Bythen secures USD 5 million to fuel AI-driven content creation
Bythen, a platform enabling artificial intelligence-powered digital personas, has secured USD 5 million in seed funding. The round was co-led by Japanese public relations agency Vector and early-stage venture capital firm Skystar Capital.
The company seeks to democratize content creation by allowing users to develop autonomous, monetizable digital characters, known as “Bytes,” for live streaming, video replies, and other online engagements.
Bythen plans to utilize the funding for its global rollout, targeting the onboarding of 15,000 virtual influencers across applications in gaming, Web3, and social media.
Varadise raises USD 3 million in Series A funding to expand digital twin technology
Varadise, a company specializing in digital twin technology for the built environment, has raised USD 3 million in a Series A funding round led by Betatron Venture Group, with co-investment from the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund (ITVF).
Its platform combines digital twin technology with geographic information systems (GIS), building information management (BIM), AI, and internet-of-things to enhance construction and urban management.
The funding will support Varadise’s expansion into Southeast Asia, mainland China, and the Middle East as it advances sustainable urban innovation.
CBC Group backs MiRXES to advance cancer diagnostics
Singapore-based cancer diagnostics firm MiRXES has secured USD 40 million in structured financing from CBC Group’s R-Bridge Healthcare Fund.
The investment will support the commercialization of its flagship product, Gastroclear—the first blood test approved for early gastric cancer detection—and the development of diagnostics for other cancers.
MiRXES plans to expand into high-growth markets like China, Japan, and Southeast Asia while progressing its clinical pipeline for multi-cancer detection.
This follows the company’s Series D funding round in July 2023, where it secured USD 50 million from investors including Beijing Fupu, EDBI, A*STAR, Mitsui & Co, and NHH Venture Fund.
Skor Technologies raises USD 6.2 million to scale in Indonesia
Indonesia’s Skor Technologies has raised USD 6.2 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Argor Capital, with support from QED Investors and Saison Capital, according to Tech in Asia.
The funding will drive the growth of Skorcard, a digital credit card addressing Indonesia’s low credit card penetration.
Kyna English to expand AI-powered language learning with Series B funding
Vietnam-based Kyna English has closed a Series B funding round led by Asia Business Builders, with contributions from DTP Education Group, as reported by e27. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The funding will fuel Kyna’s expansion into Thailand, Indonesia, and Laos while enhancing its personalized language learning platform.
Regional Fish nets USD 25.3 million in Series C funding
Regional Fish, a Japanese biotech startup, has raised JPY 4.07 billion (USD 25.8 million) in Series C funding. The round includes JPY 3.02 billion (USD 19.2 million) from new share allotments and an additional USD 6.7 million in credit financing.
Investors include CITIC Venture Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, Seven-Eleven Japan, and others. Credit was provided by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Kyoto-based banks.
The funds will support the development of sustainable genome-edited aquaculture species, enhanced production capabilities, and efforts to address rising ocean temperatures and feed costs, bolstering aquaculture resilience.
Cornerstone Robotics snags Series C funding to scale surgical robotics globally
Cornerstone Robotics, a Hong Kong-based leader in surgical robotics, has snagged over USD 70 million in a Series C funding round led by EQT, with participation from Qiming Venture Partners, Alpha JWC Ventures, the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund, eGarden Ventures, CTS Funds, K2VC, and Long-Z Capital, among others.
The funding will accelerate the development, regulatory approvals, and international expansion of its surgical robotic systems, including the Sentire endoscopic surgical system, recently approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration.
Recent deals completed in China:
- Chinese fintech giant Ant Group has acquired Haodf, a leading platform for online medical consultations. The acquisition aims to integrate Haodf’s extensive network of doctors with Alipay’s users, leveraging the Bailing foundation model to improve the efficiency and accessibility of healthcare services.
- Smart Fabric, an intelligent manufacturing internet company, has raised USD 460 million in a strategic Series C++ funding round. The round was led by CSTC, with Maximum Capital serving as the financial advisor. Founded in 2014, the company integrates textile manufacturing processes using technology to streamline operations for textile and apparel brands. —36Kr
- Deemos, a 3D generative model company, has secured an eight-figure USD sum in a Series A funding round co-led by Meituan’s DragonBall Capital and ByteDance, with continued support from existing investors HongShan and MiraclePlus. Lighthouse Capital acted as the financial advisor. The funds will further the development of its Hyper3D series, centered on the Rodin model. Deemos has established collaborations with Amazon, ByteDance, and Unity, among others, to expand applications in gaming, e-commerce, and 3D printing. —36Kr
- Juli Automation, an electric drive equipment manufacturer, has completed a funding round, raising a nine-figure RMB sum. CMG-SDIC Capital led the round, with support from CRRC Capital and Svolt Capital. The funding will support R&D and global capacity expansion. —36Kr
- PulseX Laser, an ultrafast laser solution provider, has raised tens of millions of RMB in a pre-Series A+ funding round co-led by CDC Investment Corporation and Wanlian Tianze. Top Capital served as the financial advisor. The company, founded in 2020, focuses on industrial-grade ultraviolet laser technology for applications in non-metal and precision machining. —36Kr
- Westlake Robotics, an embodied intelligence startup, has closed its extended angel round of financing with nearly RMB 100 million. JinkoSolar’s corporate venture capital fund and Mercedes-Benz Capital Investments co-led the investment, with follow-on investment from Tisiwi. Lighthouse Capital acted as the financial advisor. The funds will accelerate the development of general-purpose embodied AI models and humanoid robots, targeting commercialization and product iteration. —36Kr
Endowus, Employment Hero, BukaPO, and more made recent headlines:
- Endowus, a Singapore-based wealth management platform, secured an additional USD 17.5 million, pushing the total raised in its latest funding round to USD 52.5 million. The round drew participation from new investors OSK Ventures and the family office of professional basketball player Jeremy Lin, alongside existing backers Prosus Ventures, UBS, and MUFG.
- Employment Hero, an employment management platform, acquired Humi, a Canada-based company, in a deal exceeding CAD 100 million (USD 69.5 million).
- BukaPO, a Bali-based culinary marketplace, closed its seed funding round. The round was co-led by the Bali Investment Club and Switzerland’s Elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization. The investment amount remains undisclosed.
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