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Didi Chuxing, the ride-sharing app developer that’s been causing a headache to Uber, has raised the largest venture round of all time with $7.3bn in combined equity and debt financing.
Verto Analytics in a $16.1m series B round from Finnish Industry Investment and also featured EQT Ventures, a private equity firm that closed a government-backed fund earlier this month, Conor Venture Partners, Open Ocean Capital and Vision+.
The university world saw a $33m series B round for Rockefeller University spinout Rgenix, co-led by Novo and Sofinnova Partners.
Exits
Imperial Innovations, the commercialisation firm spun out of Imperial College London, exited Alkion Biopharma, selling its stake to chemical producer Evonik Industries.
DraftKings and FanDuel are considering a merger. Of course FanDuel is a spinout of Edinburgh University.
Funds
Gilde Healthcare, an investment firm focused on, surprisingly, the healthcare sector, has closed its $280m Gilde Healthcare IV fund with Philips as a cornerstone investor.
Monash and Melbourne Universities meanwhile have joined forces with the state of Victoria to launch a $59m biomedical research enterprise called M2 Venture Catalyst.
People
BPIfrance, the public investment bank of France, has promoted Florent Debienne to managing director. He had previously been investment director since November 2013.
Mony Hassid, managing director of Qualcomm Ventures in Israel, meanwhile has left that job to be a general manager at Microsoft Ventures also in Israel.
Deborah Hopkins, Citi’s chief innovation officer and CEO of Citi Ventures, its corporate venturing unit, will retire at the end of the year. She took home a GCV Award in January at our Global Corporate Venturing and Innovation Summit in California and will leave big shoes to fill.
Interview
Toby Lewis talks to Frode Odegard, chief executive of Lean Systems Institute about the post-lean world.
“Funky Chunk” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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