Softbank continues spending spree, acquires Singaporean security startup

After blockbuster deals involving America’s Legendary Entertainment, Indonesia’s Tokopedia, and India’s Snapdeal, SoftBank informed Tech in Asia of a smaller acquisition targeting the Singaporean market.

CyberTrust, a SoftBank Technology subsidiary (itself a subsidiary of Softbank, Inc.), will acquire majority shares of Singaporean information security firm Renazon for an undisclosed amount. Renazon, founded in 2011, has been the company of choice for global ventures like KFC and Pizza Hut as well as local players like event organizer SingEx.

The play is relatively minor. CyberTrust, a recent addition to SoftBank Technology is not the brightest star in the larger conglomerate’s galaxy. Total sales for CyberTrust in fiscal year 2013 totalled a modest US$17 million. Though Renazon has been appointed as a “IBM Valued Partner” and a “Microsoft Managed Partner,” those respect points likely have not added up to major revenue milestones.

Regardless, the deal shows that companies do not need to be world beaters to attract attention from the giants in Japan. There has been a stream of money from Japan to Southeast Asia recently, mostly in the form of investments. This exit, albeit a small one, shows that Japanese firms might be inspecting regional companies more closely than previously thought.

See: Softbank to invest $20 million in startups in the Philippines