Israel-based mobile edge computing technology startup Saguna Networks completed a $5m financing round on Monday led by CE Ventures, a fund backed by clients of wealth management and microfinance firm CreditEase, which participated alongside undisclosed existing investors. Cloud services provider Akamai Technologies and SoftBank Ventures Korea, a subsidiary of telecommunications and internet group SoftBank, invested an undisclosed amount in Saguna in February 2015.
Israel-based electromagnetic sensor developer Sensifree closed a $5m series A round on Tuesday led by venture capital firm TransLink Capital that included UMC Capital, the corporate venturing arm of semiconductor maker United Microelectronics Corp, and an undisclosed strategic investor. The funding follows a $2m seed investment by electronics manufacturer Samsung’s Catalyst Fund, SensiFree disclosed in a press release.
Engage3, a US-based consumer intelligence and science provider backed by media company Swift Communications, raised an amount reported by the Sacramento Business Journal as $1.5m on Wednesday from VC firm Moneta Ventures. Moneta reportedly made the investment as part of a $5m round it is leading which will follow an undisclosed amount provided by Swift in 2014.
Israel-based pain monitoring device developer Medasense Biometrics received an undisclosed amount of series B funding from Baxter Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of pharmaceutical company Baxter, on Tuesday. Benslie International led the $8m first tranche, closed in March this year, investing together with undisclosed investors including a global medical technology corporation. Past investors in Medasense include Capital Point, OHV and angel investor Shmuel Cabilly.
South Korea-based beauty e-commerce company Althea has closed a $3.5m series A round featuring Posco Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of steel conglomerate Posco, as well as Mirae Asset Ventures, Tekton Ventures, Cherubic Ventures and 500 Startups, Tech in Asia reported today. 500 Startups had already supplied an undisclosed amount of seed funding in October 2015.
Jirnexu, a Malaysia-based provider of customer acquisition software for banks, secured $3m on Tuesday in a series A round led by VC firm DMP that included NTT Docomo Ventures, a subsidiary of mobile network NTT Docomo. The round also featured Celebes Capital, Nullabor, Tuas Capital Partners, Anfield Equities and angel investor Steve Melhuish, and increased Jirnexu’s total funding to $4.5m since 2012.
Payment services firm American Express has supplied an undisclosed amount of funding to US-based mobile commerce company Boxed that will be added on to a series C round sized at $100m as of January this year. The round also featured First Round Capital, GGV Capital, angel investor Yuri Milner, Light Street Capital and Safa Partners, and had taken Boxed’s overall funding to about $136m.
Singapore-based social sports betting platform SportsHero raised $2.4m on Wednesday in a round led by Nevada Iron, an Australia-based, publicly-listed mineral extraction company with which SportsHero plans to execute a reverse merger later this year. SportsHero, the next iteration of football-themed platform FootballHero, will use the cash to expand into China, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Europe, South America and the US.
Terramera, a Canada-based startup developing plant-based alternatives to chemical pesticides and fertilisers, has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from investors including ACA Investments, an affiliate of diversified conglomerate Sumitomo Corporation, and Maumee Ventures, the corporate venturing vehicle for agribusiness The Andersons. The round, led by food and agriculture-focused VC firm Seed 2 Growth Ventures, also featured Bold Capital Partners and Renewal Funds.
AXA Strategic Partners, the strategic investment subsidiary of insurance group AXA, led a $2m round for US-based wellness-focused financial rewards platform Wellth on Wednesday which will involve general partner Manish Agarwal joining Wellth’s board of directors. The round also featured B-Fore Capital, I2BF Venture Capital, Beta Bridge Ventures and Altair Capital.
Publishing company Editoriale Domus has paid an undisclosed sum for a 10% stake in Italy-based online beer retailer WeBeers, Libero reported yesterday. Domus bought the shares from incubator Digital Magics, which reduced its stake from 40% to 30% and reinvested the cash in the startup.
Cevotec, a Germany-based startup working on software and production systems for the creation of complex carbon composites, has raised €1.75m ($2m) from corporate-backed venture capital fund High-Tech Gruenderfonds, Bayern Kapital and three unnamed business angels from the BayStartUp network. It will use the funding to bring its technology to the production stage and ultimately to market.
Residential care provider Horizon Healthcare Services invested an undisclosed sum in US-based precision medicine developer GNS Healthcare on Monday. The funding will be added to a $10m series C round already backed by pharmaceutical company Celgene, healthcare services group Cambia Health Solutions, care provider Heritage Provider Network, diversified conglomerate Mitsui, Alexandria Real Estate Equities and Gi Global Health Fund.
Page Vault, a US-based developer of software that helps lawyers preserve web pages for evidence, closed a $1.75m round on Monday that included student loan services provider Nelnet, Irish Angels, Pritzker Group VC, Wintrust Ventures, Meridian Street Capital, Ringleader Ventures, Golden Angels, Foley Ventures, Harbor Street Ventures, Nebraska Angels, Warhawk Ventures, Pallasite Ventures, Fulcrum Investments, Cultivator Fund, Cornerstone Angels, M25 Group and Valence Partners. It follows $1.5m of funding raised in early 2015.
SilverVue, the US-based developer of a comparison platform for post-acute care providers, raised an undisclosed amount on Tuesday in a round co-led by GE Ventures, the corporate venturing subsidiary of industrial hardware manufacturer General Electric, and Pritzker Group Venture Capital, a subsidiary of investment firm Pritzker Group. The round also included VC firm Epic Ventures.
Sense Infosys, a Singapore-based data science consultancy services provider for the maritime industry, has received $1.45m in a series A round led by Jason Venture, the strategic investment arm of Jason Maritime Group, and backed by Cap Vista, a fund run by Singapore’s Defense, Science and Technology Agency, Tech in Asia reported on Tuesday. Jason previously took part in a seed round of undisclosed size for Sense Infosys, according to Tech in Asia.
OpenPort, a China-based startup developing logistics software for businesses in emerging markets, has secured an undisclosed amount in a series A round co-led by trading technology producer SIG Susquehanna and investment firm Caldera Pacific Ventures, Tech in Asia reported on Monday. The company previously raised $600,000 in a seed round featuring angel investor Gabriel Fong and another $500,000 in bridge funding.
Indonesia-based local services marketplace Seekmi has raised an undisclosed seven-figure amount in a series A round led by CyberAgent Ventures, the corporate venturing subsidiary of internet company CyberAgent, Tech in Asia reported on Wednesday. The round included Ventek Ventures, Convergence Ventures, Kinara, Grupara and Balancop, and will fund an expansion from two Indonesian urban markets to seven.
Mobile internet company MoMagic Technologies has invested $750,000 in mChamp Entertainments, the operator of a celebrity-driven contest platform, E27 reported yesterday. The startup, which launched its service in August 2015, gives users the chance to win met-and-greet sessions, gift vouchers and cash prizes.
Corporate-backed VC fund High-Tech Gruenderfonds provided an undisclosed amount of seed capital on Tuesday for AdTriba, the Germany-based developer of software that helps advertisers track and manage all their online marketing activity. AdTribe, which was founded in November 2015, will use the funding for marketing and product development.
India-based digital sports broadcaster Veqta has received $500,000 in seed capital from sports management agency ITW, which had reportedly already invested an undisclosed sum in Veqta, and VC firm Chatsworth Management, Forbes India has reported. Veqta, which provides sports content to subscribers through an online platform, will put the cash towards product development, expanding its team and expanding its customer base.
Singapore-based social dining startup BonAppetour has raised $500,000 from telecoms and infrastructure contractor Prasetia Dwidharma and angel investor Wong Toon King, E27 reported on Wednesday. Often referred to as the ‘Airbnb of food’, BonAppetour will use the funding to expand into cities including Rome, Paris and Barcelona.
EthisCrowd, the Singapore-based creator of an Islamic property crowdfunding platform, has completed a S$500,000 ($360,000) seed round led by Azmi Global, a subsidiary of Malaysia-headquartered law firm Asmi & Associates, Crowdfund Insider has reported. The round also included VC firm Quest Venture Partners and undisclosed Singaporean and Middle Eastern angel investors, and will be used to grow the platform.