Fintech PR
Uzum becomes first tech unicorn in Uzbekistan after raising over $100 mln in funding
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Uzum, a leading digital services ecosystem in Uzbekistan, has secured more than $100 mln in funding through a combination of a Series A funding round and debt financing, making Uzum the first tech company in Uzbekistan to achieve unicorn status with a post-money valuation of over $1 billion. Uzum plans to use the funds to develop the country’s IT and logistics infrastructure, as well as to fund its own BNPL-service.
Uzum secured over $50 mln in equity through a Series A funding round consisting wholly of primary investments. The round was led by the global venture capital firm FinSight Ventures (whose portfolio companies have included Intercom, ThoughtSpot, Automation Anywhere, Toss, GupShup, Razorpay, Bumble, Rappi, Carta and others), joined by Xanara Investment Management, a multifamily office in the UAE, and Uzum’s senior management team. The company separately raised an additional $50+ mln in debt financing.
Investors taking part in the Series A funding round will receive stakes of less than 5% in the company. Given Uzum’s strong performance in 2023 – its first full year of operations – and the ecosystem’s enormous potential, the shareholders decided to not substantially dilute their ownership stakes during the funding round. In 2024, Uzum plans to raise additional financing of approximately $200 million in a Series B funding round from investors in the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Combining e-commerce, fintech and banking services for individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises, the Uzum digital ecosystem includes a marketplace, an express delivery service, traditional and digital banks, a BNPL service, an automotive marketplace and an app for entrepreneurs. All of the ecosystem’s components are now being integrated into two superapps: Uzum for individuals, and Uzum Business for legal entities. By the end of 2023, the Uzum ecosystem had 10 million monthly average users and net profit just shy of $100 million. Meanwhile, Uzum’s retail banking and fintech businesses were among the leaders in the country in terms of profit, and its e-commerce business was the largest online platform in Uzbekistan by the number of users and number of orders, with turnover of around $150 million.
In 2024, Uzum plans to launch the largest logistics complex for e-commerce in the country, which is expected to increase e-commerce turnover on its platform by more than 150% during the year. It also plans to launch a number of ecosystem products for unsecured lending to individuals as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.
Alexey Garyunov, managing partner at FinSight Ventures, commented:
“We focus on FinTech, B2B SaaS and the e-commerce markets in the US and India, as well as investing in superapps in emerging markets. By combining convenient payment solutions with an e-commerce platform, Uzum achieved impressive results in just a year and a half, launching one of the top three apps in the country in terms of the number of downloads, trailing only instant messengers and social networks. Uzum has already become the national leader in its key business verticals (fintech and e-commerce) thanks to strong network effects and synergies between its various businesses. Uzbekistan is one of the markets where consumers moved from offline directly to mobile (bypassing the web browser stage), which makes this market ideal for creating a superapp that combines banking, fintech, e-commerce and other services in an ecosystem for consumers and entrepreneurs. We witnessed the success of Kaspi.kz in creating a superapp in neighboring Kazakhstan, Rappi in Latin America, and Toss in South Korea, and we are confident that Uzum, which has the necessary talent, resources and products, will repeat this success to become the national tech leader in Uzbekistan.
Djasur Djumaev, Uzum’s founder and CEO, said:
“Digital services in Uzbekistan today are incredibly popular. We see this in the growth rates of the markets that we work in as well as in our own experience. In a little over a year, we have built an ecosystem whose services are used by more than 10 million people in Uzbekistan every month. Last year, we earned nearly $100 million in net profit, and we intend to increase this figure this year, partly by integrating services within the Uzum ecosystem. We also plan to add new business streams and services for business and private users to the ecosystem this year. We see tremendous interest in the Uzbek market and in Uzum’s digital ecosystem as one of its drivers and, of course, this would not have been possible without the extraordinary team of world-class professionals who created the first tech unicorn in the country’s history.”
According to KPMG, Uzbekistan is home to the fastest-growing e-commerce market in Central Asia, with the potential to grow up to sevenfold by the end of 2027. At the same time, the country’s GDP grew by 6% in 2023, and Uzbekistan plans to double this figure in the next few years. Experts note that the country’s economy has the potential for growth and rapid digitalization thanks to several factors, including a high rate of Internet penetration, a young population, as well as a currently low penetration rate of banking and financial services.
About Uzum
Uzum is a digital ecosystem and the largest digital platform in Uzbekistan, providing services spanning e-commerce, express delivery, banking and fintech, and business development. More than 10 million people in Uzbekistan, or nearly one-third of the country’s population, use Uzum services every month. Learn more at uzum.com.
About FinSight
FinSight Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in investments in FinTech, B2B SaaS and e-commerce companies as well as other segments of the tech market. The company invests at various stages (from seed to later stages), covering the entire funding cycle for tech companies. FinSight focuses on the US and Indian markets and also invests on a more global scale in superapps in emerging markets. FinSight manages more than $500 million in assets, with investor returns of over $600 million since its founding in 2004.
One of the firm’s biggest deals was its investment in Bumble, which Blackstone acquired in 2019. At the time of the deal, the company was valued at $3b. Having backed Bumble from the very beginning, Finsight VC was the sole financial investor in the company.
About Xanara
Xanara Investment Management is a multifamily office located in Dubai. The company specializes in managing client assets, provides family office services, and also advises on wealth creation and preservation.
For additional information please contact: [email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/uzum-becomes-first-tech-unicorn-in-uzbekistan-after-raising-over-100-mln-in-funding-302099522.html
New logo reflects ability to power mission-critical decisions with confidence
LONDON, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Crisil Limited, a provider of ratings, data, research, analytics and solutions, today unveils its new brand logo.
The new brand identity, ‘Crisil’ (earlier written as CRISIL), reinforces the company’s position as a global, insights-driven analytics firm, building on a distinguished legacy of close to four decades.
Large and highly respected firms partner with us for the most reliable opinions on risk in India, and for uncovering powerful insights and turning risks into opportunities globally. We are integral to multiplying their opportunities and success.
Says Amish Mehta, Managing Director & CEO, Crisil, “Our reimagined brand expresses a more progressive vision of our future. It celebrates a pioneering and illustrious past and showcases our commitment to deliver actionable insights to clients. Our people’s analytical rigour and domain expertise will continue to set standards and empower clients to make mission-critical decisions with confidence. The new brand identity guides us in shaping how we present ourselves to the world, influencing every interaction internally and externally to help us deliver exceptional client value.”
The strategic brand transformation positions Crisil’s businesses — Crisil Ratings, Crisil Intelligence (formerly MI&A), Crisil Coalition Greenwich, and Crisil Integral IQ (formerly GR&RS) — under a cohesive identity that offers a consistent and more connected experience for clients around the world.
Crisil Ratings: Offers independent credit ratings in India that empower informed decisions and objective benchmarking by lenders, investors and issuers.
Crisil Intelligence: Offers insights, consulting, technology-driven risk solutions and advanced data analytics, serving clients across government, private and public enterprises, empowering them to make informed decisions.
Crisil Coalition Greenwich: Offers strategic benchmarking, analytics and insights to the financial services industry and specialises in providing unique, high-value and actionable information to help clients measure and drive their business performance.
Crisil Integral IQ: Offers solutions and actionable intelligence to financial institutions around the globe to deliver strategic transformation, optimise risk and drive operational excellence.
The main logo in bold black is simple yet strong, symbolising excellence and the certainty that we deliver. Complementing this, our business logos now feature a distinct teal colour that conveys the confidence and trust rooted in rigour and domain expertise.
About Crisil Limited
Crisil is a global, insights-driven analytics company. Our extraordinary domain expertise and analytical rigour help clients make mission-critical decisions with confidence.
Large and highly respected firms partner with us for the most reliable opinions on risk in India, and for uncovering powerful insights and turning risks into opportunities globally. We are integral to multiplying their opportunities and success.
Headquartered in India, Crisil is majority owned by S&P Global.
Founded in 1987 as India’s first credit rating agency, our expertise today extends across businesses: Crisil Ratings, Crisil Intelligence, Crisil Coalition Greenwich and Crisil Integral IQ.
Our globally diverse workforce operates in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Australia and the Middle East, setting the standards by which industries are measured.
For more information, visit www.Crisil.com
Connect with us: LINKEDIN | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK
Disclaimer
This press release is transmitted to you for the sole purpose of dissemination through your newspaper/ magazine/ agency. The press release may be used by you in full or in part without changing the meaning or context thereof but with due credit to Crisil. However, Crisil alone has the sole right of distribution of its press releases for consideration or otherwise through any media including websites, portals, etc.
Crisil has taken due care and caution in preparing this press release. Information has been obtained by Crisil from sources which it considers reliable. However, Crisil does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of information on which this press release is based and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this press release. Crisil especially states that it has no financial liability whatsoever to the subscribers/ users/ transmitters/ distributors of this press release.
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DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — MANTRA, a purpose-built layer 1 blockchain for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) has signed a US$1 billion agreement with DAMAC Group, a prominent investment conglomerate, renowned for its diversified portfolio that spans across key sectors such as real estate development, hospitality, data centres, and more, to tokenize assets in the Middle East.
The collaboration between MANTRA and the DAMAC Group will enable token-based financing for a diverse range of assets within the group’s extensive portfolio of companies, with a minimum value of US$1 billion.
The DAMAC Group assets will be available in early 2025, exclusively on MANTRA Chain, marking a bold step in leveraging blockchain technology to bring greater transparency, security, and accessibility to DAMAC Group’s wide-ranging assets. This milestone partnership is yet another step in MANTRA’s vision to become the preferred ledger of record for real-world assets.
“This partnership with DAMAC Group is an endorsement for the RWA industry. We’re thrilled to partner with such a prestigious group of leaders that share our ambitions and see the incredible opportunities of bringing traditional financing opportunities onchain,” said John Patrick Mullin, CEO of MANTRA.
Amira Sajwani, Managing Director of Sales & Development at DAMAC, said, “DAMAC is always exploring new technologies to enhance our product offerings. Partnering with MANTRA is a natural extension of our commitment to innovation and forward-thinking solutions. Tokenizing our assets will provide investors with a secure, transparent, and convenient way to access a wide range of investment opportunities.”
The MANTRA and DAMAC Group partnership follows the recent announcement of MANTRA Chain’s Mainnet launch, which went live in October, representing a significant milestone in the integration of traditional finance with blockchain technology.
About MANTRA:
MANTRA is a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain for real-world assets, capable of adherence to real world regulatory requirements. As a permissionless chain, MANTRA empowers developers and institutions to seamlessly participate in the evolving RWA tokenization space by offering advanced tech modules, compliance mechanisms, and cross-chain interoperability.
Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Discord
About DAMAC Group:
The DAMAC Group is the multi-billion-dollar business conglomerate of UAE based Hussain Sajwani. The Group’s investments are divided into seven core areas; real estate, capital markets, hotels & resorts, manufacturing, catering, high-end fashion and data centres.
Some of the Group’s most notable activities include DAMAC Properties, one of the region’s largest property developers, the acquisition of the Italian fashion house, Roberto Cavalli and luxury Swiss jewellery brand de GRISOGONO, the 50-storey development DAMAC Towers Nine Elms in London and a luxury resort in the Maldives.
In a bid to disrupt the global data centre landscape, the Group recently announced plans to build data centres through its digital infrastructure company, EDGNEX Data Centers by DAMAC, across different global locations.
Today, the Group’s global footprint extends across North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. With its vision firmly set on growth and expansion, the Group continues in its quest for diversification and business excellence.
Visit us at www.damacgroup.com
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mantra-and-damac-group-revolutionize-tokenized-real-world-assets-with-us1-billion-deal-302346789.html
- Transaction marks the EQT Transition Infrastructure strategy’s second highly thematic investment over the past month, to be acquired with capital from EQT’s balance sheet
- Scale Microgrids is a vertically integrated energy company that designs, builds, finances, owns, and operates microgrids and distributed energy assets in North America, with a vision to power the world with distributed energy.
- EQT will support Scale Microgrids along its existing growth journey through significant investments in its commercial processes, tech platform and project execution capabilities, enabling the Company to own and operate billions of dollars in distributed generation assets.
NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — EQT is pleased to announce that EQT Transition Infrastructure (“EQT”) has agreed to acquire Scale Microgrids (“Scale” or the “Company”), a leading vertically integrated developer, acquirer, owner, and operator of microgrids and distributed energy resources for commercial & industrial, EV fleet, data center, municipal, university, hospital, and agricultural customers, developers and communities, from Warburg Pincus and other existing shareholders.
Headquartered in Ridgewood New Jersey, Scale’s portfolio consists of roughly 250 MWs of operating and in-construction assets, with another 2.5 GWs of near-term pipeline. Scale deploys a variety of technologies including solar, battery storage, natural gas generators, fuel cell and combined heat and power, and its portfolio represents one of the largest pure-play microgrid portfolios in the United States.
The transaction marks EQT’s first North American investment out of its recently launched Transition Infrastructure strategy, which is aimed at scaling businesses that enable the transition to clean energy and a more resource-efficient, circular economy. In December 2024, EQT announced the launch of the strategy and its inaugural investment in ju:niz Energy, a battery energy storage system developer and operator.
Jan Vesely, Partner and Head of EQT Transition Infrastructure, said: “We are thrilled that Scale Microgrids will become EQT Transition Infrastructure’s first investment in North America, underscoring our commitment to driving the energy transition globally and supporting a decarbonized and climate-resilient future while addressing the accelerated electricity demand in North America. We see enormous potential to accelerate Scale’s growth and establish it as one of the market’s leading vertically integrated energy companies.”
Ryan Goodman, CEO of Scale Microgrids, said: “Today marks the start of an exciting new chapter for our company. EQT brings a depth of experience, resources, and capital that will enable us to continue pursuing our vision to power the world with distributed energy. I’m incredibly proud of what our team has built, and believe this transaction will enable us to unlock even greater opportunities for the customers, employees, and communities we serve. We’re appreciative of our past shareholders, led by Warburg Pincus, for their support in helping us get to where we are today.”
Scale addresses several of today’s most pressing grid challenges, including rapid load growth from data centers and fleet electrification, power generation capacity constraints, and increased frequency of grid outages. Scale’s assets add resiliency to power systems, enable faster access to power relative to extended interconnection wait times, and provide cost savings and predictable power compared to the grid while advancing customers’ decarbonization and sustainability objectives.
Ryan Dalton, Managing Director at Warburg Pincus, said: “Scale has achieved incredible growth over the past five years, establishing a strong reputation as one of the leading providers of next generation power infrastructure. The Company has successfully grown to nearly 3 GW of operating, in-construction and near-term pipeline assets, closed multiple financings to fund future project development and maintains a strong customer base. We look forward to watching the Company’s next phase of growth with EQT, and continuing their mission to provide cleaner, cheaper and more reliable power.”
EQT brings a long-term strategic focus, deep experience in investing across the renewables infrastructure sector, and significant resources, and will focus on making strategic investments, including incremental capital, in Scale’s commercial processes, software systems, and project execution capabilities to continue to develop the business into a best-in-class, multi-technology energy services leader focused on the highest growth market segments, enabling Scale to own and operate billions of dollars in distributed generation assets.
The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals.
EQT was advised by Weil, Gotshal & Manges (legal) and Guggenheim Securities (financial). Scale Microgrids was advised by Latham & Watkins (legal), Nomura Greentech (financial), and Truist Securities (financial).
Contact
EQT Press Office, [email protected]
Warburg Pincus Press Office, Sarah Bloom, [email protected]
Scale Microgrids Press Office, Nicole Green, [email protected]
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.
https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/eqt-to-acquire-distributed-energy-company-scale-microgrids,c4089266
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