2020

Webrazzi

Endonezya’nın bulut mutfak girişimi Yummy, SoftBank Ventures Asia’nın liderliği üstlendiği B Serisi yatırım turunda 12 milyon dolar yatırım aldı. Yatırım turuna Intudo Ventures ve Sovereign’s Capital ile yeni yatırımcılar Vectr Ventures, AppWorks, Quest Ventures, Coca Cola Amatil X ve Palm Drive Capital katıldı. B Serisi ile birlikte Yummy’nin bugüne kadar aldığı toplam yatırım miktarı 19,5 milyon dolara ulaştı.

Yummy’nin kurucu ortağı ve CEO’su Mario Suntanu, Covid-19 döneminde Yummy’nin işinin büyüme gösterdiğini söyledi. Yeni yatırımın da özellikle Covid-19’un devam eden etkisiyle başa çıkmak için operasyonlarını dijitalleştirmek ve teslimatları genişletmek isteyen markalar başta olmak üzere daha fazla ortak elde etmek için kullanılacağı belirtiliyor.

Yummy, bulut mutfak konusunda Endonezya’da Hangry ve Everplate adlı girişimlerle rekabet içerisinde. Suntanu, Yummy’nin diğer bulut mutfaklara kıyasla ana avantajının, mutfak olanaklarının yanı sıra tam olarak yönetilen konum ve mutfak işletim hizmetleri sunması olduğunu söylüyor. Bu da restoranların ve yeme-içme markalarının kendi ekiplerini işe almalarına gerek olmadığı anlamına geliyor. Bunun yerine, yiyecek hazırlama ve dağıtım, Yummy’nin çalışanları tarafından yapılıyor. Şirket ayrıca müşterilerine hedefli reklam kampanyalarında yardımcı olmak ve listelerini yemek dağıtım uygulamalarında daha görünür kılmak için bir veri analizi platformu da sağlıyor.

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The Business Times

Carousell’s preference shareholders include early backers Rakuten Ventures and Sequoia India, as well as later investors Telenor Group, OLX and most recently, the consortium comprising Naver, the Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth Fund and NH Investment & Securities.

According to Carousell’s filing, its exit options include an initial public offering (IPO), trade sale, secondary sale or share buyback. The exit price is defined as at least 1.25 times the subscription price paid per share.

Going by Carousell’s latest valuation of about US$900 million, this could imply an exit valuation of US$1.13 billion at the very minimum.

Only a portion of the US$80 million Naver deal appears to have involved newly-issued shares. According to regulatory filings up to Sept 18, Naver and two other vehicles, Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth Investment and New Horizon Investment I, bought about US$23 million in new shares, paying US$12.75 apiece for ordinary shares and US$15.94 apiece for “sub-class C” preference shares.

Naver and two other vehicles then bought over 4.3 million ordinary and preference shares from earlier investors.

The sellers included Rakuten, Sequoia India, 500 Startups, Golden Gate Ventures, Quest Ventures, angel investor Darius Cheung, as well as Carousell co-founders Quek Siu Rui, Marcus Tan and Lucas Ngoo.

None of the shareholders cashed out completely, the spokesperson noted.

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e27

Yummy Corp., which runs a cloud kitchen management company under the brand name Yummykitchen in Indonesia, has raised US$12 million in Series B funding, led by SoftBank Ventures Asia.

Other participants in the round include Vectr Ventures, Appworks, Quest Ventures, Coca Cola Amatil X, Palm Drive Capital, as well as existing investors Intudo Ventures and Sovereign’s Capital, also co-invested.

This comes less than a year after the startup received a total of US$7.75 million in Series A, led by SMDV (Sinarmas Digital Ventures) and Intudo Ventures.

Launched in June 2019, Yummy Corp. is a cloud kitchen and online catering brand Yummykitchen, focused on using the latest technology to develop innovative solutions for corporates and F&B brands.

The startup not only rents out shared kitchen space but also carries out operational procedures on behalf of partner brands to help them accelerate their expansion and reach wider consumers.

To date, Yummy Corp. claims to have served over five million meals and has over 70 kitchens serving more than 50 brand partners to manage their daily F&B operations.

“We have seen unprecedented growth for Yummykitchen. With this funding, we will focus on our mission to take an active role in helping the F&B industry grow their delivery business, especially during this pandemic,” Mario Suntanu, CEO of Yummy Corp, said.

The year 2020 has been a relatively difficult year for many industries in Indonesia. Various restrictions placed in the effort to suppress the growth of pandemic cases have had many impacts across different sectors, including F&B.

However, some F&B businesses — especially those who have focused on digital channels — have actually shown a positive increase.

In March last year, Yummy Corp. acquired online catering service pioneer Berrykitchen for an undisclosed sum.

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KrASIA

作为全球领先的金融和贸易中心，新加坡在金融创新领域也一马当先。政策的优待、资本的加持还有创业公司的崛起，都让新加坡乃至整个东南亚的金融科技市场，呈现广阔的前景。

为了全面呈现东南亚金融科技领域在当下和未来所面临的机遇和挑战，9月23日，新加坡经济发展局（EDB）和 Kr Asia 联合举办了“新加坡 x 亚洲创新合作论坛2020”第二场金融科技专场线上活动。

这场活动邀请了来自新加坡经济发展局和新加坡金融管理局等政府机构领导层，活跃于中国和东南亚的投资机构启明创投和求索创投（Quest Ventures），以及众安科技国际、Grab Financial Group、Sea Group、腾讯微保、微众信科等在各国金融科技领域首屈一指的企业。他们结合自身的业务特色和实践经验，围绕中国和东南亚金融科技市场的异同、新加坡和东南亚金融科技领域所面临的机会和风险、以及未来保险创新等主题，从不同角度勾画了新加坡和整个东南亚的金融科技图景。

长风破浪会有时，让我们一起来回顾这场观点盛宴里的精彩洞见！

黄佩华，启明创投， Partner
在金融科技领域，中国已经进入相对成熟的阶段。尽管信用卡在中国的渗透率不高，但是支付宝和微信等在线支付工具已经高度渗透到人们的生活当中。并且，支付宝和微信的出现不仅教育了消费者的用户习惯，也给其他金融科技领域的参与者树立了榜样。相比之下，东南亚地区还处于初期，银行账户的渗透率也不高（不到50%），但这也意味着潜力巨大。随着来自世界各地越来越多的资本进入东南亚，对于塑造东南亚整个创业系统帮助也很大。来自中国的 VC 可以跟东南亚地区的创业者分享中国公司成功的经验。而东南亚地区的创业者也要明确，创办公司的愿景到底是什么，独一无二的特点在哪里。优势是过去的经验，还是自己现在的资源。

吴谊平，Quest Ventures, Partner
中国的金融科技公司是东南亚公司很好的参照点，像支付宝最初利用电商场景来推进在线交易就是非常好的一种方式，在东南亚也可以看到许多 Copy from China 的模式。在线支付领域，一些互联网公司如 Grab 和 Gojek 等已经有了自己的钱包。当更多的公司进一步开放自己的 API 接口，强强联手或许会做得更好。许多中国 VC 来东南亚也是很好的趋势，我们作为东南亚本土 VC，可以利用我们在本土的资源和网络，和中国 VC 实现合作共赢、互相学习。对于创业者来说，东南亚各个国家国情各不相同，每个市场也都有各自的领头羊。我们喜欢的创业者，是有雄心壮志的，同时又能接地气的。

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Kapital.kz

В Нур-Султане состоялась официальная церемония запуска первого потока международной акселерационной программы Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator. Об этом центру деловой информации Kapital.kz сообщили в пресс-службе QazTech Ventures.

Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator (KDA) – это международный акселератор, запущенный в рамках сотрудничества между QazTech Ventures (дочерняя организация холдинга «Байтерек») и ведущего сингапурского фонда Quest Ventures. Цель KDA – продвижение стартап-проектов на глобальный рынок и развитие цифровой экосистемы Казахстана.

В течение четырех месяцев участники первого потока KDA будут обучаться у международных менторов, получать консультации и презентовать свои проекты инвесторам из Юго-Восточной Азии для привлечения дополнительных инвестиций.

По условиям программы каждый из 10 проектов-финалистов получит инвестиции от KDA в размере 50 тыс. долларов на развитие стартапа.

Всего на участие в программе поступило около 200 заявок от казахстанских и международных стартапов.

Главными критериями отбора при оценке проекта для экспертов QazTech Ventures и сингапурского Quest Ventures были: команда (Management Team), постановка задач и существующие решения (Problem statement and existing solutions), бизнес-идея (Business idea) и рыночная ценность (Market validity).

По результатам конкурсного отбора участниками первого потока Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator станут команды в следующих отраслях: edtech – три команды (Aero, Okoo, Qlang); agrotech – одна команда (Egistic); medtech and health tech – две команды (Cerebra, 1Fit); consumer digital & retail – три команды (Campeat, Retail Analytica, ApartX); payments – один проект (Smart Gas).

«Я хотел бы поздравить всех участников первого потока программы акселерации – Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator. Мы надеемся, что знания и финансовая поддержка, которую они получат, помогут стартапам выйти на верный курс построения бизнес-модели. Основная цель программы заключается в формировании конкурентоспособного стартап-сообщества страны и его дальнейшего продвижения на глобальный рынок за счет обширной международной партнерской сети. Вместе с тем в рамках программы мы предусмотрели не только методологическую поддержку, но и денежные инвестиции в размере 50 тыс. долларов США для каждого участника KDA» – пояснил и. о. председателя правления Диас Бексолтан.

«Работа акселератора началась еще в августе этого года, но из-за пандемии все наши мероприятия были переведены в онлайн-формат. Проделана очень большая работа, и сегодня мы официально поздравили финалистов с включением в состав участников первого потока программы KDA и получением инвестиций. Мы видим большой потенциал казахстанского стартап-сообщества, ведь при отборе на участие была действительно большая конкуренция. Поэтому, пользуясь случаем, хотел бы пригласить стартапы, которые хотят продвинуть свой проект, получить инвестиции и иметь возможность обучаться у лучших международных экспертов, к участию в конкурсном отборе на второй поток программы KDA, который стартует уже в октябре этого года» – прокомментировал инвестиционный директор Quest Ventures Ануар Сейфулин.

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Forbes Kazakhstan

22 сентября в городе Нур-Султан состоялась официальная церемония запуска первого потока международной акселерационной программы Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator.

Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator (KDA) – это международный акселератор, запущенный в рамках сотрудничества между АО «QazTech Ventures» (дочерняя организация АО «НУХ «Байтерек») и ведущего сингапурского фонда Quest Ventures.

Цель KDA – продвижение стартап-проектов на глобальный рынок и развитие цифровой экосистемы Казахстана.

В течение 4 месяцев участники первого потока KDA смогут обучаться у лучших международных менторов и профессионалов с многолетним стажем, получать консультации, а также презентовать свои проекты инвесторам из Юго-Восточной Азии для привлечения дополнительных инвестиций.

Более того, согласно условиям программы, каждый из 10 проектов-финалистов получит инвестиции от KDA в размере $50 тыс. на развитие стартапа.

Всего на участие в программе поступило около 200 заявок от казахстанских и международных стартапов.

– Я хотел бы поздравить всех участников первого потока программы акселерации Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator. Мы надеемся, что знания и финансовая поддержка, которую они получат, помогут стартапам выйти на верный курс построения бизнес-модели. Основная цель программы заключается в формировании конкурентоспособного стартап-сообщества страны и его дальнейшего продвижения на глобальный рынок за счет обширной международной партнерской сети. Вместе с тем, в рамках программы, мы предусмотрели не только методологическую поддержку, но и денежные инвестиции в размере $50 тыс. для каждого участника KDA, – пояснил и.о. председателя правления QazTech Ventures Диас Бексолтан.

– Работа акселератора началась еще в августе этого года, но из-за пандемии все наши мероприятия были переведены в онлайн-формат. Проделана очень большая работа, и сегодня мы официально поздравили финалистов с включением в состав участников первого потока программы KDA и получением инвестиций. Мы видим большой потенциал казахстанского стартап-сообщества, ведь при отборе на участие была действительно большая конкуренция. Поэтому, пользуясь случаем, хотел бы пригласить стартапы, которые хотят продвинуть свой проект, получить инвестиции и иметь возможность обучаться у лучших международных экспертов, к участию в конкурсном отборе на второй поток программы KDA, который стартует уже в октябре этого года, – прокомментировал новоть инвестиционный директор Quest Ventures Ануар Сейфулин.

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Astana Times

Astana TV covers the official launch of the Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator.

В столице наградили финалистов международной программы Kazakhstan Digital Accelerator.

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Digital News Asia

Only 11 months into its founding as an accelerator aiming to identify promising startups and turbo charge their growth, ScaleUp Malaysia pulled off quite a coup last week. The opening of applications for its Cohort 2 was accompanied with the news that Singapore-based regional venture capital firm, Quest Ventures has committed to invest US$1 million from its new AsiaFund 2 that has raised US$30 million so far, into Malaysian startups from Cohort 2 that will launch next month.

To get a sense of how well ScaleUp Malaysia has done in the short period it has been in existence, you only have to hear from James Tan, founding partner of Quest Ventures and one of Singapore’s leading startup entrepreneurs, who actually cofounded an e-commerce startup in China in 2009, listed in on the Nasdaq in 2015 and exited in 2017.

Tan who founded Quest Ventures in 2011 as his vehicle for angel and corporate investments, tells DNA that his philosophy in investing is premised on the belief that the best deals in any market are ideally made by locals. “I really don’t think you can find a better team in Malaysia than the people who run ScaleUp Malaysia and that should help them attract the best startups as well,” he says, looking forward to working with StartUp Malaysia – “the best people we imagine working with.”

While Quest Ventures has partnerships in other markets as well, Tan notes that the engagement with ScaleUp Malaysia is deeper where Quest Ventures will work with the companies from Cohort 2 for a 12 week period during the first part of the programme and for another 21 months after this period. “We really appreciate this opportunity to work closely with the startup and ScaleUp Malaysia,” he says.

“I believe there is a lot of value in working with early stage companies,” says Tan who in working with ScaleUp Malaysia has had to be flexible and creative to accommodate the lower investments ScaleUp Malaysia makes. The RM250,000 that will be invested into each of the 12 startups translates to US$60,000, a significantly lower amount that the usual US$1 million cheques Quest Ventures is used to cutting.

A realistic Tan explains, “This partnership at least helps us get into the market here and we reserve the right to invest more into them later at our normal US$500,000 or US$1 million amount.” No doubt a remark that will get many entrepreneurs excited.

Meanwhile, eager to get started, Tan highlights Malaysia’s track record of producing regional champions, “even if some of them end up in Singapore” and says, investing into the country’s startups is “a no-brainer”.

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New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: ScaleUp Malaysia has entered into an exclusive partnership with Quest Ventures, a Singapore-based venture capital firm, to invest and scale the regional growth of top Malaysian start-ups. The partnership with Quest Ventures will bring in a Foreign Direct Investment deal worth US$1,000,000 (RM4,150,000) to develop and grow Malaysian start-ups.

According to ScaleUp, in order to qualify for the Cohort 2 programme, scale-ups must be operating on business models that have the propensity to disrupt existing markets or have solutions that are able to navigate future challenges and take advantage of opportunities brought about by the current economic climate.

A total of 24 companies shortlisted from the Cohort 2 applications will begin their accelerator journey in October 2020 before presenting their solutions in front of the Investment Committee at the end of the programme. As part of the partnership, ScaleUp Malaysia Cohort 2, powered by Quest Ventures, will invest at least US$60,250 in up to 12 of these companies.

Meanwhile, Quest Ventures’ managing partner, James Tan, said beyond the traditional investment role of VCs, the company sees it as its tech ecosystem duty to drive a speedier adoption of the Digital Economy.

“Our partnership with ScaleUp Malaysia will enable us to support the top tech talent teeming in Malaysia and provide necessary and timely support to power their disruptive businesses to break into the post-pandemic emerging Asia markets,” he said.

“In this second cohort, we want to empower solutions that tap into the buy-in of the digital economy and prime them through our rigorous syllabus designed to take local companies to the global stage. Our partnership with Quest Ventures will enable our scaleups to quantum leap their growth, access adjacent markets and unlock a wealth of economic possibilities through value creation, needed now more than ever with our collapsing global economy brought about by Covid-19,” said ScaleUp Malaysia’s senior partner, Dr V. Sivapalan.

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The Business Times

SINGAPORE venture capital firm Quest Ventures has entered an exclusive partnership with accelerator ScaleUp Malaysia to invest in and help with the regional growth of top Malaysian startups.

In a Tuesday statement, Quest Ventures said that the partnership will bring in US$1 million in foreign direct investment to nurture Malaysian startups. Applications for the programme, which is the second intake of ScaleUp Malaysia, start on Tuesday, Sept 8.

Under the partnership, the programme will invest at least US$60,250 (RM250,000) in up to 12 of these startups. ScaleUp Malaysia previously launched its first cohort in December 2019 with 20 companies, of which 10 received an investment of US$48,283 (RM200,000).

James Tan, managing partner of Quest Ventures, said:”Beyond the traditional investment role of VCs, we see it as our tech ecosystem duty to drive a speedier adoption of the digital economy.

“Our partnership with ScaleUp Malaysia will enable us to support the top tech talent in Malaysia and provide necessary and timely support to power their disruptive businesses to break into the post-pandemic emerging Asia markets.”

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