Solid Biosciences is merging with Sarepta-backed AavantiBio in a $215m deal while Amazon has formed a minority founder-focused $150m fund.

Braskem has formed a $150m corporate venturing initiative while Saudi Aramco's Prosperity7 Ventures fund took part in SingleStore’s $146m series F2 round.

Companies that struggle with early corporate venturing efforts will often turn to CVC-as-a-service, says Bill Reichert of Pegasus Ventures.

General Mills was among the investors in a $120m round for GrubMarket while Polaris and Hero MotoCorp helped Zero Motorcycles raise $107m.

Non-recyclable plastics making asphalt more sustainable and a vaccine to save the honeybee are just two of 10 inventions that caught our eye.

M12 has co-led a $34m round for Ox Security’s while SoftBank-backed Solfácil has upped its series C to $130m.

This week's key deals included Ryan Reynolds' Maximum Effort Holdings helping Bending Spoons raise $340m, while GV moves beyond its algorithm and Milan emerges as a startup hub.

Maximum Effort Holdings was part of a $340m round for Bending Spoons while Tencent and Block took part in Satispay's $310m series D.

Gradient Ventures and Workday Ventures were part of Flatfile’s $50m series B round while KPN Ventures is set to exit ZecOps through an acquisition.

VC-as-a-service is the latest evolution of CVC, says Reichert.