MindMaze, a virtual reality company working in the medical sector, has raised $100 million in funding at a valuation of more than $1 billion. The financing was led by Hinduja Group. The company’s platform combines virtual reality, computer vision, neuroscience, AI and haptics. “MindMaze’s next-generation human-machine interface is already proving itself in healthcare, games, and its potential for applications in transportation, defense and various types of media are now ready to be truly explored,” said the spokesperson of Hinduja Group. “We are excited to help MindMaze build on its achievements, while seeing that both current and future partners have their collective visions realized.”
Giphy, an animated GIF search tool, has raised $55 million in funding at a $300 million valuation, Tech Crunch reports. Lightspeed Venture Partners led the round, with participation from General Catalyst Partners, RRE, Betaworks, Lerer Hippeau Ventures and CAA. Giphy originally offered a library of GIFs that were free to use, but reached more users through integration with popular apps such as Facebook Messenger and, most recently, Twitter.
Yello Mobile, a South Korean mobile internet company, has raised $30 million investment from SBI Holdings. The company will use the funds to accelerate its growth in Asia. Lee Sang Hyuk, founder and CEO of Yello Mobile, said, “We are pleased to add a strategic investor of SBI Holdings’ caliber to our roster of high quality investors and simultaneously strengthen our partnership with Japan’s leading online brokerage. SBIH’s financial support and global business network will be valuable assets to Yello Mobile as we continue to expand our geographic reach. We are intensely focused on driving sustainable growth and profitability and appreciate the vote of confidence that this investment represents. We look forward to continuing to work with SBIH to drive each of our businesses forward.”
Sprout Social, a social media engagement company, has closed a $42 million investment from Goldman Sachs, Merchant Banking Division and New Enterprise Associates. The company has now raised a total of $60 million and will use the latest funds for further expansion. “Our team has earned a reputation for building elegant, powerful software that people love to use,” said Justyn Howard, CEO and Cofounder of Sprout. “As social becomes central to everyday business, brands require tools that are as capable as they are intuitive. Sprout meets those demands, and we’ll continue to improve every aspect of our products and business to create the most compelling social tools for our customers.”