Energy

The scale and scope of corporate venturing fundraising, combined with unique analysis by Martin Haemmig at Stanford University of historical investment data provided by Dow Jones VentureSource, allows the trends to be identified and the reveals the plans of the new conductors of the venture capital investment world.

Last year's slew of economic concerns and natural disasters has not dampened corporate venturing units' expectations for doing deals this year, with more than 95% of those surveyed saying they would invest at least the same both by amount of money and by number of deals.

The US is the region expected to be most attractive for dealmaking in 2012, according to Global Corporate Venturing's survey. The US received 15 mentions, although the picture was more mixed when looking at specific sectors.

Global Corporate Venturing's survey of unit heads for the biggest expected issues of the year showed how important the macroeconomic climate will be in deciding the health of portfolio companies and new investments even as the pace of innovation remains strong.

Global Corporate Venturing's dozen predictions for this year.

Alongside Bright Capital in the round were venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), August Capital, New Enterprise Associates, Northgate Capital and DAG Ventures.

Corporate-backed biodiesel producer and supplier the Renewable Energy Group sets the range of its IPO, and looks to raise as much as $100m.

Mitsui Ventures - the investment wing of the centuries-old Tokyo conglomerate - led a $14m extended Series C round of funding for GMZ with the new backer providing a further $4.5m.

When will China overtake the US for innovation funding for entrepreneurs, if ever?