The Russian online education platform Synchronization, launched by in 2015, has raised $2.25 million, reports business daily Kommersant. The round was led by investment holding Avenir and Rusagro co-owner Maxim Basov. The deal also involved Adfirst VC as well as individual investors Stas Korostelev, Mikhail Tsyferov, Anton Volkov and others. The platform offers courses in …
Last week Lenta announced an agreement to acquire online-retailer Utkonos from Severgroup. The parties expect to complete the transaction in February 2022. A major Russian retail group listed in both Moscow and London, Lenta aims to “create a leading e-grocery platform covering all key shopping missions and market segments.” Lenta will also “significantly expand its online …
Earlier this month — just weeks after it began trading on the Nasdaq — Russian online real estate service Cian.ru announced “changes in publication rules” and started deleting ads offering rentals “for Slavs only.” According to this new policy, “advertising text must not contain direct or indirect discrimination, nor incitement to discrimination based on race or ethnicity (including indicators such as …
Nasdaq-listed Cian.ru bans racial discrimination in rental ads Read More
August Meyer, co-owner of cosmetics chain Rive Gauche and former co-owner of now defunct online retail Ulmart — was arrested Wednesday last week in St. Petersburg. Meyer and his wife, Inna Meyer, are suspected of embezzling 2.4 billion rubles ($32.6 million at the current exchange rate) from state-owned bank Sberbank on the pretext of developing Ulmart shortly …
Former US citizen and Ulmart co-owner August Meyer arrested in St. Petersburg Read More
Intema, the AI accelerator and venture fund launched by mobile operator MTS this past September, is set to acquire biometrics firm VisionLabs for 7 billion rubles ($95 million at the current exchange rate). Founded in Russia in 2012, this developer of AI-powered computer vision solutions quickly drew the attention of top global digital players. Sber (at that time ‘Sberbank’) invested in the company in …
MTS acquires Russian-founded biometrics provider VisionLabs Read More
StudyFree, an edtech startup born in Russia in 2018, has just secured $3 million to continue its international expansion. The investor pool includes I2BF Global Ventures and TMT Investments, two funds with Russian connections, Techstars, as well as Andrey Doronichev and Mikita Mikado. The former, Google’s ex-director of product management, is a figure of the Russian-speaking community …
Russian-born startup raises $3 million to make students’ education dreams come true Read More
Baring Vostok, a leading Moscow-based PE/VC firm operating essentially in Russia and neighbouring countries, has invested $13 million in a customer data platform for marketing automation called Mindbox. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Forbes Russia reported that Baring had received a minority stake in exchange for its investment, while Mindbix employees were …
Baring Vostok invests $13 million in leading Russian marketing automation company Read More
In June this year Flint Capital, a Boston-based venture firm with Russian roots, closed its second venture fund, attracting $103 million to invest in startups from Seed, to Series A and B stage startups. The firm publicly announced its new fund only this week, as it already invested in no less than 18 startups with two successful exits — Loom …
Flint Capital’s new $103 million fund already claims two successful exits Read More
While the restructure in VK (ex-Mail.ru Group)’s ownership announced last week is making the Kremlin’s control over Russian social media even stronger, business motives are also involved, believe insiders. As reported by The Bell, Sogaz is said to be the real managing partner here, even though technically speaking, the new ownership structure at VK is a diarchy with …
VK ownership changes have both political and business motives, say Russian pundits Read More
Russia’s Gazprom is gaining control of VK Company, the LSE-listed Russian Internet major (previously known as Mail.ru Group), as a result of a string of deals to buy out Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov from the company. These transactions will increase state control over the group, which owns in particular the country’s leading social networks Vkontakte …
Russian state strengthens control over leading Internet group VK Read More
Less than one year after securing its Series A round ($3.5 million), TraceAir, a construction software startup with Russian roots, has attracted $5 million from Flashpoint Venture Capital, reports Rusven. Founded in 2015, TraceAir has developed a cloud platform to help construction companies control quality and costs with the help of drone data, smart analytics and an …
Earlier this month Rusnano, the state-owned investment corporation set-up in 2007 to nurture nanotechnologies and related innovation, admitted it had accumulated a “disproportionate debt,” reports TheBell.io. On Friday, Nov. 19, the Central Bank ordered the Moscow Stock Exchange to suspend trading of Rusnano’s bonds, while company management were reportedly locked in debt restructure negotiations. Unsurprisingly, …
State-owned investment corporation Rusnano struggles with “disproportionate debt” Read More
