Vantage | April 2020

We are proud of the work our founders and start ups are doing. Here are the latest updates on the portfolio companies across the Vertex network.

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COVID-19: Serving the community

• Bicycle Therapeutics (HC & Growth) donated medical supplies to their local NHS hospital
• Desktop Metal (US) offers metal 3D Printing services for COVID-19 suppliers
• Grab (SEAI) executives take pay cut, expands its COVID-19 financial assistance scheme
• Testlio (US) joins mentorship program for online accelerator to address coronavirus crisis
• Cymulate (IL & Growth) supports companies during COVID-19 with free security validation
• Kryon (IL) offers RPA solutions help for free to HMOs to manage COVID-19
• StoreHub (SEAI) CEO shares tips on remote working with the e27 community and launches food delivery directory to help F&B businesses during COVID-19
• TurnKey Lender (US) provides solution that automates lending process
• Validus (SEAI) addresses increased financing needs during the COVID-19 outbreak

Investments

• Harbour BioMed (CN) raises USD 75M in Series B+
• Jutu (CN) closes Series B fundraising at RMB100 million to strengthen digital infrastructure (article in Chinese)
• TaniHub (SEAI) banks USD17 M in Series A+ funding
• Axonius (IL) raises USD58 M to automate device security management
• BlueX Microelectronics (CN) announces Series A+ funding round led by Vertex Ventures China (article in Chinese)
• Cell and gene therapy startup ElevateBio (HC) raises USD170 M
• Hypuron (CN) completes Series C round, Vertex Ventures China leads investment (article in Chinese)
• Fintech startup Recko (SEAI) raises Series A funding, led by Vertex Ventures SEA & India

Partnership

• Geek+ (CN & Growth) announces technology partnership with Bosch Rexroth and cooperation with Intel on AI innovation
• Shouguang Vegetable Industry Group (CN) partners with JD Logistics Group on smart distribution (article in Chinese)
• Grab (SEAI) and Wirecard partner for Southeast Asia money transfers, Grab-IMDA partnership aims to help Singaporean startups expand overseas

Growth

• Desktop Metal (US) 3D printers populate Ford’s factory of the future and shares design guidelines on achieving optimized 3D printed metal component
• Guesty (IL) co-founder shares how the company approaches global growth
• Harvard University will use Verbit.ai (IL) to transcribe classes for students given the coronavirus pandemic
• Housejoy (SEAI) appoints VP of Marketing
• Unilever and P&G sell via East Africa marketplace Sokowatch (US)
• Very Good Security (US) shares data security solutions for fintech startups
• Yotpo (IL) shared insights on changing e-commerce consumer behavior on the back of COVID-19
• Zencity (IL) analyzed over 1.5M online conversations across the US to map out residents’ key concerns around coronavirus

Recognition

• Paellon Pharmaceuticals (HC) Carolyn Bertozzi shares her experience of launching seven companies in 12 years
• Semidrive (CN) CEO is recognized as one of the notable female entrepreneurs in China (article in Chinese)
• Desktop Metal (US) named as one of the tech IPOs that could survive the Coronavirus hit; its CTO explains the competitive advantages of its AM technologies in the supply chain
• Earlens (HC) wins Gold 2020 Edison award for its revolutionary Earlens® contact hearing solution
• HighArc Builder (US) Partnerships Leader, Jennifer Hoops, is one of the pro-builder 40 under 40
• Identiq (IL) has been named as Most Promising Fraud Detection Startup in Israel
• PerimeterX (US & Growth) named as a top player in bot risk management and extends market leadership with 186% revenue growth