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Startups

'Spider-fiber' tailor nabs Carlyle's first funding of Japan startup

Spiber nets $300m to bolster American production

Synthetic spider silk developed by Spiber. (Photo by Masayuki Terazawa)

TOKYO -- Japanese biotech unicorn Spiber has approved raising 34.4 billion yen ($312 million) from investors led by U.S. private equity firm Carlyle Group in one of the biggest funding rounds for a Japanese startup.

Spiber, known for making fibers inspired by spider silk, is employing a combination of new-share issuance and a value securitization scheme backed by such intangible assets as intellectual property. It announced the capital increase Wednesday.

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