Japan-based manufacturers Asahi Kasei and Asahi Glass and Envia's existing venture capital firms, Bay Partners, Redpoint Ventures and Panagea Ventures provided $10m to Envia Systems, with GM Ventures another $7m.

Venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Google Ventures reportedly invest in Clean Power Finance.

Clean-tech dominates corporate venturing investment amounts rather than deal numbers as overall volumes and values start to rise again.

Industrial conglomerate General Electric (GE), energy utility NRG Energy and oil major ConocoPhillips have provided undisclosed-sized tranches of the $300m to launch Energy Technology Ventures.

Started in 2001, SkySails' lead investors are ship financing company Jan Luiken Oltmann Gruppe and marine engine supplier Zeppelin Power Systems as well as DSM Venturing.

Along with $24m in funding, Atieva has partnered with China-based lithium-ion battery manufacturer Tianjin Lishen Battery for a fleet of electric buses, VentureWire said.

The company will sell 7.15 million common shares at its initial public offering (IPO) at between $13 and $15 each, according to Gevo's regulatory filing.

NuvoSun has topped up its finances with a further $3m from two undisclosed investors.