Humble Sustainability secures pre-Series A funding to expand across Southeast Asia
Humble Sustainability, an e-waste management startup headquartered in Manila, has raised an undisclosed amount in a pre-Series A funding round. Gobi Partners led the round through its Gobi-Core Philippine Fund, with participation from ADB Ventures and the Philippine government’s National Development Company (NDC).
The funds will support Humble’s expansion beyond the Philippines and the development of its proprietary platform designed to track and improve environmental impact metrics like emissions and waste reduction.
Humble, founded in 2021, helps businesses recycle and refurbish used IT equipment, contributing to ESG goals while reducing electronic waste.
Renewable Metals closes AUD 8.1 million seed extension
Renewable Metals, an Australian battery recycling company, has raised AUD 8.1 million (USD 5.2 million) in a seed extension round from Investible’s Climate Tech Fund and Club Investible syndicate.
The capital will be used to scale its alkali-based recycling technology for lithium-ion batteries, which recovers critical minerals like nickel and copper more efficiently while minimizing waste.
The funds will also help support a larger demonstration plant at European Metal Recycling (EMR)’s UK site. Renewable Metals aims to commercialize its technology by mid-2025, positioning itself as a key player in sustainable mineral recovery.
Maybank invests in Funding Societies to boost MSME financing in Southeast Asia
Digital finance platform Funding Societies, also known as Modalku in Indonesia, has secured an investment from Maybank. The financial details of this deal were not disclosed. This marks Maybank’s first investment under its new initiative to partner with tech-enabled companies across ASEAN.
The funds will accelerate Funding Societies’ growth, which has already disbursed over USD 4 billion to more than 100,000 businesses across five countries since its founding in 2015.
Playbook Partners raises USD 130 million in first close to fuel India’s digital growth
Playbook Partners, a growth capital firm focused on tech-enabled businesses in India, has raised USD 130 million in the first close of its fund.
Backed by global investors, the fund is targeting a final close of USD 250 million. Playbook will focus on businesses with significant scale and strong margins in India’s expanding digital economy.
Lunch Actually and Paktor merge to form regional dating services group
Singapore-based dating services Lunch Actually and Paktor have merged to create the Lunch Actually Paktor Group. The combined entity will offer a mix of online and offline dating services across six Asian markets, including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.
The merger aims to address growing fatigue with dating apps and provide singles with more personalized matchmaking solutions. Violet Lim, CEO of Lunch Actually, will lead the group as it expands its suite of relationship coaching and matchmaking services.
Recent deals completed in China:
- Zeta Byte Network Security, a cybersecurity firm registered in Beijing, has raised RMB 50 million (USD 6.87 million) in a Series B round of financing, co-led by Baiyun Financial Holding Group and Hope Funds. Founded in 2021, the company focuses on cyber simulation tech, with products supporting cyber defense drills, strategy validation, and emergency response rehearsals. —36Kr
- Booster Robotics, a humanoid robotics maker, has obtained RMB 100 million (USD 14 million) in a pre-Series A funding round. The round saw participation from Bian Era Technology Holdings, Minyin International, ZGC Science City, and iCANX Fund, while Innoangel Fund, an existing investor, also joined. The funds will be channeled toward enhancing software development and building general-purpose robotics systems. —36Kr
- Range Aviation, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer, has closed an angel plus round of financing, bagging tens of millions of RMB. Leaguer Ventures led the round, with Hefei Baohe Angel Fund participating. The company will use the capital to develop a full-scale prototype of its LE200 passenger eVTOL and secure airworthiness certification for the LEU100 unmanned logistics aircraft. —36Kr
- Yufan Photonics, a startup providing satellite laser communication solutions, has raised RMB 10 million (USD 1.4 million) in an angel funding round from Atom Ventures. The funds will be used for advancing its transmission tech and scaling production for broader market reach. —36Kr
- JHM Biopharma, a recombinant protein drug developer, raised more than RMB 200 million (USD 27.5 million) in a Series B+ funding round. The round was led by SDIC Unity Capital, with participation from Hongsheng Capital, Oriza Holdings, and So-Young. Junhemeng plans to channel the funds toward advancing its product pipeline in the fields of medical and consumer health. —36Kr
- Null Hypothesis, a Shanghai-based developer of generative AI solutions for the healthcare and medical sectors, has completed a Series B funding round, securing tens of millions of RMB from ZBJL Capital. The investment will help the company optimize its AI-driven medical content solutions and deepen collaborations with major pharmaceutical and medical device companies. —36Kr
- LightX, an industrial-grade metal additive manufacturing company, has bagged tens of millions of RMB in a pre-Series A funding round. Shenzhen HTI Group led the round, with follow-on participation from Youde Capital, Rongxi Venture Capital, and others. The capital will go toward product development for the aerospace and energy sectors. —36Kr
- Eli, a manufacturer of air suspension solenoid valves, has raised tens of millions of RMB in a Series A round of financing led by Richen Capital. —36Kr
- Winscene, a Shanghai-based advanced materials startup, has secured nearly RMB 100 million (USD 13.7 million) in a Series B funding round co-led by Glory Ventures and Shanghai Guohe Capital, with FG Venture and Jinshui Lake Venture Capital joining as follow-on investors. The funds will support the expansion of its production facilities and the growth of overseas R&D centers. —36Kr
Trive Ventures, Zus Coffee, Genesis Alternative Ventures, and more led yesterday’s headlines:
- Trive Ventures, a Singapore-based venture capital firm, launched a new fund to back early-stage companies leveraging artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies. The new fund targets startups in infrastructure, entertainment, and financial services globally.
- Zus Coffee, a chain coffee brand, raised MYR 250 million (USD 57.3 million) in funding from a group of investors led by KV Asia Capital, alongside Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (KWAP) and Kapal Api Group.
- Genesis Alternative Ventures, a Singapore-based private venture debt firm, secured USD 125 million in commitments for its second fund. Investors from the firm’s first fund—including Aozora Bank, Korea Development Bank, Mizuho Leasing, and Silverhorn—renewed their support, while newcomers like Mizuho Bank and OurCrowd joined the fold.
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