Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.
Voxy EnGen, a US-based language tuition software developer focused on teaching immigrants and refugees, has received $6.8m of series A funding from investors including University of System of Maryland’s Momentum Fund and insurer American Family Insurance’s Institute for Corporate and Social Impact. The deal was filled out by Rethink Education, Social Entrepreneurs Fun and Juvo Ventures. Voxy EnGen has developed software providing personalised language coaching to help immigrants acclimatise to their new home. The funding will support its operations.
Theolytics, a UK-based spinout of Oxford University developing oncolytic viral therapies for cancer, has received $6.8m in a series A round co-led by commercialisation firm Epidarex Capital and Taiho Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of pharmaceutical firm Taiho. The round included university venture fund Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI). Taiho Ventures president Sakae Asanuma will join the company’s board of directors in connection with the round, which follows $3.2m from OSI disclosed when Theolytics emerged from stealth in June 2019.
Kinoxis Therapeutics, an Australia-based central nervous system (CNS) disorder therapeutics spinout of University of Sydney, has closed an A$5m ($3.4m) round featuring undisclosed existing investors. Kinoxis expects to bring its lead compound, KNX100, into the clinic to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms in the first half of 2020. The spinout also said it has licensed additional assets from University of Sydney with potential for addressing multiple social dysfunction disorders.
Weizmann Institute of Science has spun out Israel-based food and nutrition tech business Plantae Biosciences in collaboration with health, wellness and sustainable development-consultancy firm Impact NRS. Plantae will look to deliver near-term products for the food and beverage industry that improve global nutrition and environmental security. The founding team consists of Weizmann Institute’s Asaph Aharoni, Avraham Levy and Dan Tawfik.
– Additional reporting by Robert Lavine
