19 Million Users Strong, Bubble Motion Raises $5 Million from JAFCO

Bubble Motion is a voice message social network, or as it describes itself, a Twitter for voice networks. It has just raised $5 million from JAFCO Asia, one of the largest VC firms in Japan.

With this additional $5 million in its warchest, Bubble Motion will continue to push hard in countries like Japan, India, Indonesia, and Philippines. In the same statement, it was also revealed that Bubble Motion has crossed the 19 million user milestone.

The startup has gone from building a voice network through partnership with telecom carriers but now has also expanded its services to Android and iOS. The company raised $10 million back in April of 2011, and when I spoke with Bubble Motion CEO Tom Clayton earlier this year, he told me that his company has more than enough cash in the bank. He explains in the statement that this round was made more for strategic reasons as JAFCO has extensive networks in Japan. Tom said:

We have had to turn down a lot of inbound interest lately, because we simply haven’t been looking to raise any more funds. But with such a prestigious and well-connected VC like JAFCO, we know they can add tremendous value to our business across Asia, especially in Japan, so it was a no-brainer to accept this investment.

Tom was also one of our speakers at Startup Asia Jakarta earlier this June where he shared his journey as an entrepreneur and also advice for budding entrepreneurs.