News roundup 28 January 2018

Australian universities secure public funding
Adelaide’s ThincLab and University of New England’s SRI AgTech incubators will receive $357,000 and $229,000 of government funding respectively.
Parkwalk Advisors invests $81.7m in 2018
The IP Group-owned fund management unit closed three university funds targeting Cambridge, Oxford and Bristol-linked companies last year.
Wren Therapeutics settles on $23.3m series A
Wren Therapeutics is commercialising Cambridge and Lund research into therapies for protein misfolding diseases, which include Alzheimer’s and motor neurone disease.
OUI spuds 24 spinouts in 2018
Oxford University Innovation reported a record $698m of funding for its portfolio businesses in a year which brought its total number of spinouts to more than 170.
Marinomed Biotech connects to Link Health
VetMedUni biopharmaceutical spinout Marinomed Biotech has secured a $3.4m payment from a strategic tie-up with Link Health Pharma, after pausing its IPO process in November 2018.
Bactana banks $1.3m
Animal health product developer Bactana is advancing Cornell University research into probiotics that could lead to improved vitality for livestock including cattle, swine and poultry.
CIC makes cut in Imagen series B
University of Cambridge’s affiliate patient capital fund has returned to take part in an $8.4m round for video content management platform Imagen after previously investing in 2014 and 2016.
Yeshiva joins Yissum for innovation lab
University of Cambridge’s affiliate patient capital fund has returned to take part in an $8.4m round for video content management platform Imagen after previously investing in 2014 and 2016.
Ansys grabs Cambridge spinout Granta
Engineering and 3D design product firm Ansys has bought Cambridge-founded Granta Design and will offer the company’s materials information products to its customers.
Nexiot checks in series B funding
ETH Zurich-founded smart logistics spinout Nexiot has won backing from Credit Suisse and Die Mobiliar Versicherungen as it aims to secure additional international business for its products.
Yissum unveils international partnerships
Hebrew University Jerusalem’s Yissum is tuning up an extension of its overseas commercialisation activities in the US, South America and China.
Liquid Instruments signals for $8.2m
Australian National University helped supply series A funding to scientific testing device manufacturer Liquid Instruments, which is led by a professor from the university’s College of Science.
Purdue prefers trio for $121,000 investment
Purdue’s Trask Innovation Fund has committed $50,000 each to short-term research projects into sodium-ion batteries and a handheld plant scanner, in addition to $21,000 for a data security project.
Minervax finds verve with $5m
Based on Lund University research, group B streptococcus vaccine developer Minervax has now raised $11.4m from investors including Novo.