iris dorbian

Poka fetches C$10 mln

Canada-based Poka, a training and knowledge platform for manufacturers, has raised C$10 million in financing. The investors included iNovia Capital, Uncork Capital, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH.

ViewPoint Therapeutics attracts $35 mln Series B

San Francisco-based ViewPoint Therapeutics Inc, a developer of crystallin stabilizers to prevent and treat cataracts and presbyopia, has raised $35 million in Series B financing. The Rise Fund led the round with participation from other investors that included Novo Holdings A/S, Biotechnology Value Fund LP, Mission Bay Capital LLC, Lagunita BioSciences LLC and the University of Michigan through its MINTS initiative.

Mars Petcare unveils venture fund and accelerator

Brussels, Belgium-based Mars Petcare, a provider of pet nutrition and health care, has launched a $100 million venture fund. Digitalis Ventures is working in partnership with Mars Petcare on the fund named Companion Fund. Also, Mars Petcare has teamed up with Michelson Found Animals and R/GA to launch Leap Venture Studio, an accelerator. Both the venture fund and the accelerator will be focused on pet care startups.

Ponddy Education inks $6 mln Series A

San Jose, California-based Ponddy Education Inc., a provider of personalized language learning, has secured $6 million in Series A funding. Chenco Holding Company LLC led the round with participation from Osnaburge Ventures LLC and MIC Ponddy AR Fund LP.

Epsagon grabs $4.1 mln seed

Epsagon, a provider of automated end-to-end performance monitoring technology for serverless architectures, has closed $4.1 million in seed funding. Lightspeed Venture Partners, StageOne Ventures and Ariel Maislos led the round.

Smartcare procures $6 mln

Smartcare, a provider of cloud-based solutions for child care centers, has raised $6 million in funding. Lyrical Partners led the round with participation from other investors that included Charter Oak Equity and Dakota Capital.

Craft Ventures' Sacks and Lee, Andreessen, Vy Capital and others back Multicoin Capital

Austin-based Multicoin Capital, a cryptofund that invests in blockchain tokens, has raised an undisclosed amount of funding. The investors included David Sacks and Bill Lee of Craft Ventures, Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, Vy Capital and Passport Capital.

Custom furniture retailer Interior Define lands $15 mln Series B

Interior Define, a custom furniture retailer, has raised $15 million in Series B financing. Pritzker Group Venture Capital and Fifth Wall led the round.

Smarter Sorting attracts $5 mln seed

Austin, Texas-based Smarter Sorting, a reuse solution for household hazardous waste, has raised $5 million in seed funding. The investors included RTP Ventures.

Self-driving trucking company Starsky Robotics rides off with $16.5 mln Series A

San Francisco-based Starsky Robotics, a self-driving trucking company, has raised $16.5 million in Series A funding, according to a post by CEO and co-founder Stefan Seltz-Axmacher. Shasta Ventures led the round with participation from other investors included Y Combinator, Trucks.vc, 50 Years and 9Point Ventures.