Birkhofer had been a board observer for three portfolio companies during his stint at corporate venture capital vehicle Prologis Ventures.

The online employee and further education provider is set to list on TSE’s Mothers Market, allowing Freebit, Matching Service Japan, MyNavi and Will Group to exit.

Lego Ventures and Sesame Workshop helped the children’s reading app developer close a series C round that will fund curricula development and international expansion.

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

The online education startup formerly known as Higgler Europe has captured $27.2m in a Rocket Internet-backed round.

Uber's freight services subsidiary has secured series A funding from Greenbriar Equity Group in a deal valuing it at $3.3bn post-money.

China-based education services provider Beijing Logicreation Information & Technology, which counts internet company Tencent among its backers, filed for a RMB1.04bn ($152m) IPO on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s ChiNext board in September.

Hearst Ventures and Maersk Growth took part in an $18.1m round for the e-commerce logistics service provider.

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

Existing shareholder SoftBank has doubled down on its commitment to VTex by backing a $225m series D round that pushed the retail management platform’s valuation to $1.7bn.