The Global University Venturing deal net rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem.
Chowa Giken, a Japan-based artificial intelligence technology developer spun out of Hokkaido University, has raised ¥300m ($2.4m) from electronic equipment manufacturer Daikoku Denki, in-vehicle system provider DTS Insight, car parts producer Nakanishi Metal Works, financial services firm Daichi Mirai Shinkin Bank, regional consumers’ co-operative association Co-op Sapporo as well as Hokkaido Venture Capital and unnamed private investors.
Wedge, a US-based recruitment and screening platform, obtained $2m last week from investors including Michigan Rise, an investment vehicle of Michigan State University, as well as Michigan Capital Network, Northgate Holdings and unnamed others.
Integra Therapeutics, a Spain-based gene writing tool developer spun out of Pompeu Fabra University, has secured an additional €1.5m ($1.7m) from VC firm Columbus Venture Partners to bring the round to €6m ($6.7m). The spinout raised the earlier funding in December 2021 from pharmaceutical firm Takeda’s investment arm, Takeda Ventures, as well as Advent France Biotechnology and Invivo Capital.
Rhizocore Technologies, a UK-based developer of fungal pellets to accelerate woodland regeneration spun out of University of Edinburgh, has raised £170,000 ($224,000) from the university-managed Edinburgh Technology Fund and Deep Sciences Ventures, the Scotsman reported yesterday. The two investors each contributed exactly half of the total figure.
Bilingualism Matters, a UK-based language learning services provider, was spun out of University of Edinburgh on Wednesday. The company will operate as a social enterprise, specifically running a not-for-profit membership scheme. Bilingualism Matters has existed as a network of 30 affiliated centres around the world for 14 years but has now been established as a standalone business rather than an arm of the university. The original centre at the university will continue to operate as part of the social enterprise’s network.
– Additional reporting by Edison Fu
