Cainiao, an Alibaba-backed logistics company, has completed a reported $1.54 billion funding round at a $7.7bn valuation, according to Chinese news site Caixin. Temasek Holdings, GIC, Khazaah Nasional and Primavera Capital all participated in the funding round. The company claims to have 128 warehouses and 180,000 express delivery stations across China, and offers same day delivery in seven Chinese cities.
Cambridge Epigenetix, a developer of epigenetic sequencing technologies, has closed a $21 million Series B round of financing. GV led the round, with participation from Sequoia Capital, New Science Ventures, Syncona Partners and Cambridge University. GV’s Tom Hulme said “We’ve seen how the commercialization of genome sequencing has created incredible opportunities to improve human health, and now the epigenome holds similar potential. Cambridge Epigenetix is one of the few teams on the planet with the skills and experience to break new ground here, and we look forward to supporting them on that journey.”
Inmoji, which seeks to connect brands with consumers on mobile messaging with interactive emojis, has raised $5 million in Series A financing. Dr. John Wigneswaran led the round, with participation from people within the MIT Sloan School of Management community. The company will use the funds to accelerate the growth of its media network. “Inmoji is rethinking the way people connect, share and have fun on messaging platforms,” said Leonard S. Coleman, Jr., Inmoji investor, business executive and former president of the National Baseball League. “We continue to be impressed by the team at Inmoji and believe they have the right approach to engaging consumers on messaging.”
Future Finance, a startup lending money to students online has raised $171 million from firms including QED Investors and Blackstone Group, Bloomberg reports. The injection “will enable many more students in the U.K. to access higher education and invest in their future careers,” Chief Executive Officer Brian Norton said in the statement. The company is looking to expand into Europe, and recently began lending in Germany.