High-Tech Gruenderfonds, the early-stage firm backed by the German government and Germany-based corporates, has led a seed round for carsharing company CarJump. The amount raised was undisclosed but CarJump will use the cash to develop new products that will complement its lead offering, an app that integrates multiple carsharing services in a single place.
Last, a US-based startup formed by Adam Michela, a co-founder of online social guide Gowalla, has exited stealth mode, announcing a $2.1m investment by Google Ventures and other investors including Freestyle Capital, Greylock Partners, Founders Fund, Sherpa Ventures and SV Angel. The capital will be used to expand Last’s staff in anticipation of the company revealing its product later this year.
Neura, a US-based startup developing technology that connects and compares apps as part of the internet of things, has secured $2m in funding from backers including SingTel Innov8, the corporate venturing unit run by telecommunications company Singtel. Singtel invested alongside Greenhouse Capital Partners, which led the round, Pitango Venture Capital, TriplePoint Ventures, and angel investors including Ben Narasin and Isaac Applbaum.
Mobile app developer Yello Mobile has invested KRW 2bn ($1.9m) in Korea-based Malang Studios, the creator of AlarmMon, an alarm clock app featuring a range of cute animal characters, Tech in Asia reported. Malang plans to use the funds to add a dedicated store to the app where users can buy additional characters, some of which could be licensed externally, and to co-develop a game centred around its characters.
ColdLight, the US-based developer of a big data analytics system, has announced an undisclosed investment from corporate venturing unit Intel Capital. SEC filings indicate that the company had previously raised more than $13m and its backers include Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors.
India-based mobile advertising platform SilverPush has secured $1.5m in early-stage funding from IDG Ventures India, one of the corporate venturing subsidiaries of media company IDG, as well as venture capital firm Unilazer Ventures, according to the Economic Times. Existing investors GSF and 500 Startups, which invested a combined $100,000 in SilverPush last year, also participated.
Germany-based news app Niiu has secured an undisclosed six-figure euro amount from e-book publisher Gutenberg Technology, marketing company Intan and Metacrew Ventures, which represents marketing and sales company Metacrew, and Corporate Counsellors. All four participated as existing investors.
China-based online education startup Haowaijiao has received an undisclosed amount in investment from technology company Lenovo and software provider Kingsoft, according to Tech in Asia. Formed in January as a graduate of an internal Kingsoft incubator, Haowaijiao aims to teach Chinese adults English using one-to-one video calls.
Egomotion, the US-based creator of an app that makes smartphones ‘smarter’, has raised $750,000 in a second seed round led by Google Ventures and featuring Initialized Capital and several angel investors. The company previously raised $1.1m in 2011 from SV Angel, Quotidian Ventures and a host of angels including Vast.com chairman Naval Ravikant.
B Dash Ventures, a venture capital firm that includes NTT, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital and NEC Biglobe, has invested an undisclosed sum in Japan-based online lifestyle media company Iemo, The Bridge has reported. Iemo will invest the funds in expnding its engineering activities.