Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.
Spot AI, a US-based surveillance video analytics software platform, has emerged out of stealth with $22m in total funding, including a $2m seed round backed by Stanford University-aligned Stanford-StartX Fund, Village Global and assorted angel investors, according to TechCrunch. The company’s $20m series A round was led by Redpoint Ventures, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners.
Hashed Health, a US-based healthcare-focused venture studio, has picked up nearly $3.8m in a funding round backed by UPMC Enterprises, the commercialisation arm of University of Pittsburgh-affiliated health system UPMC. The round also included CMT Digital, the crypto arm of asset manager CMT Group, and Whistler Capital Partners. Hashed Health previously raised $1.8m in a February 2017 round led by Martin Ventures, and the company also identified First Trust Capital Partners as an existing shareholder as part of its latest announcement.
Flatt Security, a Japan-based cybersecurity technology developer spun out of University of Tokyo and backed by internet company CyberAgent and mail order retailer Dinos Cecile, has secured ¥200m ($1.8m) in debt and equity funding from three investors including structured finance-focused investment bank FinTech Global and venture capital firm B Dash Ventures. Flatt previously raised $2m from internet company CyberAgent’s Fujita Fund, retailer Dinos Cecile and e-commerce company Mercari’s chief technology officer Suguru Namura. The spinout had raised $250,000 from seven angel investors in April 2018.
Qingchen Xinnengyuan, a China-based fuel cell technology spinout of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, has closed a series A-plus round of undisclosed size featuring state-owned energy provider Beijing Jingneng. The round also featured IDG Capital, Lingang Zhizhao and FTZ Fund, and the company said this week it had raised an undisclosed amount in a February 2020 series A round led by Shenergy Ventures, a vehicle for power producer Shenergy.
Vertoro, a Netherlands-based spinout of technical validation institute Chemelot InSciTe developing sustainable marine fuel, has received an undisclosed amount of funding from investors including Maersk Growth, a subsidiary of shipping firm AP Moller – Maersk. The round was led by Shift Invest and also featured Brightlands Venture Partners and Liof – both billed as existing backers.
– Additional reporting by Robert Lavine and Liwen-Edison Fu
