Sfermion and Amber Group jointly lead USD 1.8 million investment in Anichess
Anichess, a chess-based online strategy game developed by Animoca Brands in partnership with Chess.com and renowned chess player Magnus Carlsen, has announced the completion of a funding round, securing USD 1.8 million.
The round was jointly led by Sfermion and Amber Group, with participation from Fenbushi Capital, Aspen Digital, SNZ Capital, and other investors. The proceeds will be allocated toward game development, marketing initiatives, and team expansion.
Anichess is a Web3 gaming project offering a twist on the classic chess game, empowering players to implement “spells that open up new strategies and gameplay,” thus prompting them to reconsider the traditional rules of chess. Annabelle Huang, managing partner of co-lead investor Amber Group, said that “Anichess represents a refreshing take on one of the most classic games cherished by many generations.”
According to a statement by Animoca Brands, Anichess has amassed over a million registered players as of January 2024, with an active daily user base of approximately 150,000 players. The game last raised funds in June 2023, closing an oversubscribed seed round.
Recent deals completed in China:
- Oclean, a Shenzhen-registered producer of oral care products, has secured RMB 100 million in a Series C funding round. The round was led by the industrial fund of the Yangzhou Hangji High-tech Industrial Development Zone. The company will utilize the funds to invest in R&D, establish a production base in Yangzhou, and set up overseas operation centers. —36Kr
- Yuequan Bionics, a developer of humanoid robots, has completed an extended angel funding round, raising an eight-figure RMB sum. The round was led by Plum Ventures. Chao Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor for this round. This investment will be allocated toward R&D and to fortify the company’s talent and technological advantages. —36Kr
- Hanhai Quantum, a Hefei-based developer of software based on quantum mechanics, has bagged an eight-figure RMB sum in an angel funding round. The investment was led by Casstar, with participation from the Hefei Seed Fund. The funds will be used primarily for the R&D of new products and their industrial applications. —36Kr
- Telefield Medical Imaging, a medtech company, has received nearly HKD 60 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund (AEF) Greater Bay Area Fund, which is managed by Gobi Partners GBA. Telefield recently launched the Aitrasound brand, which focuses on developing artificial intelligence-powered diagnostic ultrasound solutions. —36Kr
- Weiyi Health Technology, a Shenzhen-registered medical R&D company, has completed an angel round of financing, securing RMB 10 million. The investor details were not disclosed. —36Kr
- Tilswall, a producer of power tools serving predominantly the US and European markets, has secured nearly RMB 25 million in angel funding. The investor details were not disclosed. —36Kr
Latest funding deals in India:
- MatchLog Solutions, a Mumbai-based supply chain solutions provider, has secured INR 125 million (USD 1.5 million) in a pre-Series A funding round, jointly led by Motion Ventures and July Ventures. The round also saw participation from Venture Catalysts, BlueAshva Capital, and Capital A. —VCCircle
- FlashAid, a Mumbai-based insurtech startup, has raised INR 208 million (USD 2.5 million) in a pre–Series A funding round jointly led by the Piper Serica Angel Fund and SOSV. The round also saw participation from Z21 Ventures Fund and ZNLGrowth Fund. —VCCircle
- Endimension Technology, an AI incubated in IIT Bombay, has raised INR 60 million (USD 720,000) in a pre-Series A funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The round also saw participation from SucSeed Indovation and the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) at IIT Bombay. The startup will use the funds for R&D, team expansion, and software development. —VCCircle
- Control One, an AI technology startup, has secured INR 30 million (USD 360,000) in a pre-seed funding round) from a host of angel investors including Kunal Shah (Cred), Chaitanya Ramalingegowda (Wakefit), and Amit Singh, among others. —VCCircle
- Northern Arc, a non-banking financial company (NBFC) headquartered in Chennai, has raised a total of USD 80 million in debt and equity funding. Of this amount, USD 40 million was raised in debt from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Additionally, the NBFC is seeking to raise an additional USD 75 million from another foreign institution. —VCCircle
BillEase, Prep, Thunes, and more led yesterday’s headlines:
- BillEase, an app-based consumer finance platform in the Philippines, secured USD 5 million from Saison Investment Management Private Limited (SIMPL), the offshore lending arm of Saison International. This deal’s completion also expands its existing credit facility from USD 20 million to USD 40 million, with participation already secured from the Helicap Income Opportunities Fund, several institutional credit investors, and high-net-worth individuals.
- Prep, a Vietnamese edtech startup specializing in preparing students for standardized language tests, completed a Series A funding round, as reported in regulatory filings. This round was jointly led by Cercano Management and Northstar Ventures.
- Thunes, a cross-border payments company operating out of Singapore, announced an agreement to acquire Tilia, an “all-in-one” payments platform. The financial terms of this deal were not disclosed.
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