Deals RoundUp: Mitra Biotech, Sequoia India, Sands Capital, SBricks, HomeCues, Foodpanda, Avanti Finance, Runnr, Flyrobe, GREE Ventures, IDG Ventures, DayBox, Info Edge, Canvera, CropIn & Sna

Mitra Biotech Secures $27.4M in Series B Led by Sequoia India, Sands Capital

Mitra Biotech Inc., a biotech company that develops and provides technologies that personalize cancer treatment, has raised $27.4 million (approximately Rs.184 crore) in a Series B round of financing led by Sequoia India and Sands Capital Ventures. Founded in 2010, Mitra is based in Boston, and maintains a significant research and laboratory presence in Bengaluru. Other investors such as RA Capital Management and the company’s existing investors Accel Partners and Tata Capital Innovations Fund also participated in the round. Sequoia and Sands Capital will get board seats. The latest round provides an exit to Series A investors KITVEN and India Innovation Fund. Mitra will use the funds to expand the availability of its CANScript service, which predicts personalized responses to cancer treatments and has demonstrated an extremely high correlation to actual clinical response, as reported by DealStreetAsia.

SBricks Buys Home Services Aggregator HomeCues for Over $1M

On-demand home services provider SBricks has acquired home services aggregator HomeCues for over $1million, as reported by ET. As part of the acquisition, HomeCues will become a subsidiary company of SBricks, and will retain its original name and the two companies will split their focus into business-to-consumer and business-to-business sectors respectively. Hyderabad-based SBricks had earlier acquired facility management solutions provider Melway in December and is now scouting for a laundry and cleaning services startup to acquire by the end of the year.

Foodpanda is in the Process of Raising $40-60M for Indian Operations

Rocket Internet-backed Foodpanda is in the process of raising fresh capital for which it has already mandated Mumbai-based mid-market investment bank o3 Capital for a $40-60 million fundraise, reported TOI. Saurabh Kochar, Foodpanda India's CEO, confirmed o3 Capital was supporting the company in its current fund-raising process. "Also, to be certain, we are not looking to exit India. We have grown rapidly over the last months while increasing our already positive operating margins and would continue to do so going forward." The company recently said it's selling its Indonesian business and rethinking its presence across the rest of Southeast Asia.  

Ratan Tata, Vijay Kelkar & Nandan Nilekani to Start Microfinance Company

Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of the Tata group, Vijay Kelkar, former finance secretary, and Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys Ltd and Aadhaar architect, are joining hands to start a microfinance company. Named Avanti Finance, the company will focus on “delivering affordable and timely credit to under-served and un-served segments in India,” said a statement from Tata Trusts. Avanti will apply to the Reserve Bank of India for registration and is expected to start operations before the end of the financial year, it added.

Food Delivery Platform Runnr Gets Around $7M Led by Nexus, Blume Ventures

Food delivery platform Runnr, the combined entity which was formed after the merger of Roadrunnr and TinyOwl, has raised around $7 million co-led by existing investors Nexus Venture Partners and Blume Venture Partners, according to a Times of India report. Their former investor, Sequoia Capital did not participate in this round because it is also an investor in its rival, food discovery and delivery firm Zomato.

Online Fashion Rental Portal Flyrobe Raises Rs 35 Cr Led by IDG, GREE Ventures & Sequoia India

Mumbai-based online fashion rental portal Flyrobe has raised Rs 35 crore in its second round of funding led by IDG Ventures, with the participation of Tokyo-based GREE Ventures and existing investor Sequoia India. The other investors who participated in the round include Paytm’s founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma and Stanhope Capital chairman Leon Seynave. Till now, the startup has raised a total of $7 million funding.

Flyrobe aims to utilize the raised funding to expand to five more cities including Hyderabad, Bangalore, as well as to strengthen its technology, product and business teams, as reported by ET. Flyrobe is currently operational in Delhi and Mumbai.

Myntra Co-Founders And Others Invest in AgriTech Startup DayBox

Delhi-based AgriTech startup DayBox has raised $104K (INR 70 Lakh) from Ashutosh Lawania (co-founder, Myntra); Rajul Jain (SVP Supply Chain, Myntra and co-founder, Yebhi.com); Badal Malick (ex-VP Omnichannel, SnapDeal); Rishi Gupta (CEO, Fino Paytech Ltd); and six other angel investors.

The startup will use the current funds on fine-tuning its tech product and hiring more people, as reported by Inc42.

Naukri.com Parent Leads $3M Funding in Online Photograpgy Startup Canvera

Bengaluru-based online photography startup Canvera Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd has raised Rs 20 crore ($3 million) led by existing investor Info Edge (India) Ltd, at a lower valuation than its previous VC round. The company had previously raised capital from Footprint Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson besides some angel investors. Headquartered in Bengaluru, Canvera has regional offices in Chandigarh, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, reported VCCircle.

Farm-Tech Firm CropIn Raises Funding from Denmark’s Sophia Investment

CropIn Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd, a Bengaluru-based company that makes farm management software and apps, has raised $2 million (Rs 13.4 crore) from Denmark’s Sophia Investment ApS, reported VCCircle. The transaction valued the company at $12 million. This is the first known investment by Sophia Investment in India. The social enterprise foundation invests in and incubates companies engaged in financial and livelihood services for the poor. It is focussed on South Asia and Africa.

Snapdeal Bags $21M from Luxembourg-Registered Investor Clouse SA

Jasper Infotech, which owns and operates online marketplace Snapdeal, has raised a further $21 million (about Rs 140 crore) from Luxembourg-based investor, Clouse SA, as part of its ongoing funding round, a portion of which was announced earlier in February.

According to documents filed with the Registrar of Companies, the latest tranche is part of the Series J round announced by the company a little over six months ago, and which saw the entry of Singapore-based investment entity Brother Fortune Apparel Pte Ltd, on to the company's investment cap table, reported ET.