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

Ambagon Therapeutics, a US-based biotech developer using small molecules to unlock disordered protein targets, launched last week with $85m in series A funding to commercialise research conducted at University of California, San Francisco and Eindhoven University of Technology. The round’s backers included Merck and Co’s MRL Ventures Fund and fellow pharmaceutical firm AbbVie’s corporate VC unit, AbbVie Ventures. It was led by Nextech Invest and also featured Surveyor Capital as well as RA Capital Management, Droia Ventures, Inkef Capital and Mission BioCapital – like MRL Ventures and AbbVie Ventures existing backers. StoreDot, an Israel-based fast-charging battery technology developer spun out of Tel Aviv University, has raised an initial $60m in series D funding led by carmaker VinFast, the spinout’s chief executive Doron Myersdorf told Calcalist. The transaction also includes oil and gas company BP’s corporate venturing unit, BP Ventures, together with Golden Energy Global Investment. StoreDot is hoping to raise an additional $20m before closing the round, which values the business at $1.5bn. YourMyStar, a Japan-based cleaning and repair services platform, has raised ¥2.3bn ($20m) in equity and debt financing from investors including Globis University’s Graduate School of Management. The round featured Z Venture Capital, SMBC Venture Capital and Mizuho Capital, respective vehicles for internet group Z Holdings and financial services firms Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Mizuho Bank. Ariake Secondary Fund 2, Axiom Asia 6, ForStartups Capital, Incubate Fund, Jafco and three unnamed companies also took part. Cellusion, a Japan-based regenerative medicine developer, has closed a ¥1.1bn ($9.5m) funding round that included Keio University’s Keio Innovation Initiative, which co-led the round, and University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners, a venture capital affiliate of University of Tokyo. The round was co-led by banking group Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s SMBC Venture Capital unit and DBJ Capital, while pharmaceutical and medical device wholesaler Toho Holding, packaging manufacturer Toyo Seikan Group Holdings and drug development services provider Gemseki also took part. HawkEye 360, a US-based radio frequency data provider based on research at Virginia Tech, has procured $5m in series D funding from engineering company Leidos to bring the round’s total to $150m. The November 2021 first close was co-led by Insight Partners and Seraphim Space Investment Trust and included construction management and consulting firm Jacobs, Tawazun Holding’s Strategic Development Fund, New Vista Capital, Gula Tech Adventures, 116 Street Ventures, New North Ventures and existing backers Advance, Razor’s Edge, NightDragon, SVB Capital, Shield Capital and Adage Capital. The ePlane Company, an India-based flying…

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Thierry Heles

Thierry Heles is the editor of Global University Venturing, host of the Beyond the Breakthrough interview podcast and responsible for the monthly GUV Gazette (sign up here for free).