SoftBank Vision Fund 2 helped blockchain technology provider Blockdaemon close a $207m series C round while Qualcomm-backed audio equipment brand BoAt is targeting $246m in its flotation.

Funding US-headquartered blockchain node infrastructure developer Blockdaemon completed a $207m series C round yesterday featuring telecommunications and internet group SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2. Venture capital firm Sapphire Ventures co-led the round with investment firm Tiger Global Management at a $3.25bn valuation, and it included Boldstart Ventures, StepStone Group, Matrix Capital Management, Lerer Hippeau and Galaxy Digital. Semiconductor technology producer Intel led a $103m series B round for US-based data storage software provider MinIO yesterday through corporate VC subsidiary Intel Capital, valuing the company at $1bn. SoftBank Vision Fund 2 also took part in the round, as did Dell Technologies Capital, the strategic investment arm of computing technology provider Dell, in addition to General Catalyst and Nexus Venture Partners. Investment banking firm JP Morgan agreed on Tuesday to pay an undisclosed amount for a 49% stake in Greece-headquartered neobank Viva Wallet. Internet group Tencent had joined Hedosophia, Breyer Capital and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in an $80m series D round in April 2021 reportedly valuing Viva at about $1.8bn. Diorama Investments had provided $18.4m for the company in 2018. Yellow Swan, the China-based fresh egg brand also known as Huang Tian Er, has secured RMB600m ($94.2m) in a series C round featuring supply chain services firm C&D and an undisclosed investment vehicle for state-backed media company People’s Daily, DealStreetAsia reported today. Kun & Young Capital, Fengshion Capital, Meridian Capital China, Green Harbor Investment and EverYi Capital also participated, and DealStreetAsia named Utimco and Proterra Investment Partners as earlier investors. Nexeon, a UK-headquartered developer of silicon anode battery technology, received $80m in funding yesterday from investors including chemicals and advanced materials producer SKC and carmaker BMW, through subsidiary BNW Investment. The round was also backed by SJL Partners and Kiwoom Private Equity and it came five years after the company raised $43m in its last round. Automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz agreed today to provide an eight-digit amount of euros (€10m = $11.1m) for Taiwan-based solid-state battery developer ProLogium as part of a technology cooperation agreement. The deal came three months after ProLogium raised $326m from investors including telecoms and internet group SoftBank’s SBCVC Navitas vehicle. US-based automated warehouse robotics developer Vecna Robotics raised $65m yesterday in a series C round backed by warehousing and logistics manager Lineage Logistics. Investment firm Tiger Global Management led the round, which included Proficio Capital Partners and Impulse VC. The company had secured $13.5m in a 2018 round featuring Drive Capital and Tectonic Ventures, both returning…

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Robert Lavine

Robert Lavine is special features editor for Global Venturing.