Deals in brief: Ropedia and PCG Global raise pre-Series A funding, HiDream.ai secures RMB 1.5 billion, four other China investments, and more

Ropedia raises USD 22 million to expand physical AI data infrastructure

Ropedia, a Singapore-based startup building data infrastructure for physical artificial intelligence, has raised USD 22 million in a pre-Series A round, bringing its total funding to USD 30 million, the company said.

The investors were not disclosed. Ropedia said the round was led by venture firms with experience in AI, deep technology, and infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

Founded in 2025, Ropedia collects data on real-world human interactions for robotics and embodied intelligence developers. The company said its wearable devices capture first-person video, depth, motion, and audio, then synchronize and process the information into datasets prepared for AI model training.

Ropedia plans to use the capital to expand data collection in Southeast Asia and North America, grow its teams in Singapore and the US, and increase production of its wearable devices. It also plans to add annotation, quality analytics, and compliance tools to its platform, while expanding R&D on data foundation models and world models that simulate physical environments.

PCG Global closes GenZero-led pre-Series A round

PCG Global, a Singapore-headquartered clean energy platform, has completed a pre-Series A round led by GenZero, a Temasek-owned investment platform focused on decarbonization. The amount raised and the identities of any other investors were not disclosed. PCG Global said the deal was its first external fundraising.

The company was established by the team behind PCG Power, a Chinese distributed energy operator with experience investing in, building, and operating renewable energy assets. PCG Global develops and operates renewable energy infrastructure in international markets, including distributed and utility-scale solar projects, behind-the-meter energy storage, and smart energy management systems.

Its services cover project financing, development, operations, maintenance, and carbon asset management. PCG Global said it has about 1.8 gigawatts of projects at various stages of development.

The proceeds will support the identification, development, and execution of projects across Southeast Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East. The company is targeting demand linked to energy security and corporate and government net-zero commitments.

Tikva raises USD 8 million to advance off-the-shelf cancer therapies

Tikva Allocell, a Singapore-headquartered biotechnology company developing engineered cell therapies for solid tumors, has raised USD 8 million in a Series A round led by Kantharos Capital. The identities of other participating investors were not disclosed.

The company, which is in late preclinical development, is developing an allogeneic T-cell platform that uses donor-derived cells rather than cells collected from individual patients. Tikva said the platform is designed to address immune rejection and limited cell persistence, two barriers to using donor-derived cell therapies against solid tumors.

Tikva’s lead candidate, TAVST01, targets B7-H3, a protein marker expressed in several solid tumors, including lung, breast, prostate, pancreatic, and pediatric cancers.

The company plans to use the funds to complete studies required to support an investigational new drug application and prepare regulatory filings for TAVST01. It is preparing the candidate for clinical development in Singapore and the US.

Asuene secures JPY 13.5 billion in Series D financing

Asuene, a Tokyo-based provider of AI-powered sustainability management software, has completed a JPY 13.5 billion Series D financing package, bringing its cumulative financing to JPY 25 billion. The transaction included JPY 6.8 billion in primary equity, JPY 3.7 billion in secondary share sales, and JPY 3 billion in debt from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.

Decarbonization Partners, a joint venture between BlackRock and Temasek, led the round. Asuene said the deal marked the investor’s first backing of a Japanese startup.

Other participants included Twin Towers Ventures, Sparx Asset Management, Incubate Fund, Energy & Environment Investment, Daikin Industries, Ricoh Innovation Fund, GLIN Impact Capital, and former Boston Consulting Group Japan head Hiroaki Sugita.

Asuene develops software that helps companies measure, reduce, and report emissions; manage supply-chain and environmental, social, and governance data; obtain third-party assurance; access carbon credits; and optimize energy use.

The company plans to use the primary capital and debt for acquisitions in Europe, North America, and Asia, as well as international expansion, AI and product development, and new business launches. Asuene said it also aims to broaden the platform’s use in enterprise sustainability management and manufacturing supply chains globally.

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Note: JPY, RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of JPY 163.72 = USD 1 and RMB 6.77 = USD 1 based on estimates as of July 28, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.

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