Energy

National Grid’s corporate venturing arm has committed $90m of its $250m initial budget, having backed a total of 12 portfolio companies and three venture capital 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.

Volkswagen, BMW and Folksam were among the investors in a $1bn round for lithium-ion battery developer Northvolt that will support work on its first factory.

Demand Analytics and Ideo-backed InFarm has landed $100m to expand its modular urban farms to retailers in the UK, US and Japan.

Vestaron raised $40m in the Novo-led round, which will support the expansion of Vestaron's range of peptide-based biopesticides.

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

The Toyota and SMBC-backed VC vehicle has joined Anglo American Platinum, Mitsubishi and Public Investment Corporation in the hope of increasing its investment in hydrogen economy applications.

GCV Powerlist member Thomas Birr is set to leave his role managing Innogy’s innovation activities to perform similar duties at Eon as the energy utilities prepare to merge.

Johnson Controls-backed energy efficiency services provider Carbon Lighthouse has received $32.6m in a round that included $20m from Cox Enterprises.

Argentina-based YPF has set up a corporate venture capital subsidiary, YPF Ventures, and will conduct international and local deals respectively through Argentina Energy Bridge Fund and YPF Early Stage Fund.

Off-gird solar system provider Azuri secured funding in a Marubeni-led round that was also backed by IP Group, and will use it to enter new markets.