North America

Inhibrx to secure $40 mln

Viking Global Investors has agreed to provide $40 million to La Jolla, California-based Inhibrx, a biotech firm. Evercore was financial adviser to Inhibrx on the deal.

KaiOS picks up $50 mln Series B

KaiOS Technologies, a maker of a mobile operating system for smart feature phones, has raised $50 million in Series B funding. Cathay Innovation led the round.

KaiOS picks up $50 mln Series B

KaiOS Technologies, a maker of a mobile operating system for smart feature phones, has raised $50 million in Series B funding. Cathay Innovation led the round.

Percepto nabs $15 mln Series A

Percepto, a provider of industrial autonomous drone solutions, has raised $15 million in Series A funding. USVP led the round with participation from return backers NHN, Spider Capital and Emerge.

Percepto nabs $15 mln Series A

Percepto, a provider of industrial autonomous drone solutions, has raised $15 million in Series A funding. USVP led the round with participation from return backers NHN, Spider Capital and Emerge.

Artemis lands $8 mln Series A

Brooklyn, New York-based Artemis, formerly known as Agrilyst, an enterprise cultivation management platform, has secured $8 million in Series A funding. Astanor Ventures and Talis Capital led the round.

Locana snags $55 mln Series A

San Diego-based Locana Inc, a RNA-targeting gene therapy company, has raised $55 million in Series A financing. ARCH Venture Partners led the round with participation from other investors that included Temasek, Lightstone Ventures, UCB Ventures and GV.

Locana snags $55 mln Series A

San Diego-based Locana Inc, a RNA-targeting gene therapy company, has raised $55 million in Series A financing. ARCH Venture Partners led the round with participation from other investors that included Temasek, Lightstone Ventures, UCB Ventures and GV.

Zendesk buys VC-backed messaging app Smooch Technologies

Zendesk Inc (NYSE: ZEN) has acquired Smooch Technologies Holdings ULC, a Montréal-based messaging platform for enterprise software makers. No financial terms were disclosed. Spun out of Radialpoint in 2015 by CEO Warren Levitan, Chairman Hamnett Hill and CTO Mike Gozzo, Smooch provides technology that helps deliver omnichannel conversations between customers and brands over any messaging channel. In 2016, Smooch raised $10 million in a seed-stage financing led by Real Ventures and Inovia Capital and joined by TA Associates. Zendesk, a San Francisco-based customer service and engagement platform, said its combination with Smooch will "drive the next wave of connected conversations on a variety of messaging channels."

Biotech pet food startup Wild Earth inks $11 mln Series A

Wild Earth Inc, a biotech pet food startup, has secured $11 million in Series A funding. VegInvest led the round with participation from other investors that included Radical Investments, Felicis Ventures, Founders Fund and Mars Petcare.