Today, KaiOS Technologies, maker of KaiOS, the leading mobile operating system for smart feature phones, confirmed Orange’s participation in a recent Series B funding round led by Cathay Innovation. This participation is a testament to both companies’ dedication to providing internet access and digital services to people across Africa. […]
Category: Portfolio News
Exclusive: Peek Could Be North America’s Next Travel Unicorn
Peek founder and CEO, Ruzwana Bashir, has been named to Forbes 30 Under 30, Vanity Fair New Establishment, Marie Claire New Guard, Inc 30 under 30, and the list goes on. Except Bashir is focused on becoming the next unicorn CEO. The Oxford and Harvard Business School graduate-turned-tech CEO to hear intends to turn Peek.com into the next […]
How China’s first autonomous driving unicorn Momenta hunts for data
Cao Xudong turned up on the side of the road in jeans and a black T-shirt printed with the word “Momenta,” the name of his startup. Before founding the company — which last year topped $1 billion in valuation to become China’s first autonomous driving “unicorn” — he’d already led an enviable life, but he was […]
KaiOS raises $50M, hits 100M handsets powered by its feature phone OS
While Android and iOS have locked up the market for smartphone operating systems, a feature phone platform that has the distinction of being the world’s third biggest mobile OS is announcing a hefty round of funding to continue its expansion. KaiOS, which makes the OS that powers devices like Nokia’s feature phones and Jio’s devices out […]
Heetch raises $38M to take on Uber in French-speaking countries
With Uber just days away from going public, a small challenger has raised some funds of its own to take it and the rest of the field on in francophone markets. Heetch, a ride-sharing platform based out of Paris with operations across France and French-speaking Africa, has picked up a Series B of $38 million, at […]
Glovo, the on-demand ‘deliver anything’ local app, raises $169M Series D
Glovo, the Spain-headquartered on-demand delivery app that has similarities to Postmates in the U.S., has raised $169 million (€150m) in Series D funding. Lakestar led the round alongside Drake, owner of global pizza franchise Papa John’s. Idinvest Partners and Korelya Capital also participated, bringing total raised to approximately $322 million. The company last raised funding […]
Location de voitures entre particuliers: Drivy se vend à la start-up américaine Getaround
Drivy, la start-up française de location de voitures entre particuliers, passe sous pavillon américain. Mercredi 24 avril, Getaround, une plate-forme américaine d’autopartage, a annoncé le rachat de la pépite française pour 300 millions de dollars (267 millions d’euros). La société américaine, qui a levé en 2018 une somme équivalente auprès de Softbank, Toyota ou Shanghai Automotive, finance cette acquisition […]
Car-Sharing Startup Getaround Drives Into Europe
A U.S. car-sharing powerhouse is expanding abroad. San Francisco-based Getaround Inc., backed by investors including SoftBank Group Corp., said it has acquired Paris-based Drivy SAS for $300 million, expanding the reach of a startup that has been pushing a vision of reducing car ownership in urban areas. […]
Getaround acquires European car rental platform Drivy for $300M
Getaround, the peer-to-peer car-sharing startup that launched at TC Disrupt back in 2011, is making moves to become a global car rental service. […]
Owkin Closes A New Venture Round Led By F-Prime Capital And Eight Roads Ventures
Owkin, a company which builds machine learning technologies and infrastructure to enable breakthrough medical research, today announced a funding round led by F-Prime Capital and Eight Roads Ventures. The round was joined by GV, Cathay Innovation and NJF Capital. […]