Rahu was founded in early 2006 as a spin-out from Anglo-Dutch consumer goods maker Unilever's Ventures unit that incubates ideas and takes minority equity stakes in UK entrepreneurs and managed by co-founders Paul Smith and Dermott Hill.

BASF's Biorenewable subsidiary led the round with its $30m investment in Renmatix, formerly known as Sriya Innovations.

Agro-commercial business AgriNurture has raised $30m in funding from agribusiness conglomerate Cargill, which has taken a 28% stake.

Although the 17 investors in the latest $15m round were undisclosed, in October 2010 BASF Venture Capital, the corporate venturing unit of Germany-based chemical conglomerate BASF, led a $21.5m investment in Aspen Aerogels as a new investor.

NanoHoldings' network of universities and scientists, most of them with physics backgrounds, means other innovations that show promise could be further developed outside of the company and eventually co-financed through DSM Venturing or possibly acquired by DSM.

Smartblue received seed financing to monitor photovoltaic systems while HTGF, state fund Bayern Kapital and angel investor Dieter Manstein invested in GME Medical Engineering.

David Colclough has joined as an investment director of the Business Growth Fund while Neil Inskip is an investment manager, with both based in the Manchester office run by regional director Andy Gregory.

The building technology company co-founded by Frank Gehry has raised $10m in series B financing with involvement from 3D design software firms.

Steel manufacturer Nanjing is joining its parent company Fosun International in searching for corporate venturing opportunities.