VFlowTech raises USD 20.5 million to scale battery production
VFlowTech, a Singapore-based energy storage startup, has raised USD 20.5 million in a funding round led by Granite Asia. The round includes participation from EDBI, MOL Plus, PSA Ventures, and existing backers such as Antares Ventures, Inci Holding, UntroD Capital, Pappas Capital, Wavemaker Partners, Seeds Capital, and Entrepreneurs First.
The company plans to use the capital to scale manufacturing of its vanadium redox flow batteries, upgrade its energy management software, and strengthen its supply chain across key areas: vanadium recycling, membrane development, and electrolyte innovation.
VFlowTech aims to accelerate its presence across Asia, the Middle East, and select global markets. Its technology supports grid-scale storage, renewable energy integration, and industrial decarbonization efforts.
Vietnam’s Alterno lands funding to grow clean heat infrastructure
Alterno, a Vietnam-based climate tech startup, has secured funding from UntroD Capital Asia’s second global fund, with participation from ADB Ventures.
Alterno develops sand-based thermal energy storage systems that can retain heat at up to 600 degrees Celsius with minimal energy loss. The systems are already in use for industrial drying and agro-processing applications, with clients including PepsiCo and Mondelez.
The company will use the funds to scale its clean heat platform, support international pilot deployments, and expand across Asian markets. Alterno was founded with a goal of cutting 100 million tons of carbon emissions annually by 2030 by providing affordable decarbonization solutions for industries that are otherwise difficult to transition.
BrioHR raises Series A funding to expand digital HR solutions
BrioHR, a Singapore-based human resources platform, has raised USD 6.5 million in a Series A round led by Openspace Ventures, with participation from Taiwania Hive Ventures and other regional investors.
The company offers an integrated platform for payroll, compliance, and employee engagement. It currently serves over 1,000 businesses across Southeast Asia.
The new capital will be directed toward building out artificial intelligence capabilities, expanding its team in Singapore, and supporting growth across the region.
Muu bags funding to scale animal-free dairy protein production
Muu, a Bangkok-based food tech startup, has raised funding from A2D Ventures, Leave a Nest Japan, and a Japanese food conglomerate. The company did not disclose the amount.
Using precision fermentation, Muu creates animal-free milk proteins designed to mimic the taste and functionality of dairy, without the environmental costs of traditional milk production. The process reportedly cuts greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption by over 90%.
With the new funds, Muu will scale production, expand across Asian markets, and pursue distribution partnerships. Its early partners include Lotte Fine Chemical and major food and beverage companies in Japan and Singapore.
Egune AI raises USD 3.5 million to deepen Mongolia’s AI capabilities
Egune AI, a Mongolia-based developer of foundational AI systems, has raised USD 3.5 million from Golomt Bank.
Founded in 2022, Egune develops large language models trained in Mongolian and claims to power over 70% of the country’s AI infrastructure. The funds will go toward infrastructure expansion, user outreach, and building national AI capabilities.
Egune says its mission is to create culturally relevant AI tools and address digital inequality in underserved markets.
Brinc acquires Next Stage, launches South Korea operations
Brinc has acquired Seoul’s Next Stage Venture Studio to establish Brinc Korea, marking an expansion into the South Korean market.
Founded by Jinho Bae and Jonathan Moore, both former Techstars executives, the Next Stage team will lead Brinc Korea. The new arm will run accelerator programs, facilitate international investment access, and connect Korean startups to global partners.
Brinc Korea will also help local enterprises adopt foreign technologies for domestic use.
Panmnesia secures USD 30 million to develop next-gen AI infrastructure
Panmnesia, a South Korea-based AI infrastructure company, has secured USD 30 million to develop modular AI accelerators and reconfigurable data center architecture. Its platform uses chiplet-based designs, manycore processors, vector compute units, and in-memory processing, interconnected through proprietary architecture.
The funding will support the development of scalable systems optimized for large language models and recommendation engines. Panmnesia aims to reduce power consumption and increase flexibility for AI workloads.
Databricks to acquire Neon, expanding serverless capabilities for AI-native applications
Databricks is acquiring Neon, a serverless Postgres startup, to bolster infrastructure for AI-native and agent-driven applications. Neon reports that over 80% of its databases are now created autonomously by AI agents, a shift that Databricks aims to capture.
Neon’s decoupled compute and storage architecture enables flexible and cost-efficient deployments. Integration into Databricks will enhance its real-time and AI workload capabilities. The deal is subject to regulatory approval.
Recent deals completed in China:
- OYMotion, a developer of “non-invasive brain computer interfaces,” has raised nearly RMB 100 million (USD 14 million) in a Series B++ funding round. The round was backed by Infinity Group, Zhejiang Development Asset Management, and Womeida Capital. The company plans to use the funds to accelerate R&D in dexterous hand technology, bring new products to market, expand production capacity, and scale operations. This follows a similarly sized Series B+ round completed earlier this year. —36Kr
- X Square Robot, an embodied intelligence company, has secured a nine-figure RMB sum in a Series A funding round. Meituan led the round, with follow-on investment from its DragonBall Capital investment subsidiary. The funds will support development of AI models and robotic systems, along with application rollout across real-world scenarios. —36Kr
- Ubix, a distributed storage solutions provider, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in a pre-Series A+ funding round. Xinfang Capital led the investment, with participation from Liwan Industrial Investment. Hongbo Investment Management acted as the financial advisor. The funding will support product upgrades, system integrations, and sales expansion. —36Kr
- Baiyiyuan Biotech, a regenerative medicine company, has received an eight-figure RMB investment from China Medical System, which also enters a partnership with the startup. Baiyiyuan develops extracellular matrix (ECM) biomaterials for tissue repair and cosmetic regeneration. The capital will go toward product R&D, market development, and production line enhancements. —36Kr
- INAIR, a smart device maker, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum in a Series A round of financing. The round was led by Weihai Industrial Investment Group, with continued support from Verity Ventures. —36Kr
- Hymaster, a provider of hydrogen liquefaction and cryogenic systems, has completed a pre-Series A+ funding round led by Roton Capital, netting an eight-figure RMB sum. Orient Jiafu Asset Management and Suzhou Chinese Consortium Holding also participated. Six Sigma Capital acted as the financial advisor. The capital will fund R&D of cryogenic core components, prototype manufacturing, and team expansion. —36Kr
Arysun, Nuevocor, ULS Robotics, and more made recent headlines:
- Arysun, a Singapore-based climate tech startup, secured USD 575,000 in pre-seed funding to broaden access to rooftop solar solutions for Southeast Asian households. The round was led by Wavemaker Impact, with participation from the First Move Fund.
- Nuevocor, a biotech firm focused on treating cardiomyopathies through mechanobiology, raised USD 45 million in a Series B funding round co-led by Kurma Partners and Angelini Ventures. The round also saw continued support from EDBI, ClavystBio, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Highlight Capital, and Seeds Capital.
- ULS Robotics, an exoskeleton technology platform, raised an eight-figure RMB sum in a Series B round led by BeFor Capital, with follow-on investment from Guoyi Capital.
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