Johns Hopkins-founded Ready Robotics secured funding from a quartet of venture investors to drive the scale-up of its industrial automation software business.

Novo and AgFunder both invested as the leather substitute producer raised $17m that will support the growth of its manufacturing capabilities.

Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.

GCV Emerging Leader Blake Luse, previously a director at Ferguson Ventures, has been appointed head of the unit and a senior director at its parent company.

Each Friday the Global Corporate Venturing Deal Net rounds up the week’s smaller deals and tracks the emerging companies accessing corporate funds.

Lithium extraction technology developer Lilac Solutions has secured $20m in series A funding from investors including the Engine.

JSR Corporation led a round featuring fellow corporate investors SK Hynix, TSMC Partners, Intel Capital, Aliad, Applied Ventures and Samsung Venture Investment.

The University Technology Fund hopes to tap investment funds and development finance institutions to raise additional capital.

Koch Disruptive Technologies is among the investors to have been revealed by freight automation technology startup Outrider, which publicly launched yesterday.

Astra Mitra Ventura will make early-stage investments on behalf of the conglomerate, whose existing portfolio includs Gojek.