Industrial

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

UTokyo Innovation Platform has contributed to a series A round for Connected Robotics, which develops cooking robots for restaurants.

The voice-controlled augmented reality device developer has captured $80m in a Teradyne-led series B round, which included Bose Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures and Kopin.

Rajesh Swaminathan, head of Applied Ventures, spoke to GCV about his unit increasing its investment as it prepares to bring its New York engineering services facility online.

Ahren Innovation Capital, co-founded by eight Cambridge, UK, researchers, has reached its final close, having attracted limited partners including Unilever, Sky and Aviva.

IUniversity of Pennsylvania spinout Exyn Technologies has completed a series A round backed by Yamaha Motor to accelerate the development of its AI drone software.

Penn spinout Exyn Technologies has closed a $16m series A round backed by IP Group to accelerate the development of its AI software for drones.

Grab has so far raised $4.8bn series H round, after Invesco chipped in $300m in addition to the funding provided by corporate investors like SoftBank Vision Fund, Microsoft, Toyota, Ping An and others since June last year.

The Alphabet-backed space launch services provider has raised cash from Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan as it targets $314m at a likely $33.3bn pre-money valuation.

Nuno Carvalho, formerly director of innovation and corporate venturing at Bekaert, has spoken to GCV about his new remit as an investment director for KBC's VC investment vehicle, KBC Focus Fund.

JLL's investment and innovation arm took part in a $31.4m round that took electric motor developer Software Motor Company’s total funding to $48m.