News roundup 26 November 2018

Exscientia scents Kinetic for acquisition
Dundee spinout Kinetic Discovery has been picked up by its peer Exscientia in a deal consolidating the equity of Frontier IP, which held stakes in both drug discovery companies.
RoadBotics inspects $3.9m
The seed funding will support CMU spinout RoadBotics’ automated road inspection platform already used by 78 clients in the US and Australia.
Technion sweeps $2.7m for innovation hub
The institute has secured grant funding to coalesce its entrepreneurial services into a new centre partnered with corporates including Teva, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Alpha Omega.
Iowa installs Darsee as innovation officer
Jon Darsee will oversee an economic development strategy at University of Iowa now separated from the office of the vice-president for research.
ACSL approaches flotation
Utec-backed Chiba spinout Autonomous Control Systems Laboratory has filed for an initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and plans to list on December 21.
Frontier IP gathers $3.2m
Frontier IP sold $3.2m through a placement to new and existing backers as it announced its portfolio value had risen 34% year-on-year.
Kentucky kickstarts C3
Kentucky’s public higher education institutions have joined forces for a commercialisation drive part funded by a $1.2m grant from state-run entrepreneurship hub KY Innovation.
Wyoming accommodates Mason
Jack Mason has begun work as chief operating officer of University of Wyoming’s new Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, aiding efforts to strengthen entrepreneurial systems.
Vascugen generates funding
Vascugen has collected an undisclosed sum from investors including Indiana University Philanthropic Venture Fund to commercialise medicines for vascular-degenerative diseases based on IU technology.
Lonsdale leaps over to Edinburgh Innovations
John Lonsdale will oversee a new enterprise services team at Edinburgh Innovations tasked with matters including oversight of a local scheme targeting the formation of 400 data-orientated startups.
Marinomed makes its way to stock exchange
The biopharmaceutical spinout of University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna is issuing 400,000 shares in an initial public offering that is set to fetch between $34m and $41m.
Synthorx to synthesise $100m IPO
Synthorx, spun out of Scripps Research Institute, is targeting $100m in a proposed offering half a year after it raised $63m in a series C round backed by Osage University Partners.
Pure Battery stores $1.3m
Queensland spinout Pure Battery Technologies will use the cash to design and build production plants for its acid-leaching-based battery material manufacturing process.
Aim3D models $1.6m
Rostock-founded 3D printer maker Aim3D has secured money from investors including Brose ahead of the launch of its first product in spring 2019.
Qwick finds hospitality in seed round
Hospitality shift work platform Qwick’s seed investors include UAVenture Capital Fund, an independent vehicle set up to cultivate University of Arizona’s ecosystem.
OMass amasses $17.9m series A
Oxford spinout OMass has pivoted from offering consulting services to developing its own drugs after closing a series A round backed by Oxford Sciences Innovation.
CAS joins Guangzhou Finance for $144m fund
Research from Chinese Academy of Sciences will benefit from a vehicle backed by the government of Guangzhou in areas including intelligent manufacturing and energy efficiency.
Understory forecasts $7.5m
4490 Ventures has returned for the latest round for weather analytics service Understory, which has disclosed a total of $24.6m in funding to date.
Quralis queues up $5.5m
Harvard’s Quralis has added funding from investors including Viva Biotech to take its seed total to $5.5m as it looks to advance treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to the clinic.
Perkii quenches $2.2m thirst
Uniseed has upped its investment in probiotic drink maker Perkii after leading the Queensland spinout’s first $3m round in 2016.
USC business school launches venture fund
USC Marshall Venture Fund has been launched to back university-linked companies and train business students with the aid of a 17-person investment committee.
NovaUCD meets corporates for 5G accelerator
NovaUCD, Vodafone Ireland and Ericsson will start an Ireland-wide accelerator for emerging 5G-related technologies.
BurnAlong stretches $1.3m seed round
JHU-backed fitness platform operator BurnAlong obtained the cash from investors including Brown Advisory to take its total to $4.7m.
Columbia and IBM matriculate blockchain accelerators
IBM Blockchain Accelerator will focus on later-stage startups, while Columbia Blockchain Launch Accelerator has been established for pre-seed companies.
Goldwind carries LandSpace to new funding
Wind turbine producer Goldwind returned and 36Kr Fund also invested as Tsinghua’s rocket technology developer LandSpace secured $43.2m in a series B-plus round.