South African fintech company Ozow has raised a US$48 million Series B funding round to help it further develop its product offering and expand into new markets.
Ozow which rebranded from i-Pay in April 2019 enables millions of merchants and consumers with easy, fast and secure alternative payment solutions, including QR codes, point of sale, e-commerce, e-billing and peer-to-peer payments.
Founded in 2016, the South African startup company connects customers and fleet owners with trusted, qualified and vetted mechanics in Gauteng and Cape Town. Michanic allows users to request instant service and repair quotes from its online platform, saving up to 35 per cent compared to dealerships and independent garages in the process.
Mensa Brands, an Indian startup that acquires direct-to-consumer brands and helps them scale within the home market and overseas, has become a unicorn just six months after launching its business. Falcon Edge Capital led Mensa Brands’ $135 million Series B financing round that values the Indian startup at over $1 billion.
Customer engagement platform Twilio has announced new platform capabilities, including the general availability of Twilio Segment’s Event-Triggered Journeys, supporting personalization based on customer intent signals in real time. In addition, Data Residency (EU) will ensure that email sending and event data are managed within the EU region, both for compliancy and customer trust. WhatsApp Business Calling will enable conversations with customers in another important channel using Twilio’s Programmable Voice Platform.