Research into a material that can transform from opaque to transparent draws the interest of companies as Cambridge Enterprise commercialises the work.

Hitachi Chemical and Inabata have formed strategic partnerships with Silatronix as well as investing as part of a round that took the company's total funding to almost $14m.

The round was led by Monsanto's corporate venturing unit, Monsanto Growth Ventures, and follows a $3m series A two years earlier.

Bayer and DuPont have joined a consortium of investors to co-found a $15m agtech-focused accelerator fund dubbed Radicle, which has closed $6m so far.

Saudi Aramco, Airbus and Schlumberger all took part in a round that boosted the GV-backed industrial collaboration technology company's total funding to about $28m.

Four investments totalling $126m to be made by Michigan University's endowment are disclosed through the agenda for its Board of Regents meeting.

Christopher Moran had previously spent eight years from 2005 as general manager of Applied Ventures, and will head Lockheed Martin's newly formed CVC unit.

Robert Bosch's corporate venturing unit recently launched a $170m third fund, and China and agribusiness startups are on the menu, according to managing director Ingo Ramesohl.

Air Liquide's corporate venturing unit has invested in Carmat, Poly-Shape and Solidia Technologies so far in 2016, as well as Inpria.