CDP Institute

SoftBank, the Japanese bank that has spawned several unicorns in Latin America, announced it will launch a second fund under its Opportunity Growth Fund to raise and invest US$150 million in Black and Latino-led startups. The new fund expects to deploy the US$150 million within three years, and SoftBank will be a limited partner.

The Latin American accelerator of Chilean origin, Platanus Ventures, presents its sixth generation amidst the boom in investments in early-stage startups. Batch 6 of Platanus Ventures is filled with startups in the marketplace industry and software as a service (SaaS), but it also includes other sectors such as edtech, proptech, or the innovative web3.

Brazilian fintech company Ebanx S.A. has disclosed plans to operate in 11 African markets by the end of 2023. EBANX expanded into Africa in September 2022 with hopes to replicate its fast growth in Latin America by placing a greater emphasis on the digital payments side of its business.

Ethiopia’s JEMLA is a B2B e-commerce wholesale platform that is helping informal retailers access a wide variety of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) products. The platform connects dukas, kiosks or souqs with FMCGs, providing them with a dependable and cost-effective supply chain and distribution network customised to their requirements. In addition, the platform provides access to working capital and a range of services to help retailers expand their businesses, including data insights through the use of technology.

South Africa’s Tyme, one of the fastest growing digital banking groups in the world, has raised US$77.8 million as part of its pre-Series C capital raise to further operations in South Africa and the Philippines, as well as for future expansion in Southeast Asia.

India’s government plans to take action against Alphabet Inc’s Google after an antitrust watchdog last year found the group to have abused its market position by indulging in anti-competitive practices. India’s antitrust body had, in October fined Google $275 million in two cases, which involved abusing its dominant position in the Android operating system market, and pushing developers to use its in-app payment system.

The Middle East arm of luxury auto-line INFINITI has tapped Accenture Interactive to perform marketing duties across eleven regional markets. Accenture Interactive – the digital marketing arm of professional services giant Accenture – has bagged a lucrative contract in the Middle East with the regional branch of INFINITI, the luxury vehicle line of Japanese automaker Nissan.

A new report by the government and the Tech Council of Australia outlines where workers are needed and key growth areas anticipated. There are currently 861,000 people employed in tech in the country, but vacancy rates are 60% higher than the national average, and tech jobs are forecast to grow at triple the rate.

FranConnect, the global franchise and multi-location management software company that recently acquired World Manager, has launched in Australia as a first step in its ANZ and APAC expansion. The company’s platform empowers franchisors and other business owners to streamline operations, enhance collaboration, and drive growth while providing franchisees and store managers with tools to efficiently manage their businesses.

Singapore-based tech conglomerate SEA Limited has achieved a total net income was of $87.3 million in the first quarter, as compared to total net loss of $580.1 million a year ago. SEA said that the group’s first quarter total revenue was $3 billion, up 4.9 percent year-on-year. The group’s total gross profit also rose 21.1 percent year on year to $1.4 billion in the first quarter.

Gojek, Southeast Asia’s leading mobile on-demand multi-service platform, and Dat Bike, one of the fastest growing electric vehicle start-ups in the Southeast Asia, announced that they will partner to pilot the use of electronic motorbikes to serve the transportation, logistics and food delivery needs of Gojek users in Vietnam. This makes Gojek the first technology company in Vietnam to pilot Dat Bike electric vehicles, as well as the first platform to pilot mobility services via electric motorbike to users in Vietnam.

M-KOPA, the asset financing platform that offers underbanked African customers access to “productive assets” and the ability to pay for them via digital micropayments, has secured more than $250 million in new funding. The capital injection includes $55 million in equity and over $200 million in debt, huge sums in both categories that testify to strong fundamentals and solid performance for any growth-stage company in this venture capital’s current contraction.