SmartNews, co-founded by University of Tokyo researcher Ken Suzuki, is valued at $1.1bn following a $28m series E round led by Japan Post Capital.

Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.

Aedhmar Hynes, former CEO of digital communications agency Text100, will join IP Group as an independent director on August 1.

Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.

Bristol-founded haptics platform developer Ultrahaptics is set to absorb Leap Motion's patents and employees, succeeding in a transaction that Apple failed to complete twice.

Free-roam VR experience technology company Holodeck VR has been backed by ProSiebenSat.1 Media, raising the prospect of business development collaborations with the corporate's television networks.

ETH Zurich spinout RosieReality has attracted $2.2m in seed capital led by Redalpine, with a contribution from existing backer Akatsuki.

Walmart has stepped up to acquire SkyDeck alumnus advertisement platform Polymorph Labs after the latter had raised $10.5m in funding.

UAVC has put capital into newly launched UA spinout EARDG Photonics, which integrates technology licensed from another spinout, TIPD, by the same co-founders.

Stanford University has participated in a $46m funding round for Gen.G together with venture capital firms and celebrity investors such as actor Will Smith.