Solid Biosciences is merging with Sarepta-backed AavantiBio in a $215m deal while Amazon has formed a minority founder-focused $150m fund.
M&A
Nasdaq-listed Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy developer Solid Biosciences is merging with AavantiBio, a US-based gene therapeutics provider backed by genetic medicine group Sarepta Therapeutics, through a $215m cash and investment deal.
Business management automation tool provider ZenBusiness has acquired Ureeka, a US-based minority founder-focused mentoring platform backed by enterprise software firm Salesforce, for an undisclosed amount.
Cosmetics firm Shiseido has agreed to acquire Gallinée, a UK-based microbiome-driven skincare product provider backed by consumer goods group Unilever, for an undisclosed amount.
Fund
Ecommerce and cloud computing group Amazon has set aside $150m to invest in underrepresented founders including ethnic and sexual minorities. The corporate intends to support some 200 pre-seed stage companies through the backing of more than 10 funds over the course of 2023.
Funding
| Company | Company description | Sector | Country | Round | Round size($m) | Deal date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cellarity | Genomic therapy developer | Healthcare | US | C | 121 | 04/10/2022 | Kyowa Kirin, Hanwha Techwin (Hanwha Impact Partners); Flagship Pioneering |
| Workstream | Mobile human resources platform | Services | US | B | 108 (updated) | 29/09/2022 | Roc Nation, Nationwide (Nationwide Ventures); Hans Tung (lead), Founders Fund, Coatue, Bond, Basis Set Ventures, CRV, Peterson Ventures, Soma Capital, Aglae Ventures, Wheelhouse Capital, World Innovation Lab, Gold House Ventures, Bracken Darrell, Arash Ferdowsi, Claire Hughes Johnson, Mathilde Collin, Jack Altman, Jim Jensen, Oliver Jay, Dawn Dobras, Liquid 2 Ventures, GGV Capital, Dreamers VC, Eric Yuan, Tony Xu, Ryan Smith, Bracken Darrell, Max Levchin, Frederic Kerrest, Dylan Field, Zach Perrett, Henry Ward, Scott Cutler, Jed Nachman |
| Railsr | Embedded finance platform | Financial | UK | C | 46 | 04/10/2022 | CreditEase; Anthos Capital (lead), Moneta VC, Ventura, Outrun Ventures; Mars Growth Capital ($20m in debt) |
| Horizon Blockchain Games | Creator of video game Skyweaver | Media | Canada | A | 40 | 04/10/2022 | Take-Two Interactive Software, Ubisoft, Xsolla, CMT Group (CMT Digital), Quantstamp, Xchange; Brevan Howard (Brevan Howard Digital) (lead), Morgan Creek Capital Management (Morgan Creek Digital), Polygon, Initialized Capital, BITKRAFT Ventures, Round13 Capital, Everyrealm, Tobias Lütke, Sebastien Borget, Aleks Larsen, Alex Adelman, Anthony Sassano |
| LineVision | Real-time monitoring analytics platform | IT | US | C | 33 | 04/10/2022 | Microsoft (Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund), Marubeni, National Grid (National Grid Partners); Climate Innovation Capital (lead), Builders Vision (S2G Ventures), UP Partners, Clean Energy Ventures, Zoma Capital |
| Vergent Bioscience | Tumour-targeted imaging agent developer | Healthcare | US | B | 21.5 | 04/10/2022 | Intuitive Surgical, UNC Rex Healthcare (Rex Health Ventures); Orlando Health (Orlando Health Ventures) (lead), Windham Venture Partners, Spring Mountain Capital, Colle Capital |
| Partake Foods | Allergy-friendly food producer | Consumer | US | B | 11.5 | 04/10/2022 | CircleUp (CircleUp Growth Partners), Lotus Bakeries (FF2032); Cleveland Ave (CAST US Fund), Fearless Fund, Supply Change Capital, Kaya Ventures, Marcy Venture Partners, Black Star Fund, Black Capital |
| Sonara Health | Opioid addiction-focused rehabilitation service | Healthcare | US | Seed | 3 | 04/10/2022 | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas; First Trust Capital Partners (lead), Mark Cuban |
| Ashirase | Wearable walking navigation system provider | Consumer | Japan | Pre-A | 2 | 05/10/2022 | Honda Motor, Ascis (Asics Ventures), General Asahi; Real Tech Holdings (Real Tech Fund 1) (co-lead), QB Capital (co-lead), Rheos Capital Partners |
| Origress Parks | Hot spring and leisure facility pass creator | Services | Japan | N/A | 1 | 05/10/2022 | Mitsubishi UFC (Mitsubishi UFJ Capital), Colopl (Colopl Next); i-Nest Capital |
| SyntheX | Rare disease drug discovery platform | Healthcare | US | N/A | N/A | 04/10/2022 | Bristol Myers Squibb |
| Gruby Entertainment | Independent game development studio | Media | Poland | N/A | N/A | 04/10/2022 | Tencent |
| Decapolis | Provides blockchain food safety quality checks | Consumer | UK | N/A | N/A | 05/10/2022 | Fresh Del Monte Produce |
| T&S | Digital signage and projection mapping technology developer | Consumer | Japan | N/A | N/A | 05/10/2022 | Shueisha |
