Every day, Global University Venturing rounds up the smaller investments from across the university innovation ecosystem in its deal net.
Audioscenic, a UK-based intelligent audio technology spinout of University of Southampton, has secured £1m ($1.4m) from commercialisation firm IP Group, engineering services and technology provider Williams Advanced Engineering and Foresight Group. The company is working on audio technology that can produce left and right sound channels from a single speaker by monitoring where the listener’s head is located and splitting the soundwaves accordingly. The capital will fund technical and commercial hires as Audioscenic aims to build its product ahead of an early launch of its offering. IP Group put up $660,000 for Audioscenic in April 2019.
InPlanta, a France-based developer of long-living decorative plants spun out of University of Limoges, has closed a €360,000 ($425,000) round backed by Nouvelle Aquitaine Co Développement, Aquiti, Financière Anddro and Double M as well as assorted angel investors. Founded in early 2018, InPlanta grows decorative plants on a gel within a glass container. The ecosystem within the container is entirely self-sufficient, enabling the plant to grow and survive without any maintenance. The money will enable the spinout to further expand in France and enter European markets such as Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the Scandinavian nations. The company is also looking to enter additional verticals, such as funeral homes, hotels and catering.
Corlieve Therapeutics, a France-based gene therapy producer spun out from University of Bordeaux, Aix Marseille University and research institutes Inserm and CNRS, has closed a seed round of undisclosed size. Kurma Partners and IDinvest co-led the round with participation from Pureos Bioventures. Corlieve’s lead program aims to deliver therapeutic genes into the body to treat refractory epilepsy. The company is collaborating with University of Pennsylvania-allied gene therapy developer Regenxbio.
