Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.

AgroSpheres, a US-based crop protection release system developer leveraging University of Virginia technology, raised $4m on Wednesday in a series A round led by VC firm Ospraie Ag Science and backed by Cavallo Ventures, a corporate venturing arm of agriproducts supplier Wilbur-Ellis. Founded in 2016, AgroSpheres has created a naturally-fermented crop protection container called Minicell that guards active ingredients against enzymes, heat and other performance-impairing factors, dispersing its contents gradually to maximise impact. AgroSpheres previously raised $750,000 in a mid-2017 equity round from undisclosed investors, according to a regulatory filing.
Tryeting, a Japan-based industrial software spinout of Nagoya University, procured ¥300m ($2.8m) in series A capital yesterday from advanced materials producer Japan Material Technologies Corporation, automotive parts producer Toyoda Gosei, financial services firm Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings’ investment unit and unnamed angel investors. Tryeting develops and markets artificial intelligence-driven software for manufacturing clients, including a materials infomatics platform and inventory management software. The funding will help drive Tryeting’s R&D pipeline, expand its customer outreach and recruit additional team members.
IotaMotion, a US-based robotic surgical assistance device spinout from University of Iowa’s Otolaryngology Department, on Wednesday completed a $2.5m second funding round backed by undisclosed new and existing investors, family and friends. Founded in 2016, IotaMotion is advancing a robotically-assisted device to facilitate cochlear implant surgery, a procedure where an electronic implant is inserted into the ear to correct impaired hearing. The goal is to reduce surgical variability associated with wholly manual cochlear operations. IotaMotion previously obtained $2m in seed funding from unspecified friends and family in mid-2017, according to FinSMEs.
Germany-based dentistry equipment e-commerce company Zahnarzt-Helden secured a seven-figure euro (€1m = $1.1m) seed sum in a round involving Technologiefonds OWL, an internet-focused VC fund backed by University of Paderborn’s TTO TecUp, on Wednesday. Public-private partnership High-Tech Gründerfonds also took part in the round together with assorted angels. Founded in late 2017, Zahnarzt-Helden markets dental equipment such as X-rays and scanners through its online platform, along with financing options including fixed-term monthly contracts. The funding will help it build out the platform and expand its roster of equipment technician affiliates.
Three startups have received a total of $225,000 in pre-seed funding from Lorain County Community College Foundation-allied vehicle Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio, according to Crain’s Cleveland Business. Wearable sweat monitor developer RooSense will receive $25,000, while $100,000 will go to both food stockpile sharing platform Farm Fare and physician contracting marketplace Hyr Medical. Innovation Fund Northeast Ohio launched in 2007 and has so far committed more than $15m to 269 startups in the local region. It is administered by Glide, an incubator based at the community college.
US-based dermatological treatment developer Gemstone Therapeutics has raised $250,000 from University System of Maryland’s Momentum Fund as part of its latest round, Technical.ly reported on Wednesday. Founded in 2013, Gemstone is working on biosynthetic scaffolds that regenerate skin without scarring, restoring its natural state following surgical excisions such as biopsies and skin cancer treatment. Gemstone previously attracted $2.5m in a 2015 seed round led by Gamma 3 and backed by an unnamed life sciences fund, before adding $700,000 of a targeted $3.5m equity round the following year, according to a regulatory filing.