Startup Funding: October 2021

Semiconductor manufacturing and packaging companies caught the attention of investors last month, with funding going to a middle-end-of-line foundry, flexible electronics manufacturer, and fab management software. Two Israeli startups are approaching AI accelerators in very different ways, while battery startups propose a variety of new chemistries in the search for the ideal electric vehicle battery. Plus, a mega-round for a Chinese EV maker. We looked at 55 companies that collectively raised over $2.5B.

Semi & design
Hangshun Chip raised CNY 1,000.0M (~$156.6M) in Series D funding from F&G Venture, MeiG Smart, and Shenzhen Investment Holdings. The company develops Arm-based MCUs with ultra-low power consumption for a variety of IoT applications. It has stated the goal of becoming the “Texas Instruments of China.” Based in Shenzhen, China, it was founded in 2014.

Clounix Technology raised CNY 400.0M (~$62.5M) in angel and pre-Series A funding led by Qiming Venture Partners and China Internet Investment Fund, joined by Inspur Group, Qianhai FOF, GoldenSand Capital, Sunic Caital, Shanghai Lingang Innovation, Spinnotec, and Ondine Capital. Clounix develops network chips, including high-performance programmable Ethernet switching chips, and cloud networking software. Founded in 2020, it is based in Hangzhou, China.

SSD controller startup TenaFe raised $58.0M in a Series B round led by Shunwei Capital and joined by Northern Light Venture Capital, Tyche Partners, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Investment, Eight Roads Ventures, and Source Code Capital. TenaFe develops solid state drive controllers for consumer and data center applications. Its first product is a PCIe Gen4 NVMe DRAMless SSD controller targeting PCs, laptops, gaming consoles, content delivery networks, and edge IoT devices. The funds will be used in commercialization and market launch of its new PCIe Gen5 controller for enterprise and data center SSDs, as well as for R&D and hiring. Based in Campbell, Calif., it was founded in 2019 and has raised $87M to date.

Empower Semiconductor drew $45.0M in a Series C1 round led by Mesh Ventures and including existing investors Samsung Catalyst Fund, Hallador, and Regal I. Empower Semiconductor provides integrated voltage regulators, which integrate dozens of components into a single IC. The startup says its first product family can move voltages and currents up to 1,000x faster than typical solutions, providing energy savings to data centers. It also offers silicon capacitor technology for wearables, mobile, and SoC applications. The financing will be used for global expansion and development of its next generation IVR. Founded in 2014, it is based in Milpitas, Calif.

Ysemi (also called Yuxian Microelectronics) raised over CNY 100.0M (~$15.7M) in angel funding led by Innovation Workshop. The company is developing high-end server CPUs based on the Arm architecture. It says its upcoming chip will use a 4nm process and integrate 160 Arm v9 Neoverse N2 cores. Founded in 2020, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Rapid Silicon raised $15.0M in seed funding led by ChengWei Capital and Cambium Capital. Rapid Silicon offers application-specific FPGAs based on open-source technology. A founding member of the Open Source FPGA Foundation, the startup targets a range of markets, including telecom, industrial, automotive, and data processing. It is based in San Jose, Calif.

APD Semi (also called Chengdu Xili Technology) raised CNY 11.0M (~$1.7M) in angel financing led by Beiyang Haitang Fund, joined by Yichong Technology, Dingxiang Capital, and Aoniu Capital. The startup develops battery protection boards and power management chips, including for USB Type-C and PD fast charging. Founded in 2017, it is based in Chengdu, China.

GPU startup Deep Stream Micro raised “tens of millions” CNY (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.6M) in angel financing led by Oriental Fortune Capital. Deep Stream Micro is developing high-performance GPU chips, with several lines planned for applications such as rendering, image processing, VR, AI, data centers, and edge. It expects its first product, focused on graphics processing, to be taped out in 2023. Founded in 2021, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

LinkZill raised “millions of dollars” in a pre-Series A round led by ZhenFund and joined by Shiwei Venture Capital. LinkZill develops thin-film transistor (TFT) semiconductor chips for high-throughput DNA synthesis, active-matrix digital microfluidics, high-throughput biochemical/photoelectric sensors, and scientific research. It also provides TFT materials and test systems. Funds will be used for construction of a TFT module laboratory and product development. Founded in 2019, it is based in Hangzhou, China.

Analog IP startup Agile Analog raised an undisclosed amount from In-Q-Tel. The company provides a range of analog IP that can be configured for different process technologies, with offerings including voltage and current reference, LDO regulator, ADC, DAC, body-bias generator, timing, and side-channel attack monitor. The funding will focus on accelerating development of the company’s security products, which include configurable glitch detection IP. Based in Cambridge, UK, it was founded in 2017.

Manufacturing
Middle-end-of-line foundry SJ Semiconductor raised $300.0M in Series C funding from Walden CEL, CCB PE, CCB Trust, Country Garden Venture Capital, Huatai International Private Equity, and GP Capital, with participation from existing investors Oriza Rivertown, CCIC Capital, and Oriza Hua Capital. SJSemi is a 300mm MEOL foundry that specializes in advanced bumping and wafer-level packaging, including for DRAM. The funding will be used to expand bumping and WLCSP capacity as well as for R&D on its multi-die 3D integration platform. Based in Jiangyin, China, it has raised $630M since its founding in 2014.

PragmatIC Semiconductor drew $80.0M in Series C funding that included participation from Arm. PragmatIC manufactures flexible electronics for IoT devices, offering foundry services, deployment of its FlexLogIC fabrication equipment, and a line of ultra-low-cost RFID devices. The company recently collaborated with Arm to produce a flexible plastic microprocessor. The funds will be used to build a second FlexLogIC fab, which the company says will serve as a template for rolling out a distributed global network of FlexLogIC systems. Founded in 2021, it is based in Cambridge, UK.

Fab analytics startup Flexciton drew £15.0M (~$20.7M) in Series A funding led by Nadav Rosenberg of Saras Capital and joined by Backed VC, Chalfen Ventures, and Entrepreneur First. Flexciton’s platform analyzes the real-time data generated by a semiconductor wafer fab and schedules actions to optimize production. It claims it can provide efficiency gains of 10% through AI-powered algorithms and mixed-integer linear programming. Based in London, UK, it was founded in 2016.

MES software provider FA Software raised “hundreds of millions of yuan” (CNY 100.0M is ~$15.7M) in Series C funding from China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, China Fortune-Tech Capital, Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment, SM Investments Corporation, and Xinwei Capital. FA Software offers a manufacturing execution system and computer integrated manufacturing software for semiconductor fabrication, including production requirements planning, equipment management, data collection, and reticle management. It supports up to 12-inch wafer production lines. The company also provides solutions for photovoltaic and LED manufacturing. Based in Shanghai, China, it was founded in 2001.

Truth Instruments (also called Zhizhen Precision Instruments) raised “tens of millions” CNY (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.6M) in angel financing from Qingdao Microelectronics Innovation Center. The company supplies semiconductor test equipment, including for magnetic and spintronic devices. It currently offers a high-resolution magneto-optic Kerr microscope with a multifunctional probe station. A spin out from Beihang University in 2019, it is based in Qingdao, China.

EDA
SimScale received €25.0M (~$29.1M) in a continued Series C round led by Draper Esprit and Insight Partners with participation from existing investors Earlybird, June Fund, Vsquared Ventures, and Union Square Ventures. The company provides a web-based platform for engineering simulation, including computational fluid dynamics (CFD), finite element analysis (FEA), and thermal simulation tools. SimScale plans to use the funds to expand into other markets including rotating machinery, electronics, and automotive by adding additional simulation capabilities. Based in Munich, Germany, SimScale was founded in 2012.

EDA startup X-Times Design Automation raised “hundreds of millions of yuan” (CNY 100.0M is ~$15.7M) in Series A financing from SK China, Xiangfeng Investment China, and Yunqi Capital, as well as existing investors Yunhui Capital, Gaorong Capital, Songhe Capital, and Sequoia China. X-Times is developing EDA tools and provides IC design consulting services. It aims to offer a full suite of analog and digital implementation tools. The company also provides and supports Synopsys’ Tweaker ECO product in the Chinese market. Founded in 2020, it is based in Nanjing, China.

Circuit design startup Flux raised $12.0M in seed funding led by Outsiders Fund and joined by Bain Capital Ventures, 8VC, Liquid2VC, and individual investors. The startup provides a browser-based circuit design and simulation tool that is designed with collaboration between remote teams in mind. As well as including a programmable simulator, version control, part sourcing, Flux also offers a library of open-source parts, simulation models, and schematics created by its user community. It recently launched a beta of its tool, which it plans to offer on a freemium SaaS model. The funds will be used to further expand the development team, build additional features, and support marketing efforts. It was founded in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, Calif.

AI hardware
AI chipmaker Hailo raised $136.0M in Series C funding led by Poalim Equity and individual investor Gil Agmon, joined by existing investors ABB Technology Ventures, Latitude Ventures, OurCrowd, and Hailo Chairman Zohar Zisapel, along with new investors including Carasso Motors, Comasco, Shlomo Group, Talcar Corporation, and Automotive Equipment AEV. Hailo offers an AI processor for edge devices based upon a domain-specific processor architecture that allows software to allocate compute, memory, and control blocks as needed for different neural network layers. It is also available in M.2 and Mini PCIe acceleration modules, and funding will be used in developing the next generation of products. Founded in 2017, it is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, and has raised $224M to date.

Processing-in-memory startup NeuroBlade raised $83.0M in a Series B round led by Corner Ventures with contribution from Intel Capital, MediaTek, Pegatron, PSMC, UMC Capital, and Marubeni, and joined by current investors StageOne Ventures, Grove Ventures, and individual investor Marius Nacht. NeuroBlade has developed a computational memory chip it calls XRAM, a DRAM with embedded processing logic near the memory banks to reduce data movement. Available standalone, the memory is also part of the company’s accelerator for data analytics workloads. The funding will be used to expand its engineering and marketing teams. Founded in 2018, it is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, and has raised $110M.

Photonics
DoGain Laser Technology drew CNY 419.5M (~$65.5M) in Series C funding for semiconductor laser chips that it designs, fabricates, packages, and tests. The company also offers epitaxial wafers for edge-emitting lasers (EEL) and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL). Founded in 2017, it is based in Suzhou, China.

DustPhotonics raised $33.0M in Series B funding led by Greenfield Partners and joined by Intel Capital, Celesta Capital, and individual investor Avigdor Willenz. DustPhotonics develops silicon photonics solutions for data centers and HPC based on indium phosphide (InP) laser integration into silicon. The company also recently underwent a reorganization and will phase out its transceivers product line. Based in Modi’in, Israel, it was founded in 2017.

Anello Photonics received $28.0M in Series A investment led by New Legacy Ventures and joined by Lockheed Martin Ventures, Catapult Ventures, JS Capital, Hardware Club, and individual investors. Anello Photonics develops a Silicon Photonic Optical Gyroscope (SiPhOG) to replace the discrete optical components of a traditional fiber optic gyroscope. The company claims its solution offers the same performance with reduced size, weight, power, and cost. The first generation sensor is targeted at safety-critical navigation applications for autonomous vehicles and aerospace. Founded in 2018, it is based in Santa Clara, Calif.

Raysees Technology raised nearly CNY 100.0M (CNY 100.0M is ~$15.7M) in its Series A2 round of financing from China Resources and Huiyou Investment. Raysees produces vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) as well as LED and custom light sources for applications such as ADAS, facial recognition, surveillance, 3D scanning, and specialized lighting. The company also offers optical lens integration, component-level packaging, and optimization of photo-electronic systems. Based in Shenzhen, China, it was founded in 2018.

Displays
TriLite raised €8.0M (~$9.3M) in venture funding from APEX Ventures, B&C Innovation Investments, Hermann Hauser Investment, TEC Ventures, QC Ventures, and others. TriLite develops ultra-compact laser beam scanner projection displays for consumer augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) glasses. The projector display uses a micro-optical RGB laser light source and a MEMS mirror to reduce power consumption and weight. Based in Vienna, Austria, it was founded in 2011.

Comwin Automation raised “tens of millions of yuan” (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.6M) in a Series B round with funding from Cowin Capital. The company makes equipment for the manufacture and assembly of flat panel displays. Founded in 2011, it is based in Shenzhen, China.

Sensors
SigmaSense drew a $24.0M Series B investment for its touch sensing technology for displays. The startup’s capacitive sensing solution utilizes ultra-low voltage current-mode ADCs to provide touch, pressure, object, and hover detection to the sensing surface, which can include things such as laptops, phones, and automotive displays as well as digital signage. Based in Austin, Texas, it was founded in 2015.

Sensylink raised CNY 120.0M (~$18.8M) in a Series C round led by Infotech Ventures. Sensylink designs and manufactures analog and mixed-signal ICs for environmental sensing, including temperature and humidity for wearables and consumer electronics to industrial applications. It plans to open a new office this year and add develop new product lines. Based in Shanghai, China, it was founded in 2015.

SWIR Vision Systems drew $5.0M in a Series A round with participation from Keiretsu Forum, RTI International, Blue Sky Capital, AAC Technologies, Carolina Angel Network, WaterStar Capital, and Oval Park Capital. SWIR Vision Systems develops CMOS-based image sensors for short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) cameras. It utilizes a quantum-dot photodiode sensor design, and its cameras have been used for wafer and silicon die edge crack inspection systems “in the world’s largest semiconductor chip fab.” The startup also targets other industrial machine vision systems, consumer AR/VR, and automotive applications. Based in Durham, N.C., it was founded in 2018.

Aito raised €4.1M (~$4.8M) in venture funding from KBC Focus Fund, FORWARD.One, and Innovation Industries. Aito has developed an integrated finger sensing and haptic feedback solution capable of providing ultra-local feedback only where pressed. Applications include edge-to-edge touchpads for laptops, accessories, display screens, gaming devices, and AR/VR. The company says its technology is ready to be included in commercial products. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, it was founded in 2012.

Quantum computing
Multiverse Computing drew €10.0M (~$11.6M) in a seed funding round led by JME Ventures and joined by Quantonation, EASO Ventures, Inveready, CLAVE Capital, Ikerlan, LKS, Penja Strategy, Seed Gipuzkoa, and Ezten Venture Capital Fund. The startup is focused on developing quantum algorithms for the financial industry, such as portfolio optimization and fraud detection, that can run on any quantum computer and don’t require quantum computing knowledge. Based in San Sebastian, Spain, it was founded in 2019.

Arclight Quantum raised “tens of millions of yuan” (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.6M) in angel financing. The startup is focused on software for quantum computing, including quantum EDA and a platform for designing, verifying, and debugging quantum algorithms. Founded in 2020 out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it is based in Beijing, China.

Quantum Machines raised an undisclosed amount from Qualcomm Ventures in an extension of its Series B round, which was announced last month at $50M. The startup develops an orchestration platform for controlling and operating quantum processors as well as a standard universal language for quantum computers. Founded in 2018, it is based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Security
Cornami drew a $50.0M Series C investment led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Cornami aims to bring fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) to market. FHE would allow computation and analytics to happen on data that is encrypted, without the need to decrypt it, but it is computationally expensive. The startup says its software compiler technology and reconfigurable computational-fabric architecture make the task possible. Based in Campbell, Calif., it was founded in 2012.

QuintessenceLabs raised AUD 25.0M (~$18.7M) in Series B funding led by Main Sequence and TELUS Ventures, with participation from InterValley Ventures and Capital Property Group. QuintessenceLabs is developing quantum-safe data protection capabilities and offers a secure key management platform that incorporates the security of a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 hardware security module (HSM) with advanced key and policy management and a fast quantum random number generator (QRNG). Based in Canberra, Australia, it was founded in 2008.

Automotive security startup Shanghai Thinktech raised CNY 100.0M (~$15.7M) in a Series A round led by GAC Capital and SAIC Motor Venture Capital, joined by Koal, Shenzhen Toposcend Capital, and Volcanics Venture. Shanghai Thinktech offers automotive security SoCs and software with a focus on connected vehicles and applications such as vehicle-cloud encryption certification, security on-board communication encryption certification, and V2X message authentication. Its chips have been used in cars from a number of Chinese automakers. Founded in 2017, it is based in Shanghai, China.

Software-based security startup MagicCube raised $15.0M in Series C funding led by Mosaik Partners and joined by Bold Capital, Epic Ventures, cardreader maker ID Tech, and individual investors. The company claims its software-based trusted execution environment can eliminate the need for hardware TEEs, TPMs, HSMs, and secure elements. MagicCube’s first offering focuses on software point-of-sale, allowing merchants to accept card payments on any consumer mobile device without additional hardware. Based in Santa Clara, Calif., it was founded in 2014 and has raised $30M.

Quantum Dice received £1.0M (~$1.4M) in pre-seed funding led by Elaia Partners and joined by IP Group and the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund, with an additional £1.0M (~$1.4M) in grant funding from IP Group and Innovate UK. Quantum Dice is using integrated photonics to build a compact and continuously self-certifying quantum random number generator (QRNG) for encryption and cybersecurity. Its initial QRNG prototype had a generation rate of 8.05 Gbps of quantum-secure randomness and utilizes a protocol that allows for live continuous verification of the security of the output numbers rather than relying on statistical analysis. A spin out from Oxford University in 2020, it is based in Oxford, UK.

ADAS & autonomy
JIMU Intelligent raised CNY 200.0M (~$31.3M) in Series C1 funding led by Forebright Capital and SDIC Unity Capital, followed by AVIC Pingshan, Founder H Fund, Tsinghua Capital, UMC Capital, and others. JIMU Intelligent has developed L1 and L2 ADAS solutions based on multi-sensor fusion and domain controllers, with a focus on multiple-passenger vehicles such as buses. It plans to complete an L2+ domain controller by the end of this year. Funding will be used to expand into the passenger car market and overseas. Founded in 2011, it is based in Wuhan, China.

Uisee raised “several hundred million yuan” (CNY 100.0M is ~$15.7M) in a funding round led by Hongtai Capital Holdings. The startup is developing L3 and L4 autonomous driving systems designed to be used by unmanned vehicles in situations like airports and industrial parks. It currently has autonomous electric baggage tractors deployed at Hong Kong International Airport and is working on a robotaxi project. Founded in 2016, Uisee is based in Beijing, China.

AutoCore raised a CNY 100.0M (~$15.7M) investment from Foxconn. AutoCore provides middleware software for vehicles and autonomous driving systems. It currently targets L1 through L4 robo-taxies and logistics vehicles. Based in Nanjing, China, it was founded in 2017.

Self-driving startup Wayve received a £10.0M (~$13.6M) investment from grocery delivery company Ocado. Instead of relying on a lidar or radar, Wayve uses cameras and machine learning to interpret the vehicle’s environment, which it says eliminates the need for HD maps or hand-coded rules. The investment is part of a partnership that will see Wayve’s technology fitted onto a selection of Ocado delivery vans and trialed on urban delivery routes. A portion of Ocado’s existing delivery fleet will also be outfitted with Wayve’s data collection devices to provide data for training and validating the technology. Based in London, UK, and founded in 2017, it has raised $58M to date.

Phigent Robotics raised “tens of millions of dollars” in angel and pre-Series A financing led by Atypical Ventures and 5Y Capital, joined by Deepshire Investment Management and Jinsha River Innovation Investment. Phigent Robotics’ focus is development of automotive sensors along with AI-based visual imaging and 3D visual radar technology for autonomous driving and ADAS. Founded in August 2021, it is based in Beijing, China.

Leadgen Tech drew “tens of millions of yuan” (CNY 10.0M is ~$1.6M) in a pre-Series A round led by Horizon Strategic Investment. The startup is developing technology for L4 self-driving buses and logistics vehicles for urban environments. Based on sensor fusion, decision-making, and trajectory planning, it says its solution doesn’t rely on large overhead sensor modules and can be incorporated into standard vehicle chassis. Founded in 2016, Leadgen Tech is based in Beijing, China.

Batteries
Solid-state battery company ProLogium Technology drew $326.0M in Series E financing from dGav Capital, Primavera Capital, and SBCVC. ProLogium develops and manufactures solid-state lithium ceramic batteries. It makes batteries in a range of form factors, including flexible packages for IoT and wearables, pouch batteries for automotive, automated guided vehicles, consumer, and industrial applications, and modules. The batteries also include passive and active measures to prevent and stop thermal runaway, which can lead to fires. The funds will be used to expand production capacity in Asia, Europe, and the US between 2023 and 2025 to supply EV batteries. Based in Taipei, Taiwan, it was founded in 2006.

Our Next Energy closed a $25.0M Series A round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and joined by Assembly Ventures, BMW i Ventures, Flex, and Volta Energy Technologies. The startup is developing a battery system that aims to boost the range of EVs. Its first product uses a lithium iron phosphate chemistry in a ‘structural cell to pack’ architecture designed to improve energy density. It will go into production at the end of 2022. Its second is a dual chemistry battery in a range extender architecture that uses an energy management system to distribute power. Our Next Energy was founded in 2020 and is based in Novi, Mich.

Thin-film battery maker BrightVolt raised $16.0M in the first tranche of Series B funding, with investments from New Science Ventures and Caterpillar Venture Capital. BrightVolt develops solid-state lithium-ion batteries based on its polymer matrix electrolyte technology, which it says increases reliability, safety, and abuse tolerance of the cell while also making it thinner. Initially targeting primary and secondary batteries in devices like medical patches, sensor labels, and smart cards, the company has branched into rechargeable batteries for EVs. It is based in Redmond, Wash.

3ME Technology drew an AUD 15.0M (~$11.3M) investment from the Australian Business Growth Fund, plus another AUD 5.0M (~$3.8M) from Clean Energy Finance Corporation. 3ME Technology develops a lithium-ion battery system tailored for heavy industrial and military vehicles, such as mining equipment. To reduce the change of thermal runaway and battery fires, the company’s battery incorporates cell-level monitoring and predictive analysis to shut down batteries remotely if a cell isn’t performing within parameters. It is based in Cardiff, Australia.

Grid battery manufacturer H2 Inc. raised $15.0M in Series B funding from Envisioning Partners, BeHigh Investment, BTC Investment, EN Investment, and NH Hedge Asset Management. The company develops large-scale vanadium redox flow batteries for grid-scale storage applications and plans for a 330MWh production capacity in the first phase of its near-term capacity expansion. It is also working to enter overseas markets. Founded in 2010, H2 is based in Daejeon, South Korea, and has raised $38M.

Amionx raised $6.0M in Series B funding from existing investor Qualcomm Ventures and new investors Hongkou Management and Inherent Group. Amionx has designed technology to prevent lithium-ion batteries from catching on fire. A thin coating between the current collector and the active electrode layer acts like a circuit breaker to stop thermal runaway caused by internal short, overcharge, impact, or heat and is applicable to any high energy density battery. Spun out from American Lithium Energy in 2016, it is based in Carlsbad, Calif.

LiNa Energy closed a £3.5M (~$4.8M) late seed funding round. LiNa Energy is working to commercialize a cobalt and lithium free solid-state sodium battery for the EV and grid storage markets. The startup says its technology has higher energy density and operational cycling compared to Li-ion. The funding will be used to expand laboratory facilities, hire, and buy new equipment. It plans to build a pre-commercial production line in 2023. Founded in 2017 as a spin out from Lancaster University, it is based in Lancaster, UK.

Aceleron drew £2.5M (~$3.4M) in venture funding from BGF, MEIF Proof of Concept & Early Stage Fund, and Mercia’s EIS funds. Aceleron developed a lithium battery platform that allows replacement of the individual cells in large lithium-ion batteries used for EVs and energy storage. Its first product is a standalone battery for applications such as motor homes and electric ATVs. Founded in 2016, it is based in Birmingham, UK.

VFlowTech received $3.0M in pre-Series A funding led by Wavemaker Partners with participation from SEEDS Capital, Sing Fuels, and angel investors. The startup focuses on industrial scale energy storage solutions and uses vanadium redox flow batteries in its modular, low-cost, long-duration storage products. Based in Singapore, it was founded in 2018.

Nanoramic Laboratories raised an undisclosed sum from Fortistar. Nanoramic is developing a nanocarbon electrode technology. Targeting EV batteries, the company claims its nanocarbon electrodes can increase energy density, reduce cost of production, and improve charging speeds. Founded in 2009 as a spin out from MIT, it is based in Boston, Mass.

EVs
EV maker Hozon Auto raised CNY 4,000.0M (~$626.6M) in a Series D1 round led by Qihoo 360 Technology and joined by CCB International, CITIC Securities, GF Venture Capital, and Shenwan Hongyuan Securities. The company has released three electric vehicle models under the Nezha brand, with the most recent being a small-size SUV with a 400km (~250 mile) range. Hozon is based in Jiaxing, China, and was founded in 2014.

Table 1: Selected startups that received funding in October 2021.

AI applications
Companies deploying AI and machine learning techniques in their products drew big investment this month. Here are a few with particularly large rounds, from flying cars to dental software.

• Magic Leap raised $500.0M in venture funding for its AR headset targeted at businesses.
• HT Aero, an affiliate of EV maker Xpeng, raised $500.0M in Series A for an intelligent flying vehicle capable of both air and road travel.
• Plume Design raised $300.0M in Series F for its smart home device management service.
• Tekion raised $250.0M in Series D for an automotive dealership management platform.
• Immunai raised $215.0M in Series B to combine single cell genomics with ML algorithms to better understand the immune system.
• Augury raised $180.0M in Series E to analyze the performance of and identify issues in manufacturing line machines.
• Dental Monitoring raised $150.0M in private equity for remote monitoring software for dentists and orthodontists.

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