Mirai Creation Fund, a joint venture by corporates Sparx Group, Toyota Motor Corporation and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, has invested $5m in UIEvolution, a US-based provider of connected device software for the automotive and tourism accommodation industries. UIEvolution had previously raised about $34m from investors including semiconductor maker Intel, trading firm Itochu, game developer Square Enix, communications and media company Shaw Communications, Inspire Corporation and Ignition Partners.
Tata Capital, a private equity subsidiary of conglomerate Tata & Sons, invested “around $5m” in Alef Mobitech Solutions Private Limited, an India-based subsidiary of US-based mobile internet enhancement company Alef Mobitech, on Tuesday. The funding, supplied through Tata’s Tata Capital Innovations Fund, will support business development, marketing and R&D activities by the company.
Alcoa Ventures, the corporate venturing vehicle for metals technology, engineering and manufacturing company Alcoa, has made its first investment, providing an undisclosed amount for Israel-based metal-air battery technology developer Phinergy, according to Alcoa Ventures investment manager John Speer. Phinergy’s batteries are designed so that they can “breathe” oxygen from ambient air to release energy stored in metals.
Finland-based cloud services consulting company Fluido received €3.3m ($3.5m) on Monday in a round led by Norvestia Growth Equity, a subsidiary of investment firm Norvestia, and backed by Salesforce Ventures, cloud computing company Salesforce.com’s strategic investment vehicle. Fluiod will put the cash towards international expansion.
Media and entertainment group 21st Century Fox agreed on Tuesday to invest an undisclosed sum in US-based smart sunglasses developer Osterhout Design Group (ODG) in a deal that will involve it becoming ODG’s “principal outside investor”. The companies have also formed a strategic partnership that will look to integrate ODG’s technology with 21st Century Fox’s content.
Intent Technologies, the France-based developer of a data sharing platform for members of the real estate management industry, secured €3m ($3.2m) on Tuesday. The funding came from Suez Ventures, which acts as energy utility GDF Suez’s corporate venturing arm, construction firm Bouygues Construction, property developer Bouygues Immobilier and asset management firm Nord Capital.
Automotive parts producer Zhejiang Vie Science and Technology invested $3.2m in US-based plugless electric vehicle charging technology developer Evatran on Tuesday as part of a $10m series B round being raised by the latter. Vie is leading the round, having previously invested $1.6m in Evatran in June 2015.
Robert Bosch Venture Capital, the corporate venturing arm of industrial product manufacturer Robert Bosch, participated in a $3.1m round for Germany-based digital diabetes management startup Emperra on Monday. The round also featured Peppermint Venture Partners and Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg, both existing backers, and will fund product development and growth in Europe and the US.
Insurance firm AIG has invested an undisclosed sum in Human Condition Safety (HCS), a US-based developer of wearable devices, analytics and systems for worker safety. Disclosed on Wednesday, it is unclear whether the investment formed part of the $12.9m in funding secured by HCS last month according to a securities filing. HCS, a spinout of R&D laboratory Human Condition Labs, previously raised $2.6m in May 2015.
Healthcare group ShangPharma supplied an undisclosed amount of seed funding for US-based macrocycle drug developer Circle Pharma yesterday. Circle’s macrocycle platform could develop drugs for a range of diseases but the company, which previously received an undisclosed amount of seed capital from pharmaceutical firm Pfizer and Mission Bay Capital in September 2014, is initially focusing on cancer.
Xfers, the Singapore-based operator of a peer-to-peer online payment platform, has received $2.5m in a seed round backed by GMO Venture Partners, the corporate venturing arm of internet company GMO, Golden Gate Ventures, 500 Startups, Partech Ventures, BWB Ventures, Convergence Ventures and angel investor Eduardo Saverin,, Tech in Asia reported on Tuesday. The capital will support product development, customer acquisition and an expansion into Indonesia.
Electronic product manufacturer Molex invested an undisclosed amount in US-based wireless power technology producer Ossia on Wednesday. Ossia closed a $10m series A round featuring human resources firm Recruit, Intel’s corporate venturing vehicle Intel Capital, and KDDI Open Innovation Fund, a subsidiary of mobile network KDDI, in January 2015, after previously raising $6m from angel investors, families and friends.
Medley, the Japan-based operator of an online job listings platform for medical professionals, has secured ¥230m ($1.9m) from media company Nikkei Business Publications, VC firm East Ventures and angel investor Yuzuru Honda, according to The Bridge. The company had previously raised about $2.5m from investors including Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, and mobile gaming company Gree.
Patientco, a healthcare payment technology provider backed by insurance association Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, received an undisclosed amount of funding from investment manager Pamplona Capital Management on Wednesday. BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners, which acts as Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s corporate venturing fund, and Sandbox Industries provided $3.75m for the company’s series A round in 2012.
Snapcart, an India-based marketing data and consumer rewards company, has raised $1.6m in pre-series A funding from SPH Media Fund, which invests on behalf of media company Singapore Press Holdings, as well as Wavemaker Partners, SMDV and Ardent Capital, E27 reported on Tuesday. The capital will fund the introduction of new features like engagement videos and analytical dashboard tools for brands, and an expansion to two Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines in early 2016.
US-based marketing software service provider Pierry Software received an undisclosed amount of funding yesterday from Salesforce Ventures and marketing and communications network MDC Partners. Pierry, which was founded in 2008, raised $150,000 in equity funding in 2009, according to a regulatory filing, and paid an undisclosed sum earlier this week to acquire interactive marketing agency C.Trac.
Learn to Live, the US-based developer of an online cognitive behavioural therapy platform, raised more than $1m in funding on Tuesday from backers including health insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, which “contributed a significant share” of the funding. The round also included TreeHouse Health, Matchstick Ventures and angel investors including Daren Cotter.
Dibs, a US-based startup looking to expand the dynamic pricing model used so widely in travel and e-commerce sectors to the fitness industry, has raised $1m in seed funding, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The capital was supplied by Gree Ventures, Gree’s corporate venturing unit, as well as corporate venturing unit Comcast Ventures’ Catalyst Fund, Caerus Capital, Dreamit Ventures and additional angel investors.
Corporate-backed growth equity fund High-Tech Gruenderfonds agreed on Thursday to make “a seven-digit investment” in Germany-based personal health data storage app LifeTime. The seed capital, provided alongside funding from Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg and a consortium of doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs, will support growth in Germany and abroad and the doubling of LifeTime’s staff from seven to 15 over the next few weeks.
Compliance software supplier Opus invested an undisclosed sum in OThot, a US-based startup developing cloud-based predictive analytics technology, on Wednesday. OThot raised $200,000 in equity funding in March 2015, according to a regulatory filing, and had raised $500,000 out of a $1m round as of December.