SmartNews

With the latest funding, SmartNews’ valuation has soared to US$2 billion.

It plans to continue expanding its global engineering teams for mobile, back end, and machine learning development.

The news app is now valued at US$1.1 billion.

The silence from the news app had Japan worried but its latest round of financing makes it one of the country’s top three most funded.

Well over half a billion dollars was invested in Japanese startups in 2015. This year continues to be a banner year for the country’s burgeoning entrepreneurs.

Line challenges homegrown startups in Japan with beefed up news service, 24 new media partners.

For decades, Japan has led the charge toward more minimalist writing. During the 1990s and early 2000s, world-beating cell phones were the nation’s preferred means of written communication; they spawned

We’re excited to announce the first two speakers we have on board at Tech in Asia Tokyo 2015 – App Annie’s Bertrand Schmitt, and SmartNews’ Ken Suzuki.

Gunosy was first to the IPO finish-line, but SmartNews has the higher valuation now.

Gunosy is the first startup in the news app war to the IPO finish line.