AAA Weekly corporate venturing deal net: 6-10 July 2015

Weekly corporate venturing deal net: 6-10 July 2015

DMG Information, a subsidiary of media company Daily Mail Group, has agreed to invest “more than $5m” in India-based estate data and analytics provider Liases Foras, the Economic Times reported on Monday. The cash will be used to expand the company’s management team, increase its presence in major urban areas and launch monitoring services and automated valuation offerings.

Aviation services company Air Works invested an undisclosed sum in Ireland-based aircraft asset management services Acumen Aviation Europe on Tuesday as part of a strategic partnership agreement. India-based AirWorks signed the agreement in order to beef up its presence in Europe, Asia and the US.

Intelligent power technology manufacturer Zhengzhou Runner Electric provided $2m in series B funding for Israel-based kinetic battery technology developer Chakratec on Tuesday. Chakratec, which was incubated by investment firm Capital Nature before raising cash from private equity fund Israel G-Tec, will use the funds to finish beta testing its product with potential customers in Israel, Europe and China.

Singapore-based mobile payment service provider Nearex has raised an undisclosed amount in a series B round led by Tata Capital, the investment arm of conglomerate Tata & Sons, the Economic Times reported on Tuesday. The round also featured e-commerce firm Beenos Asia and Xinvesco, both of which participated as existing investors, though Nearex did not reveal details of its earlier fundraising.

Standing Ovation, the Japan-based developer of a women’s fashion comparison and sharing app, secured ¥140m ($1.1m) on Wednesday in a series A round featuring Gumi Ventures, the investment subsidiary of gaming company Gumi, DBJ Capital, iStyle Capital and undisclosed angel investors. The funding will support an update of the startup’s app, XZ Closet, and the signing of agreements with prospective partner firms.

Industrial group Evonik paid an undisclosed amount on Tuesday to take a minority stake in JeNaCell, a Germany-based producer of the chemical nanocellulose. JeNaCell previously raised €700,000 in seed funding in 2012 from investors including venture capital fund High-Tech Gruenderfonds and state-backed institution Stift.

Indonesia-based gaming studio Touchten Games has raised an undisclosed amount of series C capital from Gree and early-stage VC fund 500 Startups, The Bridge reported on Tuesday. The funding, which sources told The Bridge was around the $1m mark, followed a March 2014 series B round featuring CyberAgent Ventures, the investment arm of internet company CyberAgent, animation studio TMS Entertainment, UOB Venture Management and Ideosource, and a CyberAgent Ventures-funded series A round.

Simon Venture Group, the corporate venturing subsidiary of real estate company Simon Property, has invested $1m in bridesmaid dress provider Union Station, the Wall Street Journal has reported. The startup provides custom bridesmaid dresses as well as clothes and accessories for groomsmen.

Indonesia-based online financial comparison service Cermati has raised an undisclosed amount in a seed round led by VC firm East Ventures that also included e-commerce company Beenos Plaza. Cermati, which was founded in December 2014, will use the cash to expand its team and product offering.

Indonesia-based programmatic advertising platform Adskom received an undisclosed amount of series A capital from online ad marketplace Geniee, Convergence Ventures and East Ventures. Adskom raised $850,000 from internet company Digital Garage, Beenos Plaza, East Ventures and Skystar Capital in August 2014 and an undisclosed sum from Rebright Partners in 2013.

An investment subsidiary of online entertainment provider Garena has supplied an undisclosed seven-figure amount of seed funding for Vietnam-based online local services guide Foody, Tech in Asia reported on Tuesday. Foody, which began life as a restaurant guide, raised seed funding from CyberAgent Ventures in 2013, before CyberAgent and Pix Vine Capital funded its series A round.

US-based digital medical information provider Avhana Health has closed a $750,000 seed round backed by SR One, the corporate venturing arm of pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline, Technical.ly Baltimore has reported. The round also included DreamIt Health, Boston Millennia Partners Founders Fund, Wilmington Investor Network and the Maryland State-backed Tedco TCF Fund.

Reveal, the US-based owner of a mobile audience platform for app publishers, closed an oversubscribed $750,000 round on Wednesday featuring media company Capitol Broadcasting Company, Alerion Ventures, Idea Fund Partners and River Cities Capital Funds. The capital will fund an expansion of Reveal’s engineering, data science and business development teams.

US-based artificial intelligence technology developer Querium Corporation secured $740,000 on Wednesday from investors including ICG Ventures, the investment arm of educational publisher Ingram, which invested $800,000 in the startup in January this year. The round, led by SustainVC and backed by Wild Basin Investments, followed $2m in previous funding.

MobiVi, a Vietnam-based finance provider backed by information services company Experian, has received an undisclosed amount of funding from VC firm Unitus Impact. Founded in 2008, MobiVi had previously raised cash from Experian, wealth fund Kusto Tiger and financial services firm Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, according to Deal Street Asia.

LinguaLeo, the Russia-based operator of an online English language learning service for users in Russia and the CIS, has raised an undisclosed sum reported by East West Daily News to be $500,000 from diversified group Social Discovery Ventures and Runa Capital. Runa previously invested $3m in LinguaLeo in 2012.

Hotel and food services brand owner Mirah Hospitality has paid Rs 30m ($470,000) for a 30% stake in Hopping Chef, an India-based startup that provides a bespoke dining experience at home, the Economic Times has reported. Hopping Chef currently has 15 chefs, which typically prepare specialist meals priced between $40 and $160 per person.

Thethings.iO, the Spain-based developer of an internet of things connection platform, raised €250,000 ($270,000) on Monday from investors including Wayra, the incubator run by telecommunications company Telefónica. The round also featured 101 startups, Toubkal Partners, Taurus Fund and assorted ESADE Business Angel Network investors.

Hub:raum, the incubator run by telecommunications firm Deutsche Telekom, has added two startups to its programme: M2MGO, the Germany-based developer of an application platform for the internet of things, and Poland-based diabetes services provider UniGluko. Hub:raum generally provides financing in return for a stake sized between 10% and 15%.

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