Startup

Ninja Van has secured $578 million in a Series E funding round backed by Alibaba The funds from this round of investment will be allocated towards infrastructure and technology systems that will support a sustainable long-term cost structure, as well as the quality and consistency of Ninja Van’s operations. Funds will also be invested in Ninja Van’s suite of micro-supply chain solutions to help Southeast Asian businesses optimise e-commerce opportunities. “The quality of investors joining us in this round of investment is a clear signal that the market recognises the emerging opportunities for e-commerce logistics in Southeast Asia and how as an entrenched player in the region, Ninja Van is positioned to take a central role in meeting the shifting demands of both businesses and consumers,” said Lai Chang Wen, co-founder and CEO of Ninja Van Group. On the same note, Kenny Ho, head of Investment for Southeast Asia at Alibaba Group said, "We strongly believe in the potential of … [Read more...] about Ninja Van secures $578 million in a Series E funding round backed by Alibaba

Southeast Asia sees record number of deals completed in first half of 2021 However, the report reveals that total capital invested, at $4.4 billion, was lower than in the same periods in 2018 and 2019. This year, the largest deals (those over $100 million) accounted for only 45 per cent of investment, significantly below the 50-70 per cent in the past years. Deal sizes and valuations at each of the early funding stages have remained remarkably stable over recent years. In the first half of 2021, the region has seen a sharp upturn in both. Median round sizes rose, with Pre-A rounds of $800,000, Series A rounds of $4.3 million, and Series B of $10 million. The growth in both the number and value of all smaller deals is a good indicator that interest in Southeast Asia’s tech economy remains strong. A quick comparison with other regions of emerging technology shows that Southeast Asia attracted more capital than Latin America, but less than India. Indonesia and Singapore still … [Read more...] about Southeast Asia sees record number of deals completed in first half of 2021