Heverest.ru, a Moscow-based online retailer of sports and recreational equipment launched by Fast Lane Ventures in June 2011, has attracted a new investment of $4.3 million – just three months after securing $1.3 million in financing. The total investment in this startup now comes to $6.7 million.
eVenture Capital Partners, the venture arm of the Otto Group, took part in both rounds of financing, but the identities of two other investors remain mysterious. One of them, Rollingahead Ltd., has no website; the name of the other, a participant in the latest round, has not been disclosed. Fast Lane Ventures declined to comment, but a source in the industry told EWDN that the last round investor might be Ru-Net, a major Russian venture fund.
Heverest.ru offers goods from leading international brands and delivers to all regions of Russia. The site also hosts an online community aiming to join together individuals with the same lifestyle and interests. It offers interactive tools for expert counseling, online product tests, and diversified editorial content.
“We are witnessing two significant trends,” said Fast Lane Ventures CEO Marina Treshchova. “First, there’s the unprecedented growth of e-commerce in Russia, and second is the increased government support for sports and active lifestyles. As a supplier of sporting goods, [Heverest] benefits from both.”
The Russian sporting goods market could grow from $6 billion in 2010 to $12 billion by 2015, according to Fast Lane’s estimates.
- EWDN is conducting an international study on Russian e-commerce, which reached 310 billion rubles, a little more than $10 billion, last year. To receive a free Executive summary or to order the full version, please contact us at [email protected].
