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Robust end to 2019 with US$63.1 billion raised by VC-backed companies in the fourth quarter, according to KPMG Private Enterprise’s Venture Pulse report
The final quarter of 2019 brought a small uptick in VC investment globally, with $63.1 billion in VC investment across 4,289 deals, led by a $6.55 billion corporate investment in The We Company – a strategic investment by Softbank following WeWork’s failed IPO. Given the array of political and economic uncertainties affecting most regions of the world in Q4’19, it is notable that the Americas, China, India, and Europe all saw at least one $1 billion+ deal during the quarter.
As a whole, 2019 was a very strong and relatively stable year for VC funding, with $257 billion raised across the globe – the second highest level on record next to 2018’s over $300 billion, according to the Q4’19 edition of KPMG Private Enterprise’s Venture Pulse report. The robust results are notable given the year did not include any massive $10 billion+ megadeals like those raised by Juul ($12.8 billion) and Ant Financial ($14 billion) in 2018.
“The results highlight the strength that comes with having a diversity of growing startup ecosystems around the world. While different jurisdictions may have experienced challenges at different points of 2019, VC investment in others picked up the slack,” explained Kevin Smith Co-Leader, KPMG Private Enterprise Emerging Giants Network, KPMG International and EMA Head of KPMG Private Enterprise. “Europe, in particular, shattered its previous annual high of VC investment, attracting $37.5 billion in 2019 and set a new record, with 18 new unicorns in 2019 compared to 12 in 2018 and only 6 in 2017. The breadth and diversity of Europe’s VC market and growing innovation ecosystems continued to attract deep pocketed investors from across the globe, with companies in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Lithuania, Israel, and France all attracting $100 million+ funding rounds.”
Q4’19 Highlights
- Global VC investment rose from $62 billion across 5,453 deals in Q3’19 to over $63 billion across 4,289 deals in Q4’19. The US alone accounted for more than half of VC investment globally during
- Q4’19, with $34.2 billion of investment across 2,215 deals.
- At a regional level, the Americas led VC investment in Q4’19, with $36.2 billion raised across 2,400 deals. Asia followed with $18.7 billion raised across 1,021 deals, while Europe saw $9 billion raised across 804 deals.
- The largest deals this quarter occurred in three different countries: US-based The We Company ($6.5 billion – corporate investment), China-based Tenglong Holding Group ($3.7 billion – Series A), and India-based PayTM ($1.7 billion – Series G).
- The percentage of investment by corporates reached an all new high in Q4’19, with corporates participating in 29.4% of all VC deals globally.
Key 2019 Annual Highlights
- For the third consecutive year, global median deal sizes rose across all deal stages in 2019 – to $1.7 million for seed/angel deals, $8 million for early stage deals, and $10.3 million for later stage deals.
- The global median deal size for Series D and higher was $58 million in 2019, up from $50 million in 2018 – and more than triple the $15.9 million it was in 2013.
- For the third year in a row, global median pre-money valuations rose across all deal stages in 2019, including to a massive $423.5 million for Series D or later rounds. Other global median pre-money valuations were $7 million for seed stage rounds, $22 million for Series A, $70 million for Series B, and $150 million for Series C deals.
- The number of global first-time venture financings of companies dropped for the fifth year in a row – to 5,878 in 2019. Deal value in 2019 was $23.9 billion – second only to 2018’s $29.7 billion. The combination suggests that investors are scrutinizing deals heavily and investing more in companies with stronger business fundamentals.
US continues to dominate investment in Americas
VC investment in the Americas rose slightly, from $34.6 billion in Q3’19 to $36.2 billion in Q4’19. The largest deals in the Americas came from the US, including the $6.5 billion corporate investment in The We Company, a $700 million raise by Door Dash, a $635 million raise by Bright Health, and a $500 million raise by Magic Leap. The 10 largest deals in the US spanned numerous sectors, including real-estate, food delivery, health care, virtual reality, fintech, publishing, and logistics. The top deals also showed strong geographic diversity, with several deals well outside of Silicon Valley – such as in Florida (Magic Leap), Minneapolis (Bright Health), Seattle (Convoy), and Portland (Vacasa).
Despite small quarter-over-quarter declines in VC investment, Canada and Brazil both saw strong VC investment for the year as a whole, including a number of $100 million+ megadeals during Q4’19. In Canada, top deals included a $200 million raise by Toronto-based password management company 1Password. In Brazil, annual VC investment grew year over year – from $1.7 billion in 2018 to almost $2.1 billion in 2019 – setting a large new annual record. Brazil also saw three new unicorns created in 2019, including three in Q4’19: Loggi, QuintoAndar and Wildlife Studios.
Europe shatters annual record for VC investment
Europe shattered its previous annual high of VC investment, attracting $37.5 billion in VC investment in 2019 compared to $28.2 billion in 2018. After setting a new quarterly record of $10.8 billion in VC investment in Q3’19, VC investment dropped to $7.9 billion in Q4’19 – still a very robust amount for the region.
The UK proved fundamentally resilient to concerns around Brexit, attracting a record high $11.9 billion in VC investment during 2019, including more than $2.5 billion in Q4’19. Large deals in Europe during Q4’19 included a $525 million raise by UK-based Deliveroo, a $284 million raise by Celonis in Germany, and a $276 million raise by Picnic in the Netherlands. Germany, France, and Spain also reached new annual records for VC investment in 2019.
VC investment in Asia falls year-over-year
After achieving a massive record of $126 billion in 2018, Asia-based VC investment fell to $73 billion in 2019. On a quarterly basis, VC investment rose slightly to $18.7 billion in Q4’19, led by a $3.7 billion Series A round by Tenglong Holding Group in China, a $1.7 billion raise by PayTM in India, and a $1 billion raise by China-based Beike.
VC investment in China remained steady quarter-over-quarter at $11.1 billion, although the two largest deals in China accounted for $4.7 billion of this total during Q4’19. With four consecutive quarters of growth – including its second highest quarter of investment in Q4’19 ($4.6 billion), India achieved a new annual record high of over $12.5 billion in VC investment in 2019. Australia also saw its second-highest quarter of VC investment in Q4’19 ($339 million).
Future outlook positive, yet cautious
The challenges associated with WeWork’s IPO, combined with the mixed results associated with other unicorn IPOs during 2019 raised significant concerns regarding the profitability of companies – particularly unicorn companies on the path to IPO. These concerns will likely have VC investors undertaking more due diligence with respect to potential deals. Companies without strong business models and paths to profitability will likely find it more challenging to raise funds in the future.
“In 2019, we saw numerous unicorn companies IPO with a broad range of outcomes. Over the next few months, we’ll likely see this IPO activity continue as companies look to get out before the November presidential election in the US,” said Conor Moore, Co-Leader, KPMG’s Emerging Giants Network. “However, we are going to see companies, particularly consumer-focused companies, taking some time to put their financial house in order and to really prove the unit economics of their business models to investors. Profitability or a clear path thereto is going to be a key success factor for IPOs moving forward.”
SOURCE KPMG International
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Redefining Financial Frontiers: Nucleus Software Celebrates 30 Years with Synapse 2024 in Singapore
SINGAPORE, Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The thriving India–Singapore partnership in banking and technology reached a new milestone as Nucleus Software celebrated 30 years of transformative innovation at Synapse 2024, held in Singapore. The event underscored the company’s role in redefining financial services across Southeast Asia (SEA) and the globe, bringing together leaders in finance and technology to explore a shared vision for the future of banking.
Synapse 2024 celebrated 30 years of Nucleus Software’s leadership in driving transformative change across Singapore and Southeast Asia’s financial ecosystem. The event also shone a spotlight on the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), an initiative supported by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to champion responsible technology adoption. The event highlighted the deepening synergies between India and Singapore, driven by their shared commitment to innovation, cross-border collaboration, and financial inclusion. As the financial services sector undergoes rapid evolution with advancements in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital banking, these partnerships are setting the stage for a more connected, resilient, and inclusive global ecosystem.
Vishnu R. Dusad, Co-founder and Managing Director of Nucleus Software, reflected on the milestone: “For over 30 years, we’ve had the privilege of aligning our journey with Singapore’s ascent as a global financial powerhouse. Back in 1994, when we chose to go East instead of West, it was a bold and emotional decision—guided by our belief in Singapore as a hub for innovation and collaboration. We saw then what remains true today: Singapore is at the heart of the global financial landscape, a place where new ideas take root, and partnerships thrive.”
The event brought together a distinguished array of participants, highlighting the transformative potential of India–Singapore collaboration. Mr. Piyush Gupta, CEO of DBS Group and the Guest of Honor, set the tone for the event with his opening remarks, emphasizing the transformative role of big tech in reimagining scalable, customer-centric financial services in the digital age.
Following his address, key speakers enriched the discussions with their insights. Mr. Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Group CEO-Designate of The Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), underlined the importance of fostering responsible technology adoption and building inclusive financial ecosystems. Mr. Vinod Rai, globally respected public policy expert, Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore, and former Comptroller and Auditor General of India, shared his perspectives on governance and policy frameworks in financial systems. Mr. S.M. Acharya, Chairman of Nucleus Software and former Defence Secretary of India, offered a visionary outlook on leveraging technology to modernize and secure banking frameworks. Finally, Mr. Pieter Franken, Co-founder and Director of GFTN (Japan), a global FinTech pioneer and deep tech innovator, discussed the future of decentralized finance and its implications for the financial sector.
The event showcased the transformative role of technology in global financial systems, emphasizing innovations that set benchmarks for scalability and inclusivity. Panelists discussed the importance of localized solutions, the challenges of cross-border integration, and leveraging dual business models to optimize capital and foster public participation. The dialogue highlighted the need for common standards, unified frameworks like APIs, and collaborative efforts to accelerate financial inclusion and drive global connectivity in the digital age.
For 30 years, Nucleus Software has consistently introduced advanced lending and banking solutions that support financial institutions’ evolving needs in Singapore and South East Asia. Driven by lean development methodologies like Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD) and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CICD), Nucleus Software continues to push boundaries in efficient, flexible, and secure financial technology.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2565374/Synapse_2024.jpg
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OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Royal Canadian Mint (the “Mint”) announces its financial results for the third quarter of 2024 that provide insight into its activities, the markets influencing its businesses and its expectations for the next 12 months.
“As the markets continue to change, the Mint is proving its ability to seize on new opportunities thanks to its diversified structure and flexible business strategy” said Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.
The financial results should be read in conjunction with the Mint’s annual report available at www.mint.ca . All monetary amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated.
Financial and Operational Highlights
- The financial results for the third quarter of 2024 were ahead of target and higher than 2023 levels. Higher gold market pricing and foreign circulation volumes combined with lower fixed costs were the main drivers for the quarter over quarter increase. These increases were partially offset by lower than expected bullion volumes from the continued soft demand in the global bullion market. The Mint expects to meet its financial goals for 2024, as set out in its 2024-2028 Corporate Plan, the Mint’s Leadership team continues to actively monitor its status.
- Consolidated revenue decreased to $252.7 million in 2024 (2023 – $360.6 million).
Revenue from the Precious Metals business decreased to $217.6 million in 2024
(2023 – $328.4 million):- Gold bullion volumes decreased 38% quarter over quarter to 106.1 thousand ounces (2023 – 170.1 thousand ounces) while silver bullion volumes decreased 20% to 2.7 million ounces (2023 – 3.4 million ounces).
- Gold and silver market prices increased quarter over quarter by 27% and 23%, respectively.
- Sales of numismatic products decreased 12% quarter over quarter mainly due to the high demand in 2023 for the Queen Elizabeth II’s Reign products.
- Revenue from the Circulation business increased to $35.1 million in 2024
(2023 – $32.2 million):- Revenue from the Foreign Circulation business increased 77% quarter over quarter, a reflection of higher volumes produced and shipped in 2024 as compared to 2023.
- Revenue from Canadian coin circulation products and services decreased 12% quarter over quarter as fewer coins were required to replenish inventories, combined with lower program fees in accordance with the memorandum of understanding with the Department of Finance.
- Overall, operating expenses decreased 27% quarter over quarter to $28.3 million (2023 – $36.0 million) mainly due to planned reductions in consulting and workforce expenses.
Consolidated results and financial performance
(in millions)
|
13 weeks ended |
39 weeks ended |
|||||||||||
|
Change |
Change |
|||||||||||
|
September |
September |
$ |
% |
September |
September 30, 2023 |
$ |
% |
|||||
|
Revenue |
$ |
252.7 |
$ 360.6 |
(107.9) |
(30) |
$ 861.2 |
$ 1,841.8 |
(980.6) |
(53) |
|||
|
Profit (loss) for the period |
$ |
5.7 |
$ (5.8) |
11.5 |
(198) |
$ 24.1 |
$ 15.0 |
9.1 |
61 |
|||
|
Profit (loss) before |
$ |
1.4 |
$ (8.7) |
10.1 |
(116) |
$ 12.3 |
$ 23.4 |
(11.1) |
(47) |
|||
|
Profit (loss) before |
0.6 % |
(2.4) % |
1.4 % |
1.3 % |
||||||||
|
(1) Profit (loss) before income tax and other items is a non-GAAP financial measure. A reconciliation from profit for the period to profit before income tax and other items is included on page 13 of the Mint’s 2024 Third Quarter Report. |
|
(2) Profit (loss) before income tax and other items margin is a non-GAAP financial measure and its calculation is based on profit before income tax and other items. |
|
As at |
||||||||||
|
September 28, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
$ Change |
% Change |
|||||||
|
Cash |
$ |
58.4 |
$ |
59.8 |
(1.4) |
(2) |
||||
|
Inventories |
$ |
71.5 |
$ |
68.8 |
2.7 |
4 |
||||
|
Capital assets |
$ |
174.2 |
$ |
173.0 |
1.2 |
1 |
||||
|
Total assets |
$ |
376.8 |
$ |
380.4 |
(3.6) |
(1) |
||||
|
Working capital |
$ |
99.2 |
$ |
97.8 |
1.4 |
1 |
||||
As part of its enterprise risk management program, the Mint continues to actively monitor its global supply chain and logistics networks in support of its continued operations. Despite its best efforts, the Mint expects changes in the macro-economic environment and other external events around the globe to continue to impact its performance in 2024. The Mint continues to mitigate potential risks as they arise through its enterprise risk management process.
To read more of the Mint’s Third Quarter Report for 2024, please visit www.mint.ca.
About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. The Mint is one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, producing award-winning collector coins, market-leading bullion products, as well as Canada’s prestigious military and civilian honours. As an established London and COMEX Good Delivery refiner, the Mint also offers a full spectrum of best-in-class gold and silver refining services. As an organization that strives to take better care of the environment, to cultivate safe and inclusive workplaces and to make a positive impact on the communities where it operates, the Mint integrates environmental, social and governance practices in every aspect of its operations.
For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca. Follow the Mint on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS AND NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
This Earnings Release contains non-GAAP financial measures that are clearly denoted where presented. Non-GAAP financial measures are not standardized under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other corporations reporting under IFRS.
This Earnings Release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management’s expectations regarding the Mint’s objectives, plans, strategies, future growth, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “plans”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “believes”, “estimates”, “intends”, and other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are not facts, but only estimates regarding expected growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities (assumptions). While management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on available information, they may prove to be incorrect. These estimates of future results are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from what the Mint expects. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, those risks and uncertainties set forth in the Risks to Performance section of the Management Discussion and Analysis in the Mint’s 2023 annual report, as well as in Note 9 – Financial Instruments and Financial Risk Management to the Mint’s Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023. The forward-looking statements included in this Earnings Release are made only as of November 20, 2024 and the Mint does not undertake to publicly update these statements to reflect new information, future events or changes in circumstances or for any other reason after this date.
For more information, please contact: Alex Reeves, Senior Manager, Public Affairs, Tel: (613) 884-6370, [email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/royal-canadian-mint-reports-profits-and-performance-for-q3-2024-302314428.html
Fintech PR
OIVE and ViniPortugal celebrate closing of joint campaign that reached 100 million consumers
MADRID and PORTO, Portugal, Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — For three years, A Shared Passion showed European consumers the quality and unparalleled versatility of Iberian wines. The program reached over 100 million consumers with advertising in airports, train stations, press trips, digital content, and other actions with opinion leaders.
The wine interprofessionals of Spain (OIVE) and Portugal (ViniPortugal) celebrated the closing of their ambitious joint campaign A Shared Passion with flagship events in Madrid and Porto. The closing event in Spain took place in Madrid’s iconic Calle Alcalá, while in Portugal, the World of Wine (WOW) in Porto was the perfect setting to present the achievements of the international collaboration. Both ceremonies were very well received by the press and the wine sector, highlighting the impact of the promotional actions that reached more than 79.2 million travelers in key transport infrastructures.
The campaign included 22 study trips, taking 150 specialized journalists to explore the world of wine in both countries and generating publications that reached nearly 15 million European consumers.
On social media, the A Shared Passion profile on Instagram exceeded 15,000 followers, consolidating its presence in the digital sphere. In addition, exclusive activities such as workshops and VIP dinners contributed significantly to this initiative’s global impact.
The final events were honored by the presence of opinion leaders, such as Masters of Wine Pedro Ballesteros and Dirceu Vianna Júnior, who moderated round tables with the presidents of OIVE, Fernando Ezquerro, and ViniPortugal, Frederico Falcão. The conference concluded with masterclasses that highlighted Spain and Portugal’s extraordinary oenological diversity, reinforcing the relevance of the sector in the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of both countries.
With funding from the European Union, A Shared Passion highlighted not only the quality and authenticity of Iberian wines but also their strategic role in the sustainable development of numerous municipalities. This initiative underlines the passion with which Spanish and Portuguese wines are made, reflecting their rich traditions and commitment to the future.
For more information: www.asharedpassion.com
Video: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2565600/ViniPortugal_and_OIVE.mp4
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