NTT Group is preparing to launch a third corporate venturing fund in July this year aimed at technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Coinbase Ventures will invest in early-stage digital currency companies, initially without the requirement of formalising strategic partnerships and potentially backing competitors.

University of California is among the limited partners for sustainability-focused fund Congruent Ventures, which targets themes including clean energy, additives and urbanisation.

Newcastle and Durham universities have been joined by regional peers Northumbria and Sunderland in a commercialisation drive backed by government funding.

The Crossover I vehicle has been backed by CNP Assurances and an unnamed Chinese biopharmaceutical firm, and will target both late-stage private and public companies.

With the support of ten energy utilities, Free Electrons will accelerate energy-related developments in IoT, smart grids and efficiency technology.

Deerfield Management and Vanderbilt University have launched Ancora Innovation with $65m in capital to support early-stage life science research and back resulting spinouts.

Geodesic Capital is raising a supplementary fund that aims to open up the Japanese market for US-based startups, and has secured Hitachi as a limited partner.

Total Energy Ventures will invest approximately $48m in the new energy fund as one of its three anchor partners, on the way to a $239m close.