Octopus Ventures announced that it has raised an additional $280 million, bringing its total assets up to $1.2 billion as it continues to pursue international expansion of its early stage investment strategy. Founded just over a decade ago, Octopus has backed 89 startups through 199 funding rounds. That includes 16 new companies over the past year. From its base in London, the firm has opened branches in New York, Shanghai and Singapore. “We’ve always believed that the most talented and ambitious entrepreneurs choose their backers and not the other way around,” said Alliott Cole, CEO of Octopus Ventures, in a statement.