For Quick Alerts
Subscribe Now  
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

6 Successful Indian Startups Funded Through SoftBank Vision Fund

|

The SoftBank Vision Fund is a venture capital fund under the SoftBank Group that was created in 2017. It is the world's largest technology-focused investment fund, with over $100 billion in assets. SoftBank Vision Fund 2 was established in 2019. The total fair value of both funds as of 31 March 2021 was $154 billion. SoftBank, a global mobile advertising platform, invested in a number of companies, some of which are listed below.

 

Paytm

Paytm

After the Indian government voided the largest denomination currency notes in circulation in 2016 to combat corruption, Paytm rose to the top of the mobile money business in India. As a result of the cash constraint, many people downloaded mobile wallets like Paytm's.

SoftBank first became aware of India's leading digital payments firm Paytm in May 2017, when it was given the option to invest $1,400 million. Paytm has proven to be one of SoftBank's best bets in India. The platform raised $1.5 billion to $2 billion from Softbank Vision Fund in March 2019, boosting the Noida-based company's worth to $16-18 billion. Paytm has raised a total of $32.4 million in four rounds of investment. Their most recent funding came from an undisclosed round on February 4, 2017.

Paytm and Ant Financial Services raised $1 billion from Vision Fund. The new fund will be used to accelerate the company's growth into rural India. They want to make online payments more prevalent in rural India.

Unacademy
 

Unacademy

Unacademy is a learning portal that offers free access to brief lectures in the form of videos on various disciplines as well as content for major competitive examinations. It enables students to better prepare for competitive exams while also encouraging self-learning.

Unacademy started as a YouTube channel in 2010 and was officially launched in 2015. Bangalore, India is the headquarters of the corporation.

In 2020, SoftBank's Vision Fund awarded Unacademy a $150 million grant. The committed firm's entire worth will rise to $1.4 billion as a result of this. In terms of the firm, this represents a threefold increase in just six months. The money will be used to launch new goods and expand the company.

Delhivery

Delhivery

Delhivery, India's largest independent e-commerce logistics startup, has secured $277 million in its final investment round before filing for an initial public offering later this year. Delhivery, a logistics firm, raised $413 million in a fundraising round headed by Softbank Vision Fund in March 2019. Softbank committed $350 million in Delhivery later that month, valuing the company at $1.6 billion.

Delhivery Pvt. Ltd, a logistics business, has joined the coveted unicorn club after securing $413 million in funding (Rs 2,890 crore).

Over the course of 12 rounds of funding, Delhivery has raised a total of $1.3 billion. Their most recent fundraising came from a Corporate Round round on July 15, 2021.
Delhivery is backed by a total of 14 investors. The most recent investors include FedEx and Fidelity.
Delhivery has made a total of five investments. Their most recent investment was in Qikpod, which raised $9 million on November 30, 2015.
On March 3, 2021, Delhivery purchased Primaseller.

Oyo

Oyo

Oyo is one of Softbank Group Corp.'s biggest businesses, and Masayoshi Son, the investor's billionaire founder, has financed and nurtured its rapid global expansion. While the company was recently valued at $10 billion, its business has been severely harmed as a result of the rapid spread of the virus in travel, as well as operational blunders that have strained relationships with hoteliers. In August 2015, SoftBank invested $100 million in OYO, an Indian hospitality startup.

Moody's and Fitch, two of the world's biggest rating agencies, have publicly assessed OYO as the first Indian startup. On the basis of the company's excellent business strategy and resilient financial profile with significant potential upside, Fitch and Moody's rated OYO's senior secured loan B and B3 (stable outlook), respectively.

Firstcry

Firstcry

It was founded in 2010 with the goal of becoming the world's largest retailer of child and mother care items. SoftBank Vision Fund purchased a 40% stake in the company for $400 million in 2018, making them the company's largest investor. It also put a $1.1 billion value on Firstcry at the time.

SoftBank has invested another $150 million in India-based baby supply shop FirstCry, bringing the Japanese conglomerate's total investment in the company to almost $300 million. According to the tech news website, Softbank will invest an extra $100 million in the startup in January 2021. The company currently has $418 million in the capital.

Ola

Ola

Ola Electric Mobility Pvt. Ltd, the electric vehicle subsidiary spun off from ride-hailing startup Ola, announced that it had secured $250 million from SoftBank Group Corp., it became the second-fastest company to become a unicorn. Ola Electric became a unicorn in just two and a half years, referring to companies valued at $1 billion or more. Tiger Global Management and Matrix Partners India, together with SoftBank, are substantial minority investors in Ola's parent firm, ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd. The company earlier raised $400 million in March.

SoftBank Vision

SoftBank Vision

SoftBank Vision has also made successful investments in Grofers, Policy Bazaar, Housing, and Inmobi. Softbank has aided a number of businesses in their efforts to enter overseas markets. Oyo, one of its India portfolio firms, has expanded to China, Europe, and the United States. Paytm has expanded into Japan and Canada, while FirstCry, a baby items retailer, has expanded into the United Arab Emirates.

Read more about: startups msme
Story first published: Monday, July 26, 2021, 17:01 [IST]
Company Search
Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X