BrightChamps acquires Schola, rebrands as BrightChamps Vietnam

BrightChamps, an edtech company, has rebranded Vietnam’s leading English communications platform, Schola, as BrightChamps Vietnam following its acquisition.

With Vietnam being the company’s second largest global market, BrightChamps plans to invest close to USD 10 million in the country over the next two years. The investment will support the expansion from four centers in Ho Chi Minh City to 20 offline hubs across Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City by May 2026.

BrightChamps Vietnam will aim to integrate future-ready skills into Vietnam’s educational system while offering scholarships to deserving students. The platform, which originally made its mark with English language classes, will now offer courses in entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, coding, financial literacy, robotics, and more, aligning with the local push to incorporate technology into classrooms.

SurplusLoop raises USD 110,000 in pre-seed round

SurplusLoop, a Malaysian startup specializing in surplus asset management for asset-heavy industries, has raised USD 110,000 in pre-seed funding from Antler, according to a report by e27.. The funds will be directed toward developing the first iteration of its minimum viable product and validating the solution with pilot partners.

SurplusLoop addresses the challenges of liquidating surplus assets in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and hospitality by using predictive analytics and machine learning to connect buyers and sellers. The platform aims to turn surplus assets into liquidity, contributing to the circular economy by extending the lifecycle of these assets and reducing waste.

Hatcher+ and Mandalay Venture Partners join forces to back agritech innovation

Singapore-based venture capital firm Hatcher+ has partnered with Australia’s Mandalay Venture Partners to support startups transforming the agritech and food industries, according to DealStreetAsia. The collaboration aims to foster innovation across the food supply chain, from on-farm technologies to point-of-sale advancements.

The partnership’s first investment is in Cropify, an Australian agritech startup that uses AI and machine learning to provide precise, repeatable grain and pulse grading. Cropify’s technology not only improves grading processes for growers and marketers but also supports sustainability by reducing carbon emissions and plastic use.

Recent deals completed in China:

• EngineAI, a startup focused on the development of humanoid robots, has secured nearly RMB 100 million (USD 14 million) across two angel funding rounds. The initial round was led by SenseCapital, with participation from Hefei Binhu Financial Investment. Highlight Capital led the round extension, joined by Xunsheng Capital and Hefei Binhu Financial Investment. Founded in October 2023 by Zhao Tongyang, a former leader of Xpeng Motors’ robotics division, the company plans to channel the new funds into product development and scaling its operations. —36Kr
• Function, a marine biotechnology firm headquartered in Qingdao, has raised RMB 75 million (USD 10.5 million) in a financing round. ADATA Technology led the round, with continued backing from Cathay Capital. —36Kr
• SanHerb Biotech, a Chengdu-based provider of natural plant-based ingredients, has completed its angel round of financing, led by Ronghan Fund. The fresh capital will support the expansion of its product line. —36Kr
• ET Microelectronics, a developer of system-on-a-chip (SoC) products, has raised new funding from Juxin Development. Based in Chengdu, the company focuses on applications in industrial photovoltaics, energy storage, and electric vehicles. —36Kr
• Neurogin, a Chengdu-based company specializing in neuroscience, has secured tens of millions of RMB in a pre-Series A funding round led by a medical fund under Green Pine Capital Partners. The investment will be directed toward Neurogin’s market entry and the R&D of perioperative brain function monitoring and new neuroregulation products. —36Kr
• IntelliCube, a Chengdu-based company developing radiofrequency and microwave systems, has raised close to RMB 10 million (USD 1.4 million) in a pre-Series A+ funding round led by Huaxi Securities. —36Kr

Dat Bike, SeaTown, Dreame, and more led yesterday’s headlines:

• Dat Bike, a Vietnamese electric motorbike maker, received a USD 4 million convertible loan from InfraCo Asia.
• SeaTown Holdings International, the private credit arm of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, has pulled in USD 1.3 billion for its second private credit fund.
• Dreame Technology, known for its smart cleaning gadgets, launched Empyrean Venture, its new corporate venture capital (CVC) arm.

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