Unilever Ventures has committed $10m to the IDG Ventures India Fund, with the money going towards startups operating in the consumer and digital spaces.

The UAE-based conglomerate has diversified into direct VC investments, and will put half the cash into MENA-based companies.

The University of Oxford Innovation Fund IV is seeking commitments from alumni and other investors to support the Oxford ecosystem.

Texas Medical Center, a medical complex that includes multiple universities located in the US state, has launched a $25m fund to invest in early-stage healthcare technologies in Houston.

Blu1877 will invest in innovations related to pasta products, and will invite startups to its pilot plant to test out their concepts.

University of York and its peers across Yorkshire are calling on local businesses to take advantage of the provision of an extra $40m in government funding for knowledge transfer.

The Europe-focused VC firm has raised more than $54m from LPs including Unilever Ventures, Thomas Cook Money and MassMutual Ventures.

De Beers Ventures will target companies operating in areas such as consumer brands, marketing, imaging technology, and jewel cutting and polishing.

The smartphone maker aims to invest in 100 India-based startups over the next five years as it seeks to build its mobile app ecosystem.