Industrial

Koden Holdings, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital and Omron Ventures have joined a series A round for manufacturing robot developer LifeRobotics.

Laurent Audoly, managing partner of the pharmaceutical company's new open innovation scheme, spoke to Global Corporate Venturing about its collaboration and investment strategy.

Autodesk has co-led a funding round for the 3D printing technology developer, already backed by corporates Spirox, Landa and Applied Materials.

Monthly Analysis

Sector focus: Industrials

Air Liquide, Samsung, Intel and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo have provided $10m for semiconductor photoresist maker Inpria, effectively doubling its total funding.

Power conversion technology developer Arctic Sand Technologies has closed a $19m series B round led by Murata and backed by GE Ventures.

2015 saw companies raising large VC rounds faster and investors existing quicker, according to Jon Norris of Silicon Valley Bank, and expect M&A to stay steady as IPO market continues to move slowly.

The electronics producers will set up a joint fund in March 2016 that will seek out startups in the internet of things, robotics and other emerging sectors.