Rising startups: B2B ecommerce and edtech heats up

Which are the startups that are on the path to becoming the next big thing? In this regular post, we give you an overview of the companies that have raised money in the past week, as well as those that we think investors should look at.

1. MoneyTap (India)

Consumer lending startup MoneyTap has raised US$70 million in its series B funding round led by Aquiline Technology Growth (ATG), RTP Global, and Sequoia Capital India, along with Japanese and Korean funds. The fresh funding was raised through a mix of equity and debt channel, with Vivriti Capital and Credit Saison pitching in with the debt fund. The funding will be used to grow its loan book to 50 billion rupees (US$700 million) in the next 12 months to 18 months and will further invest the money in technology and data science. More info.

2. Anchanto (Singapore)

Anchanto, an ecommerce logistics startup, is looking to raise US$35 million in its ongoing series C round as it plans to enter new markets in the future. Anchanto helps brands, retailers, ecommerce enablers, logistics providers, and small and medium-sized enterprises manage their end-to-end ecommerce operations. The company seeks to add new features and capabilities to its platform, provide additional services to existing customers, and expand their presence across newer countries. More info.

Vaibhav Dabhade / Photo credit: Anchanto

3. Bizongo (India)

Bizongo, an online B2B marketplace for packaging materials, has raised US$30 million in a series C round led by Swiss hedge fund Schroder Adveq. The startup plans to use the new funds to further enhance its technology, extend its footprint in India, and expand into new sectors such as pharmaceutical packaging, said its co-founder and CEO Aniket Deb. More info.

4. InterviewBit (India)

Edtech startup InterviewBit has raised US$20 million in a series A round led by Sequoia India and Tiger Global, along with other investors. Founded in 2015 by Abhimanyu Saxena and Anshuman Singh, the Bengaluru-based startup offers computer science courses through live online classes. The company plans to use the new funds to scale up its enrollment efforts, launch in new markets, and invest in their curriculum and live-teaching products. More info.

5. Kisan Network (India)

Kisan Network, an agriculture supply chain startup, has raised US$3 million in a round led by Mistletoe Singapore managing director Atsushi Taira. The startup uses computer vision technology to remotely assess the physical condition of crops, which helps its platform generate accurate insights on produce quality and prices. Kisan plans to use the new capital to expand into new regions in India, grow its network of farmers, and develop more farmer-centric products and services. More info.

6. AdOnMo (India)

AdOnMo, a contextually targeted digital Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising company, has raised a pre-series round of US$3 million led by Ant Financial’s BAce Capital. AdOnMo, which brings together both online advertising and outdoor advertising, will leverage the funds to expand its operations in the Indian market further. Currently, the startup is operational in Mumbai, Hyderabad, New Delhi, and Bengaluru. The funds will also be utilized for product development, building upon the existing team and acquiring talent.

7. Crysta (India)

Crysta raised approximately US$1.3 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by the family office of Ruchirans and Anuraag Jaipuria. The startup offers an end-to-end pregnancy and fertility platform that uses in-house technology to offer various diagnostic and screening services combined with regular counseling and clinical data management. The funds will be used to scale up capabilities across major cities.

8. WizKlub (India)

Edtech startup WizKlub has raised US$980,000 in a seed round led by seed and pre-seed stage VC firm Incubate Fund India. The startup’s programs help children aged five to 15 develop cognitive skills through an AI platform that delivers personalized learning experiences. With the investment, WizKlub plans to further enhance its products and expand to other markets. More info.

9. BazaarNXT (India)

BazaarNXT, a procurement startup focusing on restaurants, said it has raised US$450,000 in seed funding from angel investors in Singapore and India. Founded in January 2017, BazaarNXT connects restaurants with entrepreneurs selling packaging equipment. The funds will be used to invest in technology, as well as build sales and operations capacity. More info.

10. Contour (Singapore)

Blockchain-based open industry platform Contour has received an undisclosed amount from multinational banking and financial services firm Standard Chartered. Formerly known as Voltron, blockchain trade finance project Contour has recently gone into full commercialization after conducting pilots in 14 countries. It plans to initially focus on digitally creating, exchanging, approving, and issuing letters of credit, according to a statement. More info.

11. Arkademi (Indonesia)

Edtech firm Arkademi has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from US-based VC firm SOSV to scale its operations. Established in 2018, the mobile-focused startup provides a massive open online course platform that helps people both learn and teach any certified vocational skill. It plans to use the fresh funds to further enhance its product, make new hires, and deepen its roots in the Indonesian market. More info.

12. Hukumonline (Indonesia)

Legal website and services provider Hukumonline today announced that Emerging Media Opportunity Fund I, L.P. (EMOF), managed by Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF), had completed a Series A follow-on round investment. The investment will allow Hukumonline to develop new products, improve existing products and grow its subscriber base. Hukumonline’s products and services include a news website, a comprehensive integrated electronic legal database, and the organization of seminars and other events that raise discussion of new laws and regulations.

13. Numocity Technologies (India)

14. BC Group (Hong Kong)