4490 Ventures collects $49m for second fund
The figure represents a first close for the firm’s second fund and follows a $30m vehicle backed by Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation in 2013.

BioLabs spawns Princeton edition
Princeton University is to open an incubator and co-working affiliate of BioLabs with room for 25 startups in April.

Syndesi memorises $21m series A
Vives Louvain Technology Fund has contributed to a series A round for Syndesi Therapeutics, which will exploit research from UCB to treat conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Innsbruck processes Alpine Quantum
The University of Innsbruck has spun out Alpine Quantum Technologies, which is set to develop a commercial quantum computer.

Ocunova tears into $500,000 seed round
The Penn State spinout has received funding from Pennsylvania state-backed investors to develop a treatment for diabetic dry eye disease.

Krynicki to lead Innovation Co-Lab
Oregon State University – Cascades has appointed Adam Krynicki for its Innovation Co-Lab, which will open next month to support innovative startups.

Allure tempts investors with seed round
The Columbia University spinout will use the $5.3m to further develop its data loss detection platform and hire more staff.

NextStep Robotics moves towards $750,000
The Maryland Momentum Fund has made its second investment, providing $250,000 to NextStep Robotics.

Investors hear Siren call for $3.7m
The NUI Galway data investigation spinout plans to diversify beyond its core law enforcement and security service markets with features suitable for life science and financial clients.

Blackwood and Flint join OUI
Oxford University Innovation has expanded its team further with the addition of Nicola Blackwood and Jonathan Flint as non-executive directors.

Zenflow slides into $31.4m series A
Based on research at Stanford University, Zenflow is developing medical devices to treat obstructive urinary symptoms.

BurnAlong stays fit with $1m
BurnAlong, which operates a platform for remote exercise classes, has secured capital from investors including Johns Hopkins University.

Uppsala stakes out Graphmatech
Graphmatech will attempt to commercialise a variant of graphene that retains the 2D material’s advantages when manufactured at scale.

Maryland universities generate accelerator
Maryland-based businesses working within the digital health, biohealth and life sciences sectors could receive tailored support on how to capture early sales revenue.

MTEC hands Reheal cash ahead of studies
Reheal is developing a flexible and transparent polymeric glove that offers an effective wound dressing therapy for hand injuries.

Elastagen bounces towards $95m acquisition
Allergan has acquired Elastagen, a spinout from University of Sydney, for an upfront consideration of $95m and contingent, commercial payments.

Smart Sparrow studies $7.5m investment
ACT has made a strategic investment in Smart Sparrow, an online learning platform spun out from University of New South Wales.

Aquabyte celebrates $3.5m catch
Princeton University has backed the business, which is piloting a fish farming optimisation technology in Norway.

Nicoya senses $2m round
The University of Waterloo spinout has been backed by university-linked investors as it prepares to expand its range of biosensor nanotechnology products.

Lightmatter illuminates $11m series A
The MIT spinout has developed semiconductor technology that uses light rather than electrical signals to process data.

Manchester Imaging pictures $840,000
Two government-backed vehicles have invested in Manchester Imaging, which will soon launch software to detect early signs of tooth decay.

Paige.ai conditions $25m series A
Spun out from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Paige.ai is developing artificial intelligence technology to improve the clinical diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Lightelligence highlights $10m seed round
Spun out by MIT’s Technology Licensing Office, Lightelligence is working on photonic circuit architecture for computer chips and has reportedly raised cash from Baidu Ventures.

Yissum experiments with OurCrowd Labs/02 incubator
OurCrowd has attracted support from Yissum for a seed stage incubator it launched alongside a $50m sports tech fund.

Investors pump $10m into Engine Biosciences
The spinout is building drug discovery technology that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify biomarkers, drug targets and pathways.

New frontiers in university innovation
Engel explores three new trends of university innovation: the rise of university venture funds, the changing nature of CVC and the push from government funders of university research.

FPC launches Sino-British fund
The vehicle, which has already secured $470m in commitments, will aim to help commercialise British research and help companies expand into China.

Future Planet orbits $200m commitment
Future Planet Capital is set to receive up to $200m in capital from TW & Partners for its inaugural fund.

PSU trusts Tolbert on research
Tolbert has been appointed assistant vice-president for research and director of the Office of Technology Management, joining from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center’s TTO.

Corporate venturing deal net: 5-9 February 2018

Each Friday the Global Corporate Venturing Deal Net rounds up the week’s smaller deals and tracks the emerging companies accessing corporate funds.

Fundraising

B Capital caps fund at $360m

B Capital Group, which is sponsored by Boston Consulting Group, closed an oversubscribed fund that will invest in up to 25 companies.

Workday Ventures earns $250m from parent company

Enterprise HR and finance software provider Workday has committed $250m to the corporate venturing fund it formed in 2015.

Ping An Ventures pursues $1.3bn

Ping An’s corporate venturing unit is looking to raise up to $500m for a dollar fund and $800m for a renminbi fund, both of which will target healthcare investments.

Corporates experiment with OurCrowd Labs/02 incubator

OurCrowd has attracted support from Motorola Solutions and Reliance Industries for a seed stage incubator it launched alongside a $50m sports tech fund.

Disney helps increase Working Capital to $23m

Omidyar Group’s Humanity United has launched an ethical supply chain investment fund backed by Walt Disney and foundations run by Walmart and C&A.

People

Kovacs to cover communications at Vision Fund

SoftBank Vision Fund has hired Andrew Kovacs from Sequoia Capital  to head up SoftBank Vision Fund’s public relations.

Volk vacates GE Ventures for NVCA role

Stephanie Volk has left her management position at GE Ventures to take the vice-president of development post at National Venture Capital Association.

Exits

AmorePacific exits as Allergan snaps up Elastagen

Dermatology technology developer Elastagen has agreed to a $95m acquisition, enabling AmorePacific Ventures to exit the company.

Acacia to accept Euronext Brussels listing

Novo and Lundbeck-backed Acacia Pharma previously withdrew plans for a $230m initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange in 2015.

Datos IO heeds Rubrik for acquisition

Cisco and NetApp are set to exit data management platform developer Datos IO in an acquisition by Rubrik, less than a year after they invested.

Fair fetches new funding and lifts Skurt

Car leasing startup Fair has reportedly raised about $50m in a round fetauring Siemens and BMW that enabled it to acquire BMW-backed Skurt.

IT

HighFive adds new Dimension to its investors

NTT subsdiary Dimension Data led the video conferencing system provider’s $32m series C round, taking its overall funding to more than $77m.

Reonomy reloads with $16m

The SoftBank-backed property data platform increased its overall funding to more than $38m with a round featuring Marcus & Millichap.

Hubspot helps supply $16m to Grow

HubSpot has contributed to business analytics dashboard developer Grow’s series B round, which will support software development, sales and marketing.

Baidu highlights $10m seed round for Lightelligence

Lightelligence, which is developing microchip technology based on light signals, has secured $10m in a Baidu Ventures-led seed round.

Health

Syndesi sends for corporates in $21m series A

Novo Seeds led a series A round for the synaptic dysfunction drug developer that included Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC.

Baebies detects new funding

The infant disease screening system developer has raised $12.8m according to a securities filing, four months after a $10m round backed by BOE and Rex Healthcare.

Medopad notes $28m for series A round

NWS Holdings has contributed to the first close of the mobile health monitoring platform’s series A round, which is expected to close at up to $120m.

AvroBio arrives at $60m series B

Brace Pharma Capital participated in a round that took the total raised by the rare genetic disease drug developer to more than $85m.

CartiHeal gets funding implant to raise $21m

Bioventus has added $2.5m to the orthobiologic implant developer’s latest round, which already includes Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC.

Media

Corporates get Vreal for series A round

The virtual reality broadcasting platform raised $11.7m in a round backed byIntel Capital and Akatsuki Entertainment Technology Fund.

Phunware boosts series F funding to $46m

The round, which includes Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and WWE, reached a $40m second close in 2016.

Uberall locates $25m in series B capital

Location marketing software provider Uberall has raised funding in an HPE Growth Capital-led round that included existing investor United Internet.

Consumer

Naspers helps Swiggy bottle up $100m

Naspers Ventures led the round, investing alongside Meituan-Dianping and increasing the food delivery platform’s total funding to $255m.

Love, Bonito tries on Kakaku in $13m round

Kakaku took part in a series B round led by existing investor NSI Ventures that will support recruitment and geographical expansion.

Broadlink networks with corporates for series D

The smart home device maker has raised $54.5m from investors including Baidu and Libai as it gears up for a China initial public offering.

Danone makes Harmless investment in $30m round

Organic coconut water producer Harmless Harvest has received $30m in a growth round led by corporate venturing unit Danone Manifesto Ventures.

Financial

Ant Financial targets $5bn

Alibaba’s financial services affiliate is reportedly targeting a valuation of $80bn to $100bn for the round, which could precede an initial public offering.

Indio brokers $6m series A

The round follows a $2m Hiscox-backed seed round for the insurance digitalisation startup in 2016, and will be used for product development.

Pacific Life puts $30m into Swell investment

The insurance and financial services group has supplied $30m in funding for impact investment platform Swell Investing, which has $16m under management.

WealthNavi widens scope to raise $41m

Sony Innovation Fund was among the strategic investors that backed the equity portion of the round, secured alongside more than $27m in debt.

Energy and Natural Resources

RigUp gets series B funds flowing

The GE-backed oilfield services marketplace operator has claimed $15.8m in equity funding alongside $30m of debt from Silicon Valley Bank.

Alliance forges $65m Ionic Materials series C

The advanced battery material developer has received funding from investors including the Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi-backed Alliance Ventures.

InFarm reaps $25m

The indoor farming network, which is backed by Demand Analytics and Ideo, took its total funding to $35m with a Balderton Capital-led series A round.

Industrial

Agrinos accrues funding in EuroChem-backed round

The crop nutrition product supplier raised $14.7m in a private placement that included existing strategic investor EuroChem.

Enerkem enters next stage with $224m

Sinobioway and existing investor Waste Management of Canada took part in a round that took the fuel-from-waste producer’s total funding to more than $520m.

Investors pump $21m into Organica Water

EDF-backed Electranova Capital, an existing investor, returned for water treatment service provider Organica’s series D round.

Transport

Toyota hails JapanTaxi with investment

The carmake has invested almost $69m in ride hailing app developer JapanTaxi as part of a strategic partnership deal.

Byton bids for $400m in funding

The Tencent-backed electric vehicle developer, formerly known as Future Mobility, is seeking between $300m and $400m at a $1.2bn valuation.

Cityscoot picks up corporates to raise $49m

The electric scooter rental platform will expand into new cities using the proceeds from the RATP and LeasePlan-backed round.

Corporates perform series A funding service for Yoshi

General Motors and ExxonMobil co-led on-demand car servicing provider Yoshi’s $13.7m series A round, which will help it enter 25 more US cities.

ACV Auctions seals $31m series C deal

SoftBank, which previously backed ACV’s 2016 series A round, returned for a series C that boosted the car auction platform’s overall funding to $53m.

Corporates to push Go-Jek to $1.5bn

Blibli and Astra International are reportedly set to add up to $290m to on-demand ride service Go-Jek’s latest round, which has been increased from $1.2bn to $1.5bn.

Big Deal: Joby completes $100m funding job

Joby Aviation has raised $100m in an Intel Capital-led series B round that included JetBlue Technology Ventures, indicating the rise in air-based corporate venturing.

Owl records $18m series A

The in-car camera developer has launched out of stealth having secured $18m in a CSAA-backed series A round.

Services

Instacart initiates $250m series E

The American Express, Comcast and Amazon-backed grocery delivery service is targeting up to $250m, according to a securities filing.

FarEye catches Deutsche Post DHL’s gaze

An affiliate of delivery group Deutsche Post DHL has supplied $9.6m in financing to the logistics software developer that will fund international growth.

Analysis: SoftBank Vision Fund invests $300m in Wag

The $97bn Vision fund committed $300m to dog walking service provider Wag