Telecoms

Data analysis of the venture capital sector

Company focus: Alibaba

First quarter analysis

Sector focus: Consumer

Vietnam-based telecoms company Viettel will look to invest internationally in startups operating in sectors such as e-commerce, e-healthcare and social networks.

Statoil's newly formed $200m cleaner energy-focused fund will look to build up a portfolio of 15 to 25 companies in the next four to seven years, according to SEV managing director Gareth Burns.

Telenor Myanmar is seeking applications from local startups to take part in its accelerator program and benefit from a $50,000 seed investment.

The enterprise messaging company took its total funding to $540m, securing $200m at a $3.8bn valuation from backers including Alphabet and Comcast, showing there is still big late-stage money available for the right kind of company.

Discussion at Kyushu University, Japan, identifies that Fukuoka, under its youthful mayor Soichiro Takashima (he was elected in 2010 aged 36), is one region continuing to explore its options to be a growth centre.