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

Fruitcore Robotics, a Germany-based developer of highly optimised robotic systems technology spun out of HTWG Konstanz, has secured €17m ($20m) in a series A round backed by UVC Partners, the venture capital firm affiliated with TU Munich’s tech transfer arm UnternehmerTUM, EU-Startups reported yesterday. The round also attracted Btov Partners and CNB Capital. Accure, a Germany-based artificial intelligence-powered battery analytics technology spinout of RWTH Aachen, has raised $8m in a series A round featuring Blue Bear Capital, Capnamic Ventures and 42Cap. The latter two investors had already injected $2.7m in funding in September 2020. Accure has produced software that enables battery manufacturers and operators to monitor battery health and safety in real time. Mecaware, a France-based developer of technology to extract metals from waste recycling based on research at University of Lyon, has secured €2.5m ($2.9m) in its first funding round backed by private equity firm UI Investissement, asset manager Kreaxi, the EU-owned EIT Inno Energy, syndicate Arts et Métiers Business Angels, public investment bank Bpifrance as well as BNP Paribas Développement and Crédit Agricole Création, respective investment units for financial services firms BNP Paribas and Crédi Agricole. Mecaware launched in 2019, originally with plans to raise as much as $3.3m. Aeterlink, a Japan-based wireless power supply technology developer spun out of Stanford University, has raised ¥200m ($1.8m) in a series A round backed by Keio Innovation Initiative, the venture capital arm of Keio University, as well as trading group Itochu’s corporate venturing division Itochu Technology Ventures. Three-Is, the Japan-based operator of a cookie-less advertising platform dubbed Candy, has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Kyoto University as well as Mizuho Capital, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital and Miyako Capital, respective subsidiaries of financial services firms Mizuho Bank and Mitsubishi UFJ. Mail order retailer Dinos Cecile had invested an undisclosed amount in Three-Is In January 2020 through a strategic partnership deal. Daiwa Corporate Investment had provided more than $900,000 in funding for the company in September 2018 before recruitment firm Mynavi and Voyage Ventures, online advertising technology producer Voyage Group’s investment arm, added an undisclosed amount a year later. Run.Edge, a Japan-based sports and education video analysis platform, has raised an undisclosed amount of pre-series B funding from Keio Innovation Initiative, a venture capital arm of Keio University. The round also included Sony Innovation Fund and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital – on behalf of electronics product manufacturer Sony and financial services firm Mitsubishi UFJ – as well as housing equipment aftersales service…

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Edison Fu

Edison Fu is a reporter and Asia liaison at Global Corporate Venturing.