Cisco acquired Dell-backed cybersecurity software provider Lightspin for $200m while Microsoft took part in coding automation platform Env0’s $35m series A round.

Close-Up View of System Hacking

M&A

Lightspin, an Israel-based cloud security platform backed by computing technology producer Dell, has been acquired by communications equipment provider Cisco for $200m. The corporate’s investment arm, Dell Technologies Capital, led a $16m series A round for Lightspin in mid-2021 to take its total funding to $20m.

BetterPlace, a provider of frontline workforce management software, agreed to buy Troopers, a Malaysia-based recruitment services platform that counts marketing technology provider Shopper360 as an investor, for an undisclosed amount. Shopper360 had supplied $950,000 for Troopers in 2021.

Public markets

AnyMind Group, a Japan-headquartered ecommerce services platform backed by corporates Japan Post, Proto, Line, Gunosy and VGI Global Media, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Growth Market. The company had raised $91.7m in funding prior to the flotation, according to its initial public offering filing.

Japan-based lunar exploration technology developer iSpace received approval to float on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Growth Market on April 12. It had raised at least $176m in funding from investors including corporates Airbus, Takasago Thermal Engineering, Tokyo Broadcasting System, Dentsu, Konica Minolta, KDDI, Japan Airlines, Shimizu, Toppan, Suzuki and Mitsui Sumitomo as of a $46m round in 2021.

Funding

US-based coding infrastructure automation platform Env0 increased a series A round featuring software provider Microsoft’s M12 unit to $35.1m with an extra $18.1m. The round was led by Venture Guides and included StepStone Group, Knollwood Investment Advisory, Boldstart Ventures, Grove Ventures and Crescendo Venture Partners, and it lifted the company’s overall funding to $41.9m.

Company Company description Sector Country Round Round size($m) Deal date Investors
Advance On-demand salary services provider Financial Philippines Pre-A 16 29/03/2023 Phoenix Holdings; Do Ventures (co-lead), Lendable (co-lead), Kaya Founders, Foxmont Capital, Oyster Ventures, Cross Ocean Ventures, Wavemaker Partners, Next Billion Ventures, Integra Partners, Accion Venture Lab
Kakehashi Recruitment and customer service provider for the healthcare industry Healthcare Japan C 13.6 29/03/2023 Aflac (Aflac Ventures); Mizuho Financial Group (Private Equity Co-Invest), DNX Ventures, Chiba Dojo (Chiba Dojo Fund)
Genialis Computational precision medicine developer Healthcare US A 13 29/03/2023 Debiopharm (Debiopharm Innovation Fund) (co-lead); Taiwania Capital (co-lead), First Star Ventures, Redalpine Venture Partners, Pikas, P5 Health Ventures, unnamed angel investors
Ivry Voice recognition software provider Telecoms Japan B 9.9 29/03/2023 Mitsubishi Estate (Bricks Fund Tokyo); Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC Venture Capital), Mitsubishi UFJ (Mitsubishi UFJ Capital), Mizuho Financial Group (Mizuho Capital), Femto Partners, Headline Asia
S-Alpha Therapeutics Digital myopia treatment provider Healthcare South Korea B 8.4 29/03/2023 CJ Group (CJ Investment); Korea Investment Partners, Tony Investment, LB Investment, Mirae Asset Capital, Hana Financial Group (Hana Ventures)
Playbook Gen Z and millennial-focused finance app Financial US A 7 29/03/2023 Telstra (Telstra Ventures); Atomic VC
Impact Observatory Geospatial mapping technology developer Services UK Seed 5.9 30/03/2023 Esri
Open Payments Open banking platform Financial Sweden N/A 3.3 30/03/2023 Sony Financial Group/Global Brain (Sony Financial Ventures); Industrifonden (lead)
Sarna Mobile trading and investing platform Financial US Seed 2.5 28/03/2023 Simplex Trading (Simplex Ventures), Wedbush Financial Services (and through Wedbush Ventures); Motivate Ventures
Aravita Smart purchasing software provider for supermarkets Services Brazil N/A 2.5 30/03/2023 Qualcomm (Qualcomm Ventures); 17Sigma
Dricos Healthcare automation technology developer Healthcare Japan Pre-B1 1.1 29/03/2023 Coconala (Coconala Skill Partners), Asahi Broadcasting (ABC Dream Ventures); Spiral Innovation Partners (T&D Innovation Fund) (lead)
RQD Clearing Correspondent clearing provider Financial US N/A N/A 28/03/2023 Belvedere Trading (Belvedere Strategic Capital)
Higharc Developer of smart homebuilding management software Industrial US N/A N/A 28/03/2023 Ferguson (Ferguson Ventures); Starwood Capital Group
LCI Aviation subsidiary of conglomerate Libra Group Industrial US N/A N/A 30/03/2023 Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing
Redaptive Energy efficiency financing and installation service Energy and Natural Resources US N/A N/A 29/03/2023 Honeywell
ScadaFence Operational technology-focused cybersecurity software provider IT Israel N/A N/A 30/03/2023 Mitsubishi Electric (ME Innovation Fund)
H2L Developer of muscle movement detection technology Healthcare Japan N/A N/A 30/03/2023 Toyota Boshoku (lead)
Hanagata Education services provider Services Japan N/A N/A 29/03/2023 ODK Solutions
Neith Operator of women’s lifestyle brand Rinē Consumer Japan N/A N/A 29/03/2023 Eversense
Entli High School graduate recruitment platform Services Japan N/A N/A 29/03/2023 Quantum Leaps (Quantum Leaps Ventures); Osaka Social Issue Solving Fund
Edison Fu

Edison Fu is head of Asia development at Global Corporate Venturing.