Alibaba has invested $590 million into Chinese smartphone manufacturer Meizu Technology Corporation. Alibaba will provide Meizu with resources in the e-commerce, mobile Internet, mobile operating system and data analysis fields, according to a press release. Alibaba will also distribute Meizu’s smartphones and other devices through its shopping marketplaces. “The investment in Meizu represents a significant expansion of the Alibaba Group ecosystem and an important step in our overall mobile strategy as we strive to bring users a wider array of mobile offerings and experiences,” said Jian WANG, Chief Technology Officer of Alibaba Group.
Sight Machine, a manufacturing analytics company, has raised $5 million funding in a round led by Mercury Fund. A host of new investors participated, including Mercury Fund, Michigan eLab, Huron River Ventures, Orfin Ventures and Funders Club. Previous backers IA Ventures and Alpha Tech Ventures also joined the round. “Sight Machine is the most exciting industrial technology company we have come across,” said Adrian Fortino, partner at Mercury Fund. “With its cloud-based platform and operations in both Michigan and California, they are well-positioned to lead both the technology development and the market development for manufacturing analytics.”
Hotel concierge app ALICE has raised $3 million in seed financing, TechCrunch reports. The app allows guests of a hotel to enjoy an updated list of amenities at the hotel, and can book tickets, reservations and request hotel services. The app was just launched in New York. With the latest funds the app will be rolled out to Berlin, Germany and expand in Asia.
Imagine Health, which provides healthcare recruitment services, has raised $21 million in Series A funding from Trident Capital and HLM Venture Partners. The company plans to use the funds to expand its offering, which relies on data analytics, into other markets. “We have an innovative, proven model that has helped multiple Fortune 100 clients improve the quality of care for their members and control costs by purchasing healthcare from providers the way they approach other major cost centers in their businesses,” said Allison Robbins, chairman and CEO of Imagine Health. “This round of funding helps us prepare to scale Imagine Health nationwide to meet the demand we’re already experiencing, and to prepare us for our projected rapid growth trajectory.”