Perfect World, the China-based online gaming company, is investing in games developers including PGSOUL.

Microsoft Russia Seed Fund disburses $160,000 to support IT and biomedical startups.

Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures backs artificial lift systems developer.

Korea electronics giant Samsung has turned a few heads in the mobile phone manufacturing sector of late following its decision to invest $48m for a 10 per cent stake in fellow Korea mobile phone maker, Pantech. According to Samsung it just comes down to components and procurement, nothing more.

Rebright Partners, the Japan-based incubator and mentoring fund led by serial entrepreneur and VC professional Takeshi Ebihara, is investing the firm's latest fund in consumer-focused mobile and internet start-ups in south-east Asia's more burgeoning technology markets.

CyberAgent Ventures, the corporate venturing unit behind Japan games business CyberAgent Inc., aims to raise $1m each month in crowdfunding for Japan start-ups with the initiation of a YEN45m ($415,000) crowdfunding platform.

Japan corporate venturing players, Itochu Technology Ventures and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, have come back to invest in a series B round valued at $3.4, to help accelerate the growth of Japan-based VIP flash fashion sales site, Muse & Co.