fund according to a securities filing. Telecommunications firm TIM Brasil is anchoring the fund with $50m set to be provided over the next two years, according to TechCrunch.

M&A

Online insurance comparison platform Insurify has acquired Compare.com, a US-based, car insurance-focused peer backed by auto insurance provider Admiral Group, for an undisclosed amount. The company received $10m in convertible note financing from Admiral through a $35m round in 2018.

Funding

Noema Pharma, a Switzerland-based developer of treatments for central nervous system disorders, secured CHF103m ($112m) in a series B round featuring healthcare provider University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s UPMC Enterprises unit. The round was co-led by Forbion and Jeito Capital and included Sofinnova Partners, Polaris Partners, Gilde Healthcare and Invus.

CompanyCompany descriptionSectorCountryRoundRound size($m)Deal dateInvestors
Chaos IndustriesDeveloper of defence and critical industry technology ITUSA7006/03/2023Lerner Enterprises; 8VC (lead), Alpha Wave Global, Liquid 2 Ventures, Tamarack Global, Valar Ventures
Assured AlliesAgeing support providerHealthcareUSB42.507/03/2023Harel Insurance (co-lead), MS&AD (MS&AD Ventures), EquiTrust Life Insurance, Samsung (Samsung Next); FinTLV Ventures (co-lead), Lumir Ventures, Hamilton Lane, New Era Capital Partners, Core Innovation Capital, Poalim Equity, Akilia Partners
DroitLegal and risk evaluation software providerFinancialUSB2307/03/2023UBS (UBS Next) (co-lead), Goldman Sachs; Pivot Partners (co-lead)
RangeForceCloud-based cyber defence training platformITUSB2006/03/2023KPN (KPN Ventures), Cisco (Cisco Investments); Energy Impact Partners (co-lead), Paladin Capital Group (co-lead), Lapa Capital Partners, Lanx Capital
Broom Short-term automotive loan providerFinancialIndonesiaA806/03/2023Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG Innovation Partners), Bank BRI (BRI Ventures); Openspace Ventures (lead), Singapore Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, AC Ventures
Ryse HealthVirtual and in-person diabetes care providerHealthcare CanadaA6.502/03/2023CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (Healthworx); Route 66 Ventures (lead), W Health
Happy QualityAI-equipped plant cultivation technology developerIndustrialJapanA3.307/03/2023Akashi Yoshidaya Sangyo, NST; Society for Venture Investment & Consultation; Shoko Chukin Bank, unnamed financial institutions (debt)
AlphaFusionDeveloper of astatine drug discovery technologyHealthcare JapanA13.307/03/2023Sumitomo Heavy Industries, JGC Holdings (JGC Mirai Innovation Fund); Osaka University (Osaka University Venture Capital), Japan Science and Technology Agency, D3 (D3 Bio Healthcare Fund)
ChimiDirect-to-consumer eyewear brandConsumerSwedenN/A1.906/03/2023Redgert Group; Ben Eliass, Bianca Ingrosso
Macrowing Pharma (Hongyi Medicine)Life sciences data management platform Healthcare ChinaPre-AN/A07/03/2023Sinopharm-CICC
BankjoyDigital banking services provider FinancialUSN/AN/A06/03/2023CommunityWide Federal Credit Union, AEA Credit Union, Statewide Federal Credit Union; Curql Collective (lead)

By Edison Fu

Edison Fu is a reporter and Asia liaison at Global Corporate Venturing.