In early November The Locals, a Russian online platform for apartment rentals, made its debut in Ukraine — just days after Yandex.Taxi, another service from Russia, entered the market. Launched in 2010, the service covers Russian cities Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Kazan. Following the extension to Kyiv (Kiev), The Locals is planning launch in Warsaw and Tel Aviv “in a couple of …
In late October Yandex, the Russian search giant, launched taxi booking service Yandex.Taxi in Ukraine. The service – which operates exclusively in partnership with taxi companies – is available exclusively in Kyiv (Kiev), but Yandex plans to expand it beyond the Ukrainian capital. “Our next targets are Odessa, Kharkov (Kharkiv) and Dnipro [previously known as Dnepropetrovsk or …
A controversy sparked last week over Google’s decision to change the names of Crimean settlements appearing on Google Maps, in accordance with the Ukrainian authorities’ “decommunization” campaign. In May 2016, the Ukrainian parliament renamed 70 settlements in Crimea, mostly choosing names of Crimean Tatar origin. Thus Krasnogvardeyskoe (‘Red Guard’) became “Yany Kapu” while Sovetskoe switched …
Crimea maps scandals: Google offends Russia, then Ukraine Read More
Last week Oleg Mikheyev, a member of the State Duma (the lower house of the Russian parliament), requested the Prosecutor General to inquire into TripAdvisor, whose website displays Crimea as being a Ukrainian territory. This misrepresentation could be enough to ban the US company from operating in Russia, suggests Mikheyev. “In the present time, all possible …
YouAppi, a San Francisco-based startup that has developed a Big Data-driven solution for mobile marketing, has raised $13.1 million from an international consortium of investors, including AltaIR, Emery Capital and Flint Capital, three funds with Russian roots. Also participating in this Series B round are Click Ventures, Digital Venture (Ukraine), Global Brain (Japan) and Hawk Ventures (USA) as well as …
Russian funds take part in YouAppi’s $13.1 million funding round Read More
TMT Investments, an LSE-listed fund with Russian backers, is participating in a $5 million round of additional funding for its portfolio company Depositphotos. The round is led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is investing via its Venture Capital Investment Programme. Agreed last month, the transaction will be completed until the end of the year. …
YouTube has released a list of the music videos that were most popular in Russia in 2015. At over 41 million views, a song by Ukrainian band “Vremya i Steklo“is number one, far ahead of all its competitors. Following Vremya i Steklo in the ranking were the following videos: Polina Gagarina’s Eurovision song “A Million Voices“ (number 2 …
Ukrainian band tops ranking of most popular YouTube music video in Russia Read More
Over the past few weeks Ivi.ru, a major Russian online video streaming platform, has made its web, Smart TV and mobile services available in 11 countries of the former Soviet Union, including Ukraine, said its general manager Oleg Tumanov to Russian business daily Vedomosti. The move is following agreements with content right owners. In these countries, …
Russian online video streaming platform Ivi.ru launches in neighboring countries Read More
Inner Chef, an Indian adaptation of the US service Blue Apron, has raised $1.7 million from Kiev, Ukraine-based fund TA Ventures and several business angels. These include Boris Ryabov, managing partner of Russia-based venture fund Bright Capital, as well as Indian entrepreneurs Phanindra Sama, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Anupam Mittal Vishal Gondal and others. Inner-Chef was launched …
Local search and user review service Yell.ru has acquired a controlling stake in Ukraino-Russian startup YouScan by buying the shares of the previous investors, while the founding team retained a minority stake. No further details of the transaction were disclosed. Yell also announced that it will invest $1 million in the company’s further development. YouScan …
Yell.ru acquires Ukrainian-Russian startup YouScan Read More
Yesterday Snapchat announced the launch of “Lenses,” a new feature that enables users to create a variety face effects while making selfies. These augmented reality filters will allow you to change eye or skin color, alter your face to remove blemishes or look thinner. Behind these new types of avatars is a technology developed by Looksery, a startup originated from Odessa, Ukraine, with offices in …
Snapchat acquires Looksery in reported $150 million deal Read More
Gill Business Systems (Gillbus), a company that develops inventory distribution systems (IDS) for the bus-transportation industry, has just secured $1 million from Ukrainian fund Chernovetskyi Investment Group (CIG), reported tech blog AIN.UA. Launched in Ukraine in 2010, Gillbus aims to make distribution of tickets for buses “as smooth as tickets for airlines.” According to CIG, the company …
Ukraino-Russian bus-ticket software provider Gillbus secures $1 million from CIG Read More
