A subsidiary of state-owned conglomerate China Resources Holdings has invested an undisclosed sum in China-based local services platform China Internet Plus as part of the formation of a strategic partnership, China Money Network reported on Monday. China Internet Plus, formed by the merger of Meituan and Dianping in 2015, had previously raised $5.9bn in total, from investors including internet group Tencent and e-commerce firm Alibaba.
Samsung Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of electronics manufacturer Samsung, led a $4.5m series A round for US-based data centre storage technology startup Kazan Networks yesterday. The round also featured data storage equipment provider Western Digital Corporation and Intel Capital, the corporate venturing vehicle for semiconductor technology producer Intel.
Japan-based mobile app analytics provider Fuller raised ¥4.2bn ($4.2m) on Tuesday from game producer Sega, media company Asahi Shimbun, Voyage Ventures, Global Catalyst Partners and two undisclosed Japanese state-backed investors. Founded in 2011, Fuller had previously received $3.1m across two rounds from Asahi Shimbun, Global Catalyst, game developer Colopl, marketing company Opt, car rental firm Nihon Kotsu, enterprise software provider Infoteria, internet service provider Asahi Net and M8 Capital.
American Family Ventures, the strategic investment arm of American Family Insurance, led a $4m growth capital round for US-based customer feedback platform developer ReviewTrackers on Wednesday. Square 1 Bank, a division of Pacific Western Bank, has provided a $2.1m debt facility to ReviewTrackers, and the financing follows $2m of series A funding supplied by American Family Ventures, CSA Partners, SymphonyAlpha Ventures and angel investor Jeff Rusinow in 2014.
Internet company Baidu provided an undisclosed amount of funding for ZestFinance, a US-based company that uses data science and machine learning to help finance providers assess credit risk more efficiently, on Monday. ZestFinance had raised more than $250m in financing as of October 2015, when it received $150m from a fund affiliated with Fortress Investment Group, and its other investors include Northgate Capital, Matrix Partners, Kensington Capital Holdings, Eastward Capital Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
UK-based subsea engineering services provider EC-OG received £1m ($1.3m) in funding on Tuesday from Castle View Ventures and Scottish Investment Bank, the investment fund overseen by state-owned institution Scottish Enterprise. The investment will support the commercialisation of Subsea Power Hub, a system that will supply power directly to subsea locations by using ocean currents to generate renewable power.
Construction services firm Atwell supplied an undisclosed amount of funding to US-based planning and landscape architecture services provider RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture on Tuesday. Atwell now plans to offer its customers additional services through RVi, which will also take control of Atwell’s landscape architecture, urban design and planning subsidiary, Golden Associates, through the deal.
CounterCraft, a Spain-based cybersecurity tool developer and graduate of telecommunications company Telefónica’s Wayra accelerator, has raised €1m ($1.1m) from investors including another Telefónica subsidiary, Telefónica Open Future, El Mundo reported on Wednesday. The round also included VC firm Adara Ventures, investment firm Orza Investments and the Spanish government’s Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.
Vietnam-based online health services listings platform ViCare has raised an undisclosed amount in a seed round led by internet company CyberAgent through its CyberAgent Ventures unit. Pix Vine Capital also took part in the round, which follows an undisclosed amount of angel funding from Vietnamese investors in March this year.
India-based taxi rental platform MyTaxiIndia has received $1m in funding from Nihon Kotsu, VCCircle reported on Wednesday. The investment comes after MyTaxiIndia raised $500,000 in pre-series A funding from Nihon Kotsu in August 2015 and $100,000 from GHV Accelerator two months before.
Insurance and financial services group Securian has invested $1m in US-based online health insurance plan provider Gravie as part of a deal that will allow it so sell policies on the platform, Minneapolis/St Paul Business Journal reported on Wednesday. Gravie sells health insurance to individuals and also helps businesses manage health insurance for their employees.
Europcar Lab, the open innovation subsidiary of vehicle rental service Europcar Group, invested an undisclosed sum in Italy-based transport search and comparison platform Wanderio on Tuesday. Wanderio raised €200,000 ($220,000 at current exchange rates) from online translation service Translated.net, Xandas, Club Italia Investimenti 2 in February 2014.