Apps Foundry Raises SGD $1 Million From Gobi Partners, Mitsui Global

Indonesian mobile app dev firm, Apps Foundry, which is better known for its SCOOP smartphone/tablet eReader app, has raised SGD$1 million (US$) from Gobi Partners and Mitsui Global. The investment is focused on helping SCOOP to improve its product and to expand to other countries.

Besides digitizing magazines and books, SCOOP will soon be including HTML5 interactive magazines in 2012. App Foundry’s good news about this investment came right after its Samsung deal which we broke just last week.

With Gobi Partners and Mitsui Global on board as partners, Apps Foundry now has the legs to expand to China and Japan respectively. If my memory serves me correctly, Apps Foundry could very well be the first Indonesian tech startup to expand both to China and Japan. But that is assuming that SCOOP is able to navigate and succeed in those tough markets.

Willson Cuaca, CEO at Apps Foundry, commented:

We are fortunate to get support from two reputable VC firms from China and Japan. With their extensive knowledge in their home countries, we will be able to leverage on their networks.

With this investment, Ku Kay Mok from Gobi Partners will join Batara Eto, co-founder of Mixi, as one of Apps Foundry’s board of directors. Apps Foundry’s previous investors include East Ventures, and Nic Lim, co-founder of Catchamedia.com.

Disclosure: Willson Cuaca is one of PO’s investors at East Ventures.