Consumer

Alibaba Pictures has attracted capital from a consortium featuring Ant Financial and Sina Corp for its Taobao Movie ticketing service, valuing the subsidiary at $2.1bn.

A member of the top 25 from the Global Corporate Venturing Powerlist

A member of the top 25 from the Global Corporate Venturing Powerlist

Didi Chuxing has received $1bn from Apple as part of a reputed $3bn round and is said to be planning an IPO in 2017, but the deal heralds an alliance that could end up helping to shape transport itself.

Nan Fung has contributed to a series C round for biotech company Bolt Threads, which emerged out of stealth less than a year ago with $40m in initial capital.

Naspers-backed hyperlocal marketplace app Letgo has absorbed the US operations of Spain-based competitor Wallapop, picking up $100m from existing backers in the process.

ProSiebenSat.1 and Franz Haniel both contributed capital as Berlin-based venture capital firm Cherry Ventures closed its Cherry Ventures II fund.

Existing shareholders including Softbank, Telstra and American Express returned to back the e-commerce platform's $30m series E round, which was led by GGV Capital.

Carmaker Ford's $182m contribution to the $253m series C round closed by software development company Pivotal last week may augur a new interest in connected car technology startups.