Jason Franklin has been appointed managing partner of Wisconn Valley Venture Fund, which is equipped with $100m from Advocate Aurora, Foxconn, Johnson Controls and Northwestern Mutual.

Forte and the digital payments provider will use the fund to target game developers looking to create more profitable in-game economies through blockchain technology.

Lear Innovation Ventures, a subsidiary of Lear Corporation, has backed the mobility-focused VC firm's latest fund, joining Alliance Ventures as a limited partner.

Harvard has partnered Deerfield to launch commercialisation firm Lab1636 with $100m in funding in order to advance life science projects towards the clinic and establish spinouts.

OUP has closed an oversubscribed third fund that it expects will invest in 40 to 50 spinouts, primarily originating from 19 core partner institutions.

Gree's venture capital affiliate has secured $20m from undisclosed strategic investors for a second fund, following an $18.3m vehicle last year.

Tobacco maker JTI and Plug and Play have launched an accelerator to back 20 startups each year that are developing vaping technology.

JLL Spark's $100m Global Venture Fund has appointed Concrete VC to source real estate technology investment opportunities in the EMEA region.

The corporate is putting some $500m into its revamped early-stage fund, as its Vision Fund passes 70% of its capital allocation.

Amazon's corporate venturing unit is seeking 10 artificial intelligence technology developers startups to fill out its third accelerator cohort.