Populix nets USD 4.3 million to sharpen AI-driven research tools
Populix, an Indonesia-based market research tech startup, has netted USD 4.3 million in the first close of its Series B round. The raise was led by MSW V Asia Fund X, with returning backers Intudo Ventures, Altos Ventures, and Acrew Capital also participating.
The company, which aims to make research insights more accessible, said it doubled project volume in the past year, with nearly two-thirds of its business now coming from recurring clients. It recently launched a public sector research unit and rolled out NeXa, an artificial intelligence assistant designed to automate research workflows.
With fresh capital in hand, Populix plans to push further into AI development—specifically synthetic respondents and machine learning analytics—while also charting a course for expansion across Southeast Asia.
viAct lands USD 7.3 million to bring AI-powered safety tech abroad
viAct, a Hong Kong-headquartered safety technology startup, has raised USD 7.3 million in a Series A round led by VentureWave Capital. The round also included the participation of Singtel Innov8, Korea Investment Partners, and the PolyU Entrepreneurship Investment Fund.
The startup uses computer vision to help industries like construction and manufacturing monitor risks in real time and stay compliant with safety standards. With the new funds, viAct is setting its sights on the Middle East and Europe—Saudi Arabia in particular.
Dolphin Semiconductor reels in EUR 10 million to grow its chip IP business
Dolphin Semiconductor, a provider of mixed-signal semiconductor IP solutions, has secured a EUR 10 million (USD 11.4 million) funding commitment from Vertex Growth, building on a prior EUR 26 million (USD 29.6 million) commitment from Jolt Capital. The capital will go toward global expansion, particularly in Asia.
Based in Europe, Dolphin develops mixed-signal IP for sectors including high-performance computing, automotive, and IoT. The funding will support R&D, business development, and strategic acquisitions. Vertex Growth will also help Dolphin navigate partnerships and client networks across Asia.
Dutycast pulls in funding from GTR Ventures and logistics veterans
Dutycast, a Singapore-based trade compliance platform, has raised an undisclosed sum from GTR Ventures and a group of logistics-focused angel investors. The Singapore-based startup caters to exporters, freight forwarders, and customs brokers.
Its tools include rules-of-origin tracking, tariff calculators, and HS code classification—services aimed at streamlining compliance in an increasingly complex trade landscape. DutyCast said it counts major consulting and logistics firms among its users and plans to fuel its global expansion with the new funds.
Moom Health raises USD 2.7 million to broaden women’s wellness reach
Moom Health, a wellness startup focused on women’s health supplements, has raised SGD 3.5 million (USD 2.7 million) in a pre-Series A round led by Wipro Consumer Care Ventures. DSG Consumer Partners, Racer Ventures, and HPRY Holdings also participated, according to The Business Times.
Founded in 2021, the Singapore-based company plans to use the funding to scale its supply chain, expand its team, boost online and offline reach, and break into new markets. It currently operates in Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
Horiba acquires EtaMax to upgrade semiconductor wafer inspection
Horiba STEC Korea, a subsidiary of Horiba Group, has acquired South Korea’s EtaMax, a company that builds inspection systems for compound semiconductor wafers.
The deal will integrate EtaMax’s software with Horiba’s core technology stack to improve yield and quality control through advanced techniques like photoluminescence.
Garuda Aerospace secures INR 1 billion to scale defense-grade drone tech
Garuda Aerospace, a Chennai-based drone tech startup, has secured INR 1 billion (USD 11.7 million) in Series B funding, with Venture Catalysts leading the round. The company now sits at a USD 250 million valuation.
Garuda serves industries including agriculture, infrastructure, logistics, and defense. It plans to expand drone production, enhance IP development, and establish a new R&D and testing center with a focus on defense-grade systems.
Jewelbox banks USD 3.2 million to scale lab-grown diamond brand in India
Jewelbox, an Indian lab-grown diamond jewelry brand, has raised USD 3.2 million in its pre-Series A funding round. The investment was led by V3 Ventures and saw participation from Atrium Angels, Dexter Ventures, Infinyte Club, Samarthya Capital, and JIIF. Dexter Capital Advisors advised the deal.
The company will use the funds to open 30 locations across tier-one and tier-two cities through both owned and franchised stores.
Recent deals completed in China:
- Yuantian Biotech, which focuses on enzymatic plastic recycling, has secured nearly RMB 100 million (USD 14 million) in a pre-Series A+ funding round. The round was backed by Peiyang Begonia Fund, Shangshi Fund, Dalton Venture, Rianlon, and Renai Group. The capital will support the development of a kiloton-scale production line, technology upgrades, and market expansion. —36Kr
- Yingshen Intelligence, a Hangzhou-based startup, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum across its seed and seed-plus funding rounds. Z&Y Capital led the initial round, while the follow-on was co-led by Z&Y Capital and XHVC. The funding will go toward training the company’s embodied intelligence model, commercial deployment, and team expansion. Founded in 2024, Yingshen develops low-cost, modular embodied AI solutions for industrial and service robotics. —36Kr
- Shinehigh Innovation, a maker of advanced materials, has raised nearly RMB 100 million in a Series C round of financing led by Yuanbio Venture Capital. Previous backers include L’Oreal and Bloomage Biotech. The new funds will be used to upgrade its AI-driven supramolecular materials platform and expand applications across food, medicine, agriculture, and environmental sectors, as well as renewable energy through battery and photovoltaic recycling. —36Kr
- LAWK, a wearable tech firm, has raised an eight-figure RMB sum from Baohe Venture Capital and Meorient. The funds will support further development of its proprietary Wake-AI model and drive the rollout of AI-powered smart glasses across new use cases. —36Kr
- KingKong Technology, which focuses on magnetic encoders for robotics, has secured an eight-figure RMB sum across its pre-Series A and pre-Series A+ funding rounds. Casstar led the first round, while SR Capital and Jiangyin Rencai backed the latter. Founded in 2017, the company said the fresh capital will be directed toward R&D and market growth. —36Kr
- Overseas Huasheng, a developer of electronic pastes, has raised nearly RMB 100 million in Series C funding. The round was co-led by Nuotie Assets and GCL System Integration, with I&R Capital serving as financial advisor. The funds will be used to enhance R&D in high-end materials such as multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) pastes, scale production, and expand into Southeast Asian markets. —36Kr
GoUpscale, GXS Bank, WeLab, and more made recent headlines:
- GoUpscale, a Singapore-based startup, landed an undisclosed investment from Accenture Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of the global consulting giant.
- GXS Bank, the Singapore-based digital bank backed by Grab and Singtel, acquired Validus Capital, the Singapore lending arm of fintech group Validus, in an all-cash deal.
- WeLab, a fintech outfit based in Hong Kong, received an investment from the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC). The financial terms were not disclosed.
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