Bayer spin-off AiCuris has entered into a potential $429m deal with Merck.

Mainport, which invests on behalf of fund investors like KLM, Rabobank, Schiphol and Delft University of Technology and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), backs the airborne wind energy company.

Personalised social TV experience platform Tvinci has raised $4.m5 in venture capital funding led by Trellas Enterprises

The Germany-based mobile web services developer wins backing from a consortium including T-Venture, the corporate venturing unit of Germany-based phone operator Deutsche Telekom.

Vertu, a maker of expensive mobile phones incubated by Finland-based peer Nokia, hires Anssi Vanjoki as its non-executive chairman.

The corporate venturing unit of US delivery company UPS has led a $3.2m investment in UK courier web service Shutl to aid in their U.S expansion.

While French companies have been too late in venture they are realising there are new ways to explore corporate venturing: multi-corporate sponsors of independently-managed venture capital funds.