Vynn Capital backs Etaily’s Southeast Asia expansion
Etaily, a Philippines-based commerce infrastructure platform, has secured an investment from Malaysia’s Vynn Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Founded in 2020, Etaily helps global consumer brands expand across Southeast Asia through marketplace management, social commerce, retail media, customer experience, fulfillment, and omnichannel retail services. Its clients include L’Oreal, Levi’s, Skechers, Fila, Vans, Columbia, and The North Face.
The investment follows Etaily’s late-2025 financing round led by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s Asia Rising Fund.
The company will use the fresh capital to strengthen its regional commerce infrastructure, including artificial intelligence-enabled commerce operations, retail media capabilities, fulfillment integration, social commerce, and cross-border brand expansion. It is expanding across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Amity Robotics raises USD 7 million to scale physical AI platform
Amity Robotics, a Thailand-based robotics company, has raised USD 7 million in seed funding through a combination of equity and debt financing. East Ventures led the equity round, with participation from 500 Global, while AlteriQ Global led the debt facility.
Amity Robotics develops AI-powered robotic systems for hospitality, retail, and commercial properties. Its flagship ARC Base concierge kiosks are reportedly deployed across more than 30 properties in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The company is also developing ARC Move, its first mobile robot.
The proceeds will be used to deepen platform integrations, scale operations, and accelerate the commercial launch of ARC Move.
Acti raises USD 5.3 million in seed funding
Acti, a Singapore-based AI startup, has raised USD 5.3 million in a seed round led by Bitkraft Ventures.
Founded by former Baidu executives, Acti has developed what it describes as the world’s first agentic keyboard. The product embeds AI directly into a mobile keyboard, allowing users to access AI tools and automate tasks across applications without switching between apps. Users can also create custom AI workflows through its no-code “skill builder.”
Acti will use the funding to expand its engineering and AI teams, strengthen its on-device AI capabilities, and grow its ecosystem and developer community.
CATL backs CarbonScape in strategic investment
CarbonScape, a New Zealand-founded battery materials company, has secured a strategic investment from Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL). Hong Kong-based Lochpine Capital also joined as an investor. Financial terms were not disclosed.
CarbonScape has developed a proprietary process that converts forestry by-products into battery-grade graphite for lithium-ion batteries. The company is targeting lower-carbon alternatives to conventional graphite as demand from the electric vehicle and energy storage sectors grows.
As part of the investment, CATL will become CarbonScape’s industrialization partner and receive board representation, with the aim of bringing commercial biographite production online by the end of the decade. The funding will support technology derisking, demonstration activities, and preparation for commercial deployment.
LinqAlpha secures USD 22 million Series A funding
LinqAlpha, an AI platform for institutional investors, has raised USD 22 million in Series A funding. The round was anchored by AVP, Atinum Investment, and GFT Ventures, with participation from financial institutions and venture investors across Asia. Investors include SBI Investment, Z Venture Capital, East Ventures, Betatron Venture Group, Samsung Securities, Mirae Asset Venture Investment, and NuVentures.
LinqAlpha develops AI agents that help investment teams synthesize market signals across public markets using their own research frameworks. The platform said it currently serves more than 70 financial institutions across the US, Europe, and Asia.
The company will use the proceeds to expand its team, deepen integrations with market and alternative datasets, and accelerate deployment of its platform across equities, macro, credit, and multi-asset investment strategies.
Qashier raises Series A+ funding after turning profitable
Qashier, a Singapore-based fintech company, has raised USD 6.125 million in a Series A+ round comprising equity and debt financing. The round was led by Cocoon Capital, IFP Securities, and BlackSoil Global, with participation from angel investors.
Founded in 2019, Qashier provides a unified merchant operating system that combines payments, point-of-sale software, customer relationship management, embedded financial services, and business management tools for small and medium enterprises.
The company said it has been profitable since December 2025.
Qashier will use the capital to support regional expansion, improve its omnichannel payment capabilities, broaden its embedded financial services, add AI-powered workflow automation tools, and develop new products. It also plans to expand its offerings for larger multi-outlet businesses in sectors such as food and beverage, and beauty and wellness, ahead of a planned Series B round.
Recent deals completed in China:
- GeneSight, an AI virtual cell company, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in seed funding. The round was led by Tsinghua Innovation Ventures. The company will use the funds to iterate its multimodal sequencing technologies, deepen partnerships with hospitals, and expand its team. —36Kr
- FastPhide Photonics, a Shanghai-based developer of ultra high-speed photodetector chips, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in angel funding. Langcheng Capital led the round, with V Capital participating. The funds will go toward chip R&D, sample validation, mass production, and talent recruitment. —36Kr
- Xfeon, a Chengdu-based physical AI company, has raised over RMB 300 million (USD 44.1 million) in a new round. Dingxu Investment led the round, with participation from Cape Cloud, Elevation China Capital, and Anshu Capital. The company will use the funds to develop next-generation chips, embodied intelligence data systems, and market expansion. —36Kr
- SynMetaBio, a bio-based leather company, has raised over RMB 100 million (USD 14.7 million) in Series A funding. The round was jointly led by Erdos Group and Heda, with participation from Nest.Bio Ventures. The company will use the funds for commercialization, capacity expansion, and product iteration. —36Kr
- TranscEngram, an embodied intelligence company, has raised a nine-figure RMB sum in angel funding. Investors include Sino Biopharmaceutical, PDVC, Zhangjiang Group, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Honflex, V Fund, Vulcan Asset Management, and Golden Rudder Investment. The company will use the funds to develop explainable embodied control models, training pipelines, and R&D bases. —36Kr
- Sunrising AI, an embodied intelligence startup incubated by Tsinghua University teams, has raised a cumulative nine-figure RMB sum in angel funding. Investors included Zhuhai Technology Industry Group, Industrial Securities Capital, Green Pine Capital Partners, Shunxi Fund, TH EDU Capital, See Fund, Yichen Capital, Xingyun Tech, 01VC, and the Lighthouse Founders’ Fund. The funds will support model R&D and industrial robot commercialization. —36Kr
- XBot, a food service robotics company, has completed two rounds of nine-figure RMB funding. GPTX invested RMB 200 million (USD 29.4 million) in its Series A round, while its Series B round raised RMB 300–500 million (USD 44.1–73.5 million) from government funds, US dollar funds, and industrial investors. The company develops robotics systems for coffee, ice cream, and other food service scenarios. —36Kr
- Sparo, a Hong Kong-based aerial intelligence startup, has completed four rounds totaling a nine-figure RMB sum within six months. Glory Ventures backed its seed round, while Jinqiu Fund, Alibaba Group, Hony Capital, Hidden Hill Capital, and Seas Capital subsequently joined. The company will use the funds for hiring, product commercialization, and platform iteration. —36Kr
- Liqing Intelligence, a physical AI infrastructure company, has raised a nine-figure RMB sum in seed funding. Investors include Shunwei Capital, HongShan, GL Ventures, FreesFund, Star Chain Capital, Shuimu Tsinghua Alumni Seed Fund, See Fund, Agibot, Linkerbot, and Century Golden Resources Group. The company is developing a full-stack system spanning data collection, model training, and physics engines. —36Kr
- HamooBot, a company developing intelligent variable-stiffness joints and consumer exoskeletons, has raised nearly RMB 100 million in angel funding. Investors include Wonder Capital, Sanken, Buaa Business Technology Incubator, Chengmei Capital, Sanhe Investment, and CJL Holdings. The funds will support product R&D and market expansion. —36Kr
- SmartCore, a silicon photonics chip company, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in a second angel plus round. Panlin Capital led the round, with participation from Tongfang Investment and a sub-fund backed by Shenzhen Angel FOF Management. The funds will support optical interconnect R&D and product rollout. —36Kr
- SunUp Fusion, a Shanghai-based nuclear fusion company, has raised a nine-figure RMB sum in new funding. The round was jointly led by a clean energy fund under CMC Capital, alongside other market-oriented funds and industrial investors. The company is developing compact fusion power station technology using deuterium-helium-3 fuel. —36Kr
- SkyDragon Aerotech, an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) tech company, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in pre-Series A funding from Plum Ventures. The funds will be used to expand its R&D team, develop prototypes, and pursue airworthiness certification. —36Kr
- Tiyuan Technology, an AI-for-education company, has raised nearly RMB 10 million (USD 1.5 million) in angel funding from Hongtai Wisdom Valley. The company provides AI-powered exam preparation tools for college students, covering postgraduate entrance exams, civil service tests, language exams, and professional qualifications. It will use the funds for marketing and continued development of its education agent platform. —36Kr
- PhotonNex, an optical interconnect company, has raised around RMB 100 million across several seed rounds. Investors include Inspiration Capital, Lotus Capital, Zizhu Xiaomiao Fund, Tongding Group, and Junding Asset Management. The funds will support team expansion, chip tapeouts, engineering validation, and product development. —36Kr
- Perception Era, a robotics tactile systems company, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in angel funding. Green Pine Capital Partners led the round. The company will use the funds to build a pilot production line, upgrade its tactile electronic skin products, and expand its team. —36Kr
- Puxing Space, a Shanghai-based optical payload and microsatellite systems company, has completed angel plus and pre-Series A rounds totaling a nine-figure RMB sum. Its pre-Series A round was jointly led by Guotai Haitong Securities, Shang Finance, and Sinan Fund, with participation from Xuhui Capital, Lianrong Zhidao Asset Management, GP Capital, Legend Holdings, Dingnong Technology, and Puhua Capital. The funds will support its planned 1,024-satellite constellation. —36Kr
Airwallex, Akro, Biobot, and others made recent headlines:
- Airwallex, a global payments and financial platform, raised USD 320 million in a Series H round led by returning investor Addition, with participation from Baillie Gifford, Hummingbird, QED Investors, T Rowe Price, Hedosophia, Haun Ventures, Washington University in St Louis, and Amex Ventures.
- Akro, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence startup, raised USD 700,000 in a pre-seed round led by Amigos Venture Capital, with participation from angel investors across financial services, healthcare, and consumer technology.
- Biobot Surgical, a Singapore-based medical technology company, raised SGD 20 million (USD 15.5 million) in its latest financing round. The round was led by ClavystBio in partnership with ZIG Ventures.
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Note: RMB, SGD figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.80 = USD 1 and SGD 1.29 = USD 1 based on estimates as of July 7, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.