News roundup 8 October 2018

Tau Ventures takes two
The venture fund of Tel Aviv University has added 3D printing technology developer Castor and geolocation platform provider Hoopo to its portfolio.
Excell shines with $25m fund
University of Rochester-affiliated VC fund Excell Partners has been selected to manage a state government-funded vehicle targeting local companies in sectors such as optics and life sciences.
Gilmour Space thrusts $13.7m into orbit
Satellite launching rocket producer Gilmour Space Technologies has been backed by Main Sequence Ventures, managers of Csiro Innovation Fund, taking its total to $17.4m.
Licious catches $25m
UCLA co-led the online meat and fish merchant’s series C round, which included Bertelsmann, Sistema Asia and Vertex Ventures.
Sutro seals $86m IPO
Sutro Biopharma, an immunotherapy developer commercialising technology created at Stanford University, has floated on the Nasdaq Global Market.
SlamCore locates $5m
Toyota has backed Imperial’s spatial robotics software spinout SlamCore’s latest round, adding to seed funding raised from Imperial Innovations and others in May 2017.
Akselos couples to $10m
The MIT industrial modelling tool spinout received commitments from Innogy and Shell to drive further adoption of its products in the energy sector.
PervasID registers $2.1m
Cambridge Enterprise, CIC and Parkwalk have returned to back locational data technology spinout PervasID as the business targets further growth in healthcare, retail and security.
Japan eases equity path for universities
Universities in Japan will be given the right to take long-term equity in spinouts as the government looks to improve availability of funding for homegrown research.
Modis modulates $30m series A
Partly based on Columbia University research, Modis is advancing treatments for rare diseases caused by dysfunction in cellular mitochondria.
Meatable mashes up $3.5m
Meatable has secured the backing of a range of VC investors to commercialise a cultured hamburger based on Cambridge and Stanford patents.
Drawbridge opens for Kyoto University
Medical diagnostics developer Drawbridge Health has secured capital from Kyoto University Innovation Capital thanks to a meeting at the GUV: Fusion conference.
Futurae authenticates $2m
Insurance firm Axa is among those backing ETH Zurich authentication technology spinout Futurae Technologies, which will use the capital for market expansion.
Xenergic puts together $890,000
Lund University spinout Xenergic has been backed by LU Holding to deliver power-saving technology for computer memory circuits.
Epishine powers up $1.3m
Linköping solar cell manufacturing spinout Epishine has received money from backers including LiU Holding arm after previously securing backing from Chalmers Ventures.
Ma makes his way to Penn State
Hong Ma, professor of biology, has been appointed associate dean for research and innovation at Penn State’s Eberly College of Science.
Bellen sells investors on series C round
The nine-figure renminbi sum follows a series A round of undisclosed size two years ago that was backed by THG Ventures.
Aceleron recharges with $195,000
Advanced battery developer Aceleron, which operates from Birmingham and Brunel universities, has been backed by the Midlands Engine Investment Fund.
StartX nurtures Kinedu in series A round
Stanford-StartX Fund has invested in childhood development app creator Kinedu, which counts childcare provider Advenio among its early backers.
WSU biomedical projects seal Mtrac funding
Five US-based biomedical projects at Wayne State University have received Mtrac funding to pursue goals including better immunotherapy and new antibiotics.
Memetis meets KIT for funding
KIT-founded valve actuator manufacturer Memetis has received capital from the university and HTGF to help expand development and production.