Softbank to invest €900m for stake in digital payments firm Wirecard April 24, 2019 Softbank has agreed to invest €900m (£781m) in German fintech firm Wirecard as part of a digital payments partnership in Asia. The Japanese investment giant has signed a deal to buy five-year convertible bonds in Wirecard, equating to roughly 5.6 per cent of the firm’s stock, at €130 per share. Read more: Wirecard shares soar [...]
Uber’s self-driving unit raises $1bn ahead of IPO April 19, 2019 Uber’s self-driving unit has raised $1bn from a consortium of investors including Softbank Group ahead of the ride hailing app’s initial public offering. Uber said that the investment values its Advanced Technologies Group, which is working to develop autonomous vehicle technology, at $7.25bn. Read more: Uber IPO: Six things you need to know Softbank will invest [...]
Softbank’s spinoff AI fund injects £1m into London identity startup Pixelpin April 11, 2019 Japanese investor SBI has led a pre-series A funding round into London startup Pixelpin through its artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain fund. SBI has plugged £1m into the Shoreditch-based startup while angel investors rounded out the investment with an additional £500,000. The financial services firm span off from mega investor Softbank in 2006. Read more: Softbank unveils $500m [...]
Grab eyes $2bn more funding this year as it looks to create ‘app for everything’ April 8, 2019 Softbank-backed startup Grab is hoping to raise another $2bn (£1.5bn) in funding this year as it embarks on an aggressive expansion plan. The Singapore-based ride-hailing app has already raised $4.5bn in a fundraising round led by Japanese investment giant Softbank. Read more: Lyft takes a wrong turn as shares fall below float price But chief [...]
PR agency Hanover snapped up by Canadian communications group Avenir April 3, 2019 Communications group Avenir Global has acquired London-headquartered public relations firm Hanover for an undisclosed sum. Hanover, which was founded in 1998 by John Major’s former press secretary Charles Lewington, posted revenues of £19m last year and has unveiled plans to double its size by 2022. Read more: Top financial PR firm cuts ties with Sir [...]
AI startup Onfido tops $100m investment as it closes $50m funding round led by Softbank and Salesforce April 3, 2019 Digital identity startup Onfido today closed a $50m (£38m) funding round led by Softbank, bringing its total investment above $100m. Read more: London fintechs dominate startup programme as they bid to scale-up Salesforce Ventures also co-led the funding round with Softbank Investments (SBI), while Microsoft’s M12 fund and existing investors also contributed. London-headquartered Onfido will [...]
Oneweb lands $1.25bn in funding as it looks to launch global internet service March 18, 2019 UK communications startup Oneweb has secured $1.25bn (£942m) in funding as it looks to start mass production of satellites for global high-speed internet connections. Oneweb said the fundraising round, which was led by Softbank, Qualcomm and Virgin, will kickstart its plans to deliver a global communications network that will bring high-speed broadband access to everyone on earth [...]
Get Your Guide to achieve unicorn status thanks to $50m Temasek backing March 13, 2019 Online travel firm Get Your Guide is set to achieve coveted unicorn status thanks to a $300m (£228m) cash injection from a group of investors, Sky News reported. The Berlin-based travel company is said to be in advanced talks with Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings over a $50m investment that will be announced in [...]
Softbank unveils $500m Softbank Acceleration Fund March 11, 2019 Softbank has launched a new global tech fund with up to $500m (£384.68m) to pour into early-stage startups. Read more: Softbank's Vision Fund pump $940m into robotics firm Nuro The Japanese telecoms giant could launch the Softbank Acceleration Fund as early as next month, according to Reuters. The new fund – a rebrand of Seoul-based [...]
UK Space Agency fires £18m into Oneweb for a global communications network in space February 18, 2019 The UK Space Agency has invested £18m into building a new global communications network in space, provided by Softbank-backed London satellite firm Oneweb. Named Project Sunrise, the system will initially be comprised of around 650 satellites, before expanding to more than 900 satellites over time. While on a visit to the European Space Agency today, science [...]