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

SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has led a $500m funding round for the driverless vehicle software developer, which is based on work by Didi Chuxing going back to 2016.

Q32 Bio has launched with $46m from investors including University of Colorado to target autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Illumina, General Atlantic and Viking Global Investors supplied $70m for Ginkgo Bioworks, a cell programming technology provider that has now raised more than $789m altogether.

Amazon Alexa Fund contributed to the home automation technology producer's series C round through its Alexa Fund, revealing itself as an existing investor in the process.

Existing investors Hewlett Packard Enterprise, GV, Intel Capital, SingTel Innov8 and M12 all participated as the cybersecurity services provider took its total funding to $112m.

Existing backer Ligand took part in a series C round that will fund late-stage clinical trials for Palvella Therapeutics' rare genetic disease drug candidates.

Cell sorting technology business Thinkcyte has closed an OUVC-backed series A round intended to progress its joint research and unlock an expansion into the US.

Lactips, a milk-based bioplastics spinout of Jean Monnet University formed by Pulsalys, has raised $14.5m in a funding round led by Bpifrance.

Q32 Bio has launched with $46m from investors including Sanofi Ventures and Children’s Hospital Colorado to target autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.