In brief: Japanese spider-silk maker raises $44m from Cool Japan Fund, others

Japanese biotech startup Spiber netted US$44.1 million (5 billion yen) to facilitate the mass production of synthetic spider silk protein in Thailand. The new funding raised Spiber’s capital to US$197.2 million (22.4 billion yen).

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The money came from public-private vehicle Cool Japan Fund and other investors. Spiber didn’t disclose who the other investors were, but its representative executive officer Kazuhide Sekiyama said that several of them were included as strategic partners for joint development.

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Source: Nikkei Asian Review