Investment round-up: Openspace Ventures heads Series B funding for Fano Labs, Edukita, and Happynest, while India secures seven deals in various sectors.

In the realm of startups, funding announcements have been a recurring theme recently. Here's a roundup of some of the latest investments in various industries.

Culture Circle Raises Pre-Seed Funding

Culture Circle, a marketplace for luxury products, has secured an undisclosed amount in a pre-seed funding round from IIMA Ventures. The funds will be used to expand the platform and offer a more diverse range of products.

Fresh From Farm Secures Pre-Series A Funding

Fresh From Farm, a Gurugram-based retailer of farm produce, has bagged USD 2 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by angel investor Ashish Kacholia, with participation from Inflection Point Ventures.

Happynest Secures Seed Funding

Happynest, a Vietnam-based housing and lifestyle community platform, has secured USD 720,000 in a seed funding round led by Touchstone Partners. The funds will be used to grow the network and develop new product offerings to foster stronger connections within the community.

Kyari Raises Pre-Series A Funding

Kyari, an Indore-based online seller of plants and pots, has raised around INR 65 million in a pre-Series A funding round jointly led by Agra Gwalior Pathways and Airen Holdings.

Edukita Raises Seed Funding

Indonesian edtech startup Edukita has secured seed funding from Star Capital Investments and W Ventures. According to filings, Edukita will receive equity funding in two tranches, comprising USD 800,000 in the first tranche from both investors, and another USD 500,000 from Star Capital Investments in the second tranche.

Fano Labs Completes Series B Funding

Fano Labs, a Hong Kong-based company specializing in language artificial intelligence technologies, has completed its Series B funding round. The capital infusion will fuel Fano Labs' expansion in the Asia Pacific region, with a particular focus on establishing an office in Singapore to serve international clients.

TalkEsport Secures Pre-Series A Funding

Esports and video gaming media platform TalkEsport has secured USD 1 million of pre-Series A funding from Saswat Ventures, a family fund floated by the startup's principal investor BL Sharma.

Ugro Capital Acquires MyShubhLife

Ugro Capital, a listed non-banking financial company (NBFC), has announced that it will acquire MyShubhLife, a Bengaluru-based lending technology startup, in a deal comprising cash and equity.

Damensch Secures Series B Funding

D2C menswear brand Damensch, based in Bengaluru, has secured INR 216.2 million in an extended Series B funding round from existing investors including Matrix Partners, Saama Capital, Whiteboard Capital, and A91 Emerging Fund.

Plotline Raises Seed Funding

No-code app development platform Plotline has raised USD 2.6 million in a seed funding round from Elevation Capital.

Go Desi Secures Series B Funding

Bengaluru-based confectionery brand Go Desi has raised USD 4.9 million in a Series B funding round led by Aavishkaar Capital.

Higala Addresses Financial Exclusion

Higala, a fintech startup based in the Philippines, aims to address the exclusion of financial service providers due to high switching and on-ramp costs. The platform connects new providers of financial services, including microfinance institutions, with the broader industry, promoting financial inclusion by operating a system that lowers the cost of real-time payments.

Pravis Growth Partners Acquires Stake in StreamO

Digital marketing solutions provider Pravis Growth Partners has acquired a significant stake in StreamO, a company serving in-stream ads targeting specifically gaming communities.

Togai to be Acquired by Zuora

Chennai-based billing infrastructure provider Togai is set to be acquired by subscription management and monetization software company Zuora. This deal is expected to be finalized in May, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions.

Fano Labs' Upcoming Product Addresses Multilingual Challenges

Fano Labs offers solutions aimed at addressing common challenges encountered in multilingual environments. Its upcoming product Callinter can analyze audio recordings for instances of misconduct or misselling.

Higala Launched by Talino Venture Studios

The main founder of Talino Venture Studios, which founded the fintech startup Higala, is Paul Rivera. Talino Venture Studios has launched and invested in fintech startup Higala, but further details about the investment were not provided in the article.

Talino Venture Studios and Chemonics International Invest in Higala

Talino Venture Studios and Chemonics International have jointly launched and invested in Higala, a fintech startup based in the Philippines. The funding round was led by Openspace Ventures and supported by HSBC, Greater Good Investment, the family office of Hong Kong billionaire Kenneth Lo, and existing shareholders. The platform hopes to provide inclusive financial solutions to the underbanked and encourage merchants to accept digital payments.

Investment round-up: Openspace Ventures heads Series B funding for Fano Labs, Edukita, and Happynest, while India secures seven deals in various sectors.