FTX, Coinbase, Huobi and Protocol Labs backed the startup keeping an eye on crypto sentiment, a measure that can be profitable or costly.

The unit is set to lead a $100m round for Horizon Robotics as part of $60m investment in data-focused companies, taking its total 2017 spending to almost $570m.

Peter Cowley, founder of corporate venturing unit Martlet, won the Angel Investor of the Year award at the beginning of this month from UK trade body the UK Business Angels Association. The award will mean Cowley will be a figurehead for the promotion of angel investing in the UK.

JSR Micro formed a partnership with Capstone in November 2011 to provide its lithium ion battery to Capstone, which provides wireless water meters.

YJ Capital, Yahoo Japan's Y1bn corporate venture fund, has made its first investment participating in a Y120m round of funding for Raksul.inc

Christopher Moran, general manager of Applied Ventures, says: "We are excited about Aventa's progress in developing critical manufacturing technology for this emerging alternative energy sector. HTS technology has tremendous potential, and we are pleased that this investment will be used to make advanced grid solutions more affordable."

The pair of corporate venturing units outlined a 2012 that sees them converging in annual investment pace, although the long-established Intel Capital, which has invested more than $10bn in its history is understandably more active in realisation activity than Google Ventures, which was set up in 2009.