Lafarge to invest in UK-based cement company Novacem's innovative bond and series A round.

Phone operator Verizon's corporate venturing division backs services company CardStar.

BT Imaging (BTi), an Australia-based supplier of inspection equipment for solar panels, brings in strategic investor Applied Ventures.

Dow Ventures and American Superconductor support wind turbine technology from veteran Paul Rudling.

Agriculture chemicals group Syngenta invests in Chamelic's $1.5m round.

Strategic investors ARM, Advanced Technology Investment Company and Texas Instruments join venture capital firms in Smooth-Stone's series A round.

Xtify, a US-based developer of a mobile advertising service, has raised $2.8m in its first round.

Euthymics Bioscience, a US-based developer of antidepressants, raises $24m from Novartis and venture capital firms to acquire DOV and develop drugs.

Disney's Steamboat Ventures participated in the series A for mobile device games maker Gendai.

Micro-credit provider gains angel and strategic backing to aid struggling debtors.