Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.
EpiBone, a US-based regenerative medicine spinout of Columbia University, has obtained $11m in a funding round backed by commercialisation firm NetScientific and its venture capital subsidiary EMV Capital, as well as undisclosed family offices and other investors. The spinout, focused on bone and cartilage reconstruction, will use the money to expand its pipeline. EpiBone raised $24.3m in a February 2020 round, according to a regulatory filing, followed by an announcement two months later that healthcare provider Hackensack Meridian Health had supplied an undisclosed amount – though it is unclear whether Hackensack was involved in the February round. EpiBone’s early backers included NetScientific as well as maritime analytics software provider Solverminds, Breakout Labs, Harnisch Foundation, National Institutes of Health, MBX Capital and the Partnership Fund for New York City.
Datagrid, a Japan-based synthetic artificial intelligence technology developer, has secured ¥300m ($2.6m) from investors including Kyoto Angel Fund, a fund affiliated with Kyoto University, and Deep30, the AI-focused VC vehicle founded by University of Tokyo’s Matsuo Lab. The round also included online game publisher Aeria, consulting firm Industrial Growth Platform’s Advanced Technology Acceleration Corporation unit, VC firm Future Venture Capital as well as Kyoshin Social Capital, Senshu Ikeda Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, Mitsui UFJ Capital, Kyogin Lease & Capital and Chushin Venture Capital, respective subsidiaries of financial services firms Kyoto Shinkin Bank, Senshu Ikeda Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Mitsui UFJ, Bank of Kyoto and Kyoto Chuo Shinkin Bank. The company’s overall funding stands at about ¥600m ($5.3m) and Deep30 had previously backed a $135,000 round in 2019.
Pixacare, a France-based developer of a skin pathologies monitoring platform spun out of University of Strasbourg, has completed a €1.95m ($2.2m) funding round led by SAAS Partners, with participation from Techmind and angel investors. The spinout was created by Satt Conectus and its technology is already in use across 10 hospitals in France.
– Additional reporting by Liwen-Edison Fu
Thierry Heles
Thierry Heles is editor-at-large of Global University Venturing and Global Corporate Venturing, and host of the Beyond the Breakthrough podcast.
