Consumer

Blockchain technology is an opportunity to change the way we see illiquid assets of ownership including venture capital, with implications for all stakeholders, according to a discussion moderated by GCV editor-in-chief James Mawson.

Review of the GCV Symposium 2019 by Callum Cyrus and Jack Hammond, reporters

Innovative region: UK

Monthly analysis: May 2019

Winner of the CVC Investment in a Spinout of the Year: Ribon Therapeutics - Novartis Venture Fund, Johnson & Johnson Innovation–JJDC, Takeda Ventures, Celgene

The telecoms firm SoftBank has backed a substantial $300m round of gym membership provider Gympass, which is part of the beauty and fitness space, which has seen stable corporate-backed deal flow with rising valuations in recent years.

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

General Electric had considered spinning out its corporate venturing operation, but has now shifted its focus to finding a buyer for a portfolio consisting of stakes in more than 100 companies.

KDDI and SMBC have returned to back a $10m round for artisanal e-commerce platform Creema alongside fellow corporates Japan Post, Mixi, SBI and Mitsui Fudosan, almost doubling its overall funding to $21m.

Lumar-backed social shopping app Depop has received $62m in a series C round that will fund the company's expansion in the US.

SoftBank backed online lender Creditas, a company from the alternative lending space, which does not seem to have experienced exponential growth in valuations.