Conversational automation software provider raised $400m while e-commerce and payment software provider Flutterwave secured $250m in a Salesforce-backed round valuing it at $3bn.

JetBlue Technology Ventures alumnus Alex Kaufman has taken a principal position at Verizon's strategic investment vehicle.

Softbank Vision Fund 2 co-led academic support software producer Paper's $270m series D round and a $144m round for online lender Funding Societies.

GV returned to reinvest in the customisable home developer’s series C round, taking its overall equity funding to $148m.

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

Innovative region: USA

Lockscreen content provider Glance is raising $200m from Jio Platforms at a unicorn valuation while Sobot, Smart Logic and Akulaku each secured $100m.

The newly formed OpenSea Ventures comes weeks after its NFT marketplace parent raised $300m, and it forms part of a surging corporate investment community in the space.

SEI Ventures is seeking disruptors in the fintech space having expanded from seed-stage deals, according to unit chief Russ Kliman.

Alex Valiaev has been appointed director of Louisiana State University’s Office of Innovation and Technology Commercialization.