WebGames, a former game publisher now turned investor in game studios, has taken over Drimmi, a three-year-old Russian developer of games for social networks. The parties have not disclosed the deal’s value, but an anonymous source with knowledge of the transaction leaked to the Russian business daily Vedomosti that it could be in the millions …
WebGames continues buying spree, takes over game developer Drimmi Read More
Among the growing number of players competing on the Russian furniture and home decor online landscape, The Furnish, a site launched last week, demonstrates some originality. It focuses on the premium segment, claiming to be the first online furniture retailer with this specific positioning, and offering items in various styles, from ‘Country’ to ‘Eco-Style’ and …
New online furniture retailer serves ‘American bourgeois-style’ Russian shoppers Read More
Last October Germany’s giant startup incubator Rocket Internet invested $10 million in its portfolio company Mebelrama.ru, a Russian online furniture retailer. The transaction was revealed only this past Friday by Mebelrama co-founder Manuella Stoll in an interview with Russian business daily Kommersant. The investment will help Mebelrama enlarge its assortment, move to a new warehouse, …
Mebelrama.ru attracts $10 million from Rocket Internet as competition tightens Read More
Swiss private equity fund Pluribus Optimum announced last week its plan to invest €100 million in e-commerce projects in Russia and neighboring countries by the end of 2015. The fund will focus on improving processing, document flow, billing organization, and payment acceptance in online stores, as well as 3PL logistics. “We have identified e-commerce as …
Swiss fund to invest €100 million in Russian ecommerce infrastructure and services Read More
Fastlane Ventures, one of the most active investors on the Russian Internet scene, has secured $13 million from Kenges Rakishev, a prominent businessman from Kazakhstan. Rakishev will be joining Fastlane Ventures’ board of directors, along with existing strategic investors VTB Capital, Direct Group, and e.ventures. Rakishev already serves as chairman of the boards of directors …
Life-Pay, a startup that is developing smartphone-based bank card payment terminals, has secured $2.6 million from Life.Sreda at an undisclosed valuation. The news was reported yesterday by Unova.ru, a website covering startup and venture news. The funds will be used to reinforce the startup’s team, develop new products and penetrate new markets in the former …
Square-like startup Life-Pay raises $2.6 million from Life.Sreda Read More
This article is published in partnership with Russia Beyond The Headlines, an international source of political, business and cultural news and analysis. As a new generation of startup entrepreneurs is emerging in Russia, the local startup scene tends to look more and more like its American, European and Asian counterparts. The stereotype of innovative Russian boffins …
How to invest in Russian startups: An investor’s guide Read More
Mail.ru Group, an LSE-listed Russian Internet group partly owned by Russian billionnaire Alsiher Usmanov, may consider selling its 40% stake in VKontakte (VK.com), Russia’s most popular social network. This possibility was discussed earlier this week by Ivan Streshinskiy, chief executive officer of the company that manages Usmanov’s assets, USM Advisors LLC, in an interview with …
Mail.ru Group considers selling its stake in Vkontakte Read More
Alisher Usmanov, the Russian billionaire who backs the leading global Internet investment fund DST Global, is now avoiding the US and focusing on China, Bloomberg reported yesterday. The valuations of US technology companies are too high to justify making new investments, Ivan Streshinskiy, chief executive officer of the company that manages Usmanov’s assets, was quoted …
Yuri Milner, co-founder of the prominent Russian Internet fund DST Global, is among the investors in Prismatic, a San-Francisco based startup that attacks the difficult task of creating personalized news feeds based on users’ interests. Also participating in the Series A funding, which amounts to $15 million, are Jim Breyer and his fund Accel Partners, …
Yuri Milner takes part in Prismatic’s $15 million Series A funding Read More
The Far East and Baikal Regional Development Fund, which was set up a year ago, may be increased considerably, the innovation news portal Venture-News.ru reported last week. Currently, its authorized capital is $15.5 million; but it may soon be boosted to as much as $3 billion or more. The idea came from Russian President Vladimir …
Far East and Baikal Regional Development Fund to be bumped up by 200 times Read More
Bright Capital Digital has injected $2.5 million into Auctionata, a German online auction site specializing in antiquarian items. The news was reported by Russian business daily Kommersant, based on an exchange last week with Bright Capital Investment Director Vadim Tarasov. Established in 2011, Auctionata claims to feature “the first live auction in the history of …
German auction site secures $2.5 million from Russia’s Bright Capital Read More
