Here is a list of top funding deals that happened in Startup Ecosystem this week. Check out the brief description about all of them.
1) Bangalore Based Agri-tech Startup Farm Taaza Raises $8 Million
Bengaluru-based Farm Taaza, a fresh produce supply chain management firm, has recently raised a whopping Rs. 52 crore ($8 million) in a Series A funding round.
The funding round was led by Epsilon Venture Partners, a Hong Kong-based VC funding innovation and entrepreneurship across Asia and Tara India Fund IV, which is managed by IL&FS Investment Managers, among other existing investors of the 2015 founded firm.
Currently functioning in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ooty, Farma Taaza has plans of putting the capital raised to good use by expanding across South India. Some part of the money will also be utilised by the firm to make the required technological upgrades.
2) Bengaluru-based Car and Bike Rental Platform Drivezy Raises $10 Mn Funding
While China’s bicycle rentals on-demand startup, Ofo is gearing to enter India early next year, its Indian counterpart self-drive car and bike rental firm Drivezy has decided to get ready for the challenge by raising a whooping Rs 65 crore ($10 million) in a part-equity and part-debt round.
Formerly called JustRide, an equity investment totalling $5 million was made by American and Japanese investors, which included Axan Partners, Das Capital and IT Farm, while a consortium of banks and NBFCs including Mahindra Finance, ICICI Bank, Cholamandalam Finance and Shriram Finance have gone for a $5 million investment in debt in Drivezy.
The startup will use the money raised to enter new markets across India and abroad, revealed Ashwarya Singh, CEO and co-founder, Drivezy in a statement. It will also use a part of the capital raised to create rental coins, its own private currency.
3) Student Micro-Financing Startup SlicePay Raises Funding From Russia’s Simile Venture Partners, Others
Bengaluru-based SlicePay, an AI based instant credit app for youngsters in India, has successfully raised a whopping $2 million (approx. Rs 13 crore) in a Series A round funding from Russian early-stage investor Simile Venture Partners and Japanese investment fund Das Capital with participation from existing investor Blume Ventures.
Currently operational in Bangalore, Chennai and Vellore, SlicePay plans to use the money raised to expand to more cities in the country, revealed Rajan Bajaj, co-founder and chief executive of SlicePay in a statement to VCCircle.
4) Used Furniture And Appliances Platform Zefo Raises $9.2 million From Sequoia, Others
Benagluru-based Refurbished furniture and appliance marketplace Zefo has recently revealed that it has raised a whopping Rs. 60 crore ($9.2 million) in Series B funding. The round, which was led by its existing investors Sequoia India and Helion Venture Partners, saw the participation of Singapore-based Bennett, a fund launched by Japanese e-commerce entrepreneur and investor Teruhide Sato.
According to information available on Crunchbase, Zefo has raised almost $16 million till date. This includes the recent Series B funding, the Series A funding the startup raised last year and earlier funding.
5) Smartphone Refurbishing Startup Yaantra Raises $3.1 million From Carpediem And Duane Park
New Delhi-based smartphone refurbishing startup Yaantra has raised a whopping Rs. 20 crore ($3.1 million) in a bridge funding round from its existing investors Carpediem Capital Partners and Duane Park.
According to Jayant Jha, CEO at Yaantra, the funding raised will be used for expanding the startup’s presence to 25 tier-II cities by next year. He is also hopeful that the fresh round will help boost the firm’s relationship with key partners and help maximise the impact of its offerings.
6) Fintech Startup HomeCapital Raises Funding from Venture Catalysts
Venture Catalysts, India’s first integrated incubation recently facilitated an undisclosed amount of investment into a fintech startup HomeCapital, focussed on home down-payment assistance to fist time home buyers.
The funding round was led by VCats angels Anuj Golecha, Gaurav Gandhi, Ram Joukani, Gaurav Singhvi, Vishal Jhunjhunwaala, Anudeep Jhunjhunwaala, Brijesh Thakkar, Revathi Roy, Jagidsh Gothi, Dipan Dalal, and others.
HomeCapital creates home-ownership opportunities for first time homebuyers through down payment assistance to accelerate their home buying at 0% interest rate through innovative financial structuring.
7) Ola Reportedly Raises Whopping $2 Billion From SoftBank, Tencent
India’s homegrown ride-hailing giant Ola has successfully raised a whopping $2 billion in new funding yesterday from a group of high profile investors that includes names such as Japan’s telecom and internet giant SoftBank and China’s Tencent Holdings. The information was uncovered in a report by Bloomberg which cited information from a source familiar with the happenings of the deal.
The person further divulged that the funding round hasn’t been completed yet and there’s a strong chance that the $2 billion will rise towards the end.
According to the report, the funding round has also seen the participation of a venture capital fund, which is being jointly run by Indian industrialist Ratan Tata, U.S. institutional investors and the University of California’s investment arm.
8) Flipkart’s Logistics Arm Ekart Gets Rs 641 cr Funding From Group Firm Klick2Shop
According to information unearthed from recent regulatory filings with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Indian e-commerce leader Flipkart’s logistics arm Ekart has become the recipient of a fresh funding infusion of Rs 641 crore from its very own Singapore-based group firm Klick2Shop Logistics Services International. The fund infusion has taken place through an entity called Instakart Services Private Limited.
The fund infusion in Ekart doesn’t come as a surprise as the recent times have seen various top e-commerce players in the country trying their best to strengthen their logistics network so as to ensure fast and smooth delivery of the heavy load of shipments coming their way during the forthcoming festive season. Prior to the Rs 641 crore capital infusion from Klick2Shop into Ekart through its subsidiary Instakart Services, the Bengaluru-based e-commerce giant had infused a stellar Rs 666 crore into its Instakart some 18 months ago.
People known in the logistical space expect Flipkart to utilise the funds received for setting up and decentralising the warehouses following how goods and services tax (GST) affected the e-commerce industry since it came into play in the country since July 1 this year. The money could also be put to use for hiring more manpower and then setting up last-mile delivery centres.
9) Gurgaon-based Chqbook Raises Funding Led By Youwecan Backed Startup Buddy
The week saw Chqbook – a fintech startup that allows customers to explore, compare, book and get personal finance products like home loans, personal loans and credit cards, raising an undisclosed amount of funding from Youwecan backed Startup Buddy, Apurva Chamaria, global head of corporate marketing, HCL, Sachin Arora, ex-CTO Myntra, Bharat Gupta, Founder of Net Asset Consulting LLP, Amit Manocha, Private equity professional based out of Singapore, and others. Kunal Singhal, Partner at Suresh Chandra and Associates, was the advisor for the transaction. Amit Singhal joined the board at Chqbook while Apurva Chamaria and Sachin Arora joined as advisors to the board.
10) Diagnostics Startup MedGenome To Raise $10 Mn In Series C Round Led By Sequoia
Bengaluru-based genomics research and diagnostics startup Medgenome Labs is in the process of raising around $10 million (about ₹65 crore) in its Series C funding round. The investment is expected to led by Sequoia Capital. In August this year, the startup had already raised $30 million in a funding round led by Sequoia India and Sofina.
While further information is not available regarding the plausible funding round, however if funding takes place then this will mark the second leg of funding in the Series C round and it is believed that the startup will use the proceedings of this round to fund its expansion plans.
(Top Image: Forbes)
1) Bangalore Based Agri-tech Startup Farm Taaza Raises $8 Million
Bengaluru-based Farm Taaza, a fresh produce supply chain management firm, has recently raised a whopping Rs. 52 crore ($8 million) in a Series A funding round.
The funding round was led by Epsilon Venture Partners, a Hong Kong-based VC funding innovation and entrepreneurship across Asia and Tara India Fund IV, which is managed by IL&FS Investment Managers, among other existing investors of the 2015 founded firm.
Currently functioning in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ooty, Farma Taaza has plans of putting the capital raised to good use by expanding across South India. Some part of the money will also be utilised by the firm to make the required technological upgrades.
2) Bengaluru-based Car and Bike Rental Platform Drivezy Raises $10 Mn Funding
While China’s bicycle rentals on-demand startup, Ofo is gearing to enter India early next year, its Indian counterpart self-drive car and bike rental firm Drivezy has decided to get ready for the challenge by raising a whooping Rs 65 crore ($10 million) in a part-equity and part-debt round.
Formerly called JustRide, an equity investment totalling $5 million was made by American and Japanese investors, which included Axan Partners, Das Capital and IT Farm, while a consortium of banks and NBFCs including Mahindra Finance, ICICI Bank, Cholamandalam Finance and Shriram Finance have gone for a $5 million investment in debt in Drivezy.
The startup will use the money raised to enter new markets across India and abroad, revealed Ashwarya Singh, CEO and co-founder, Drivezy in a statement. It will also use a part of the capital raised to create rental coins, its own private currency.
3) Student Micro-Financing Startup SlicePay Raises Funding From Russia’s Simile Venture Partners, Others
Bengaluru-based SlicePay, an AI based instant credit app for youngsters in India, has successfully raised a whopping $2 million (approx. Rs 13 crore) in a Series A round funding from Russian early-stage investor Simile Venture Partners and Japanese investment fund Das Capital with participation from existing investor Blume Ventures.
Currently operational in Bangalore, Chennai and Vellore, SlicePay plans to use the money raised to expand to more cities in the country, revealed Rajan Bajaj, co-founder and chief executive of SlicePay in a statement to VCCircle.
4) Used Furniture And Appliances Platform Zefo Raises $9.2 million From Sequoia, Others
Benagluru-based Refurbished furniture and appliance marketplace Zefo has recently revealed that it has raised a whopping Rs. 60 crore ($9.2 million) in Series B funding. The round, which was led by its existing investors Sequoia India and Helion Venture Partners, saw the participation of Singapore-based Bennett, a fund launched by Japanese e-commerce entrepreneur and investor Teruhide Sato.
According to information available on Crunchbase, Zefo has raised almost $16 million till date. This includes the recent Series B funding, the Series A funding the startup raised last year and earlier funding.
5) Smartphone Refurbishing Startup Yaantra Raises $3.1 million From Carpediem And Duane Park
New Delhi-based smartphone refurbishing startup Yaantra has raised a whopping Rs. 20 crore ($3.1 million) in a bridge funding round from its existing investors Carpediem Capital Partners and Duane Park.
According to Jayant Jha, CEO at Yaantra, the funding raised will be used for expanding the startup’s presence to 25 tier-II cities by next year. He is also hopeful that the fresh round will help boost the firm’s relationship with key partners and help maximise the impact of its offerings.
6) Fintech Startup HomeCapital Raises Funding from Venture Catalysts
Venture Catalysts, India’s first integrated incubation recently facilitated an undisclosed amount of investment into a fintech startup HomeCapital, focussed on home down-payment assistance to fist time home buyers.
The funding round was led by VCats angels Anuj Golecha, Gaurav Gandhi, Ram Joukani, Gaurav Singhvi, Vishal Jhunjhunwaala, Anudeep Jhunjhunwaala, Brijesh Thakkar, Revathi Roy, Jagidsh Gothi, Dipan Dalal, and others.
HomeCapital creates home-ownership opportunities for first time homebuyers through down payment assistance to accelerate their home buying at 0% interest rate through innovative financial structuring.
7) Ola Reportedly Raises Whopping $2 Billion From SoftBank, Tencent
India’s homegrown ride-hailing giant Ola has successfully raised a whopping $2 billion in new funding yesterday from a group of high profile investors that includes names such as Japan’s telecom and internet giant SoftBank and China’s Tencent Holdings. The information was uncovered in a report by Bloomberg which cited information from a source familiar with the happenings of the deal.
The person further divulged that the funding round hasn’t been completed yet and there’s a strong chance that the $2 billion will rise towards the end.
According to the report, the funding round has also seen the participation of a venture capital fund, which is being jointly run by Indian industrialist Ratan Tata, U.S. institutional investors and the University of California’s investment arm.
8) Flipkart’s Logistics Arm Ekart Gets Rs 641 cr Funding From Group Firm Klick2Shop
According to information unearthed from recent regulatory filings with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Indian e-commerce leader Flipkart’s logistics arm Ekart has become the recipient of a fresh funding infusion of Rs 641 crore from its very own Singapore-based group firm Klick2Shop Logistics Services International. The fund infusion has taken place through an entity called Instakart Services Private Limited.
The fund infusion in Ekart doesn’t come as a surprise as the recent times have seen various top e-commerce players in the country trying their best to strengthen their logistics network so as to ensure fast and smooth delivery of the heavy load of shipments coming their way during the forthcoming festive season. Prior to the Rs 641 crore capital infusion from Klick2Shop into Ekart through its subsidiary Instakart Services, the Bengaluru-based e-commerce giant had infused a stellar Rs 666 crore into its Instakart some 18 months ago.
People known in the logistical space expect Flipkart to utilise the funds received for setting up and decentralising the warehouses following how goods and services tax (GST) affected the e-commerce industry since it came into play in the country since July 1 this year. The money could also be put to use for hiring more manpower and then setting up last-mile delivery centres.
9) Gurgaon-based Chqbook Raises Funding Led By Youwecan Backed Startup Buddy
The week saw Chqbook – a fintech startup that allows customers to explore, compare, book and get personal finance products like home loans, personal loans and credit cards, raising an undisclosed amount of funding from Youwecan backed Startup Buddy, Apurva Chamaria, global head of corporate marketing, HCL, Sachin Arora, ex-CTO Myntra, Bharat Gupta, Founder of Net Asset Consulting LLP, Amit Manocha, Private equity professional based out of Singapore, and others. Kunal Singhal, Partner at Suresh Chandra and Associates, was the advisor for the transaction. Amit Singhal joined the board at Chqbook while Apurva Chamaria and Sachin Arora joined as advisors to the board.
10) Diagnostics Startup MedGenome To Raise $10 Mn In Series C Round Led By Sequoia
Bengaluru-based genomics research and diagnostics startup Medgenome Labs is in the process of raising around $10 million (about ₹65 crore) in its Series C funding round. The investment is expected to led by Sequoia Capital. In August this year, the startup had already raised $30 million in a funding round led by Sequoia India and Sofina.
While further information is not available regarding the plausible funding round, however if funding takes place then this will mark the second leg of funding in the Series C round and it is believed that the startup will use the proceedings of this round to fund its expansion plans.
(Top Image: Forbes)
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