Nodwin Gaming’s Singapore arm has acquired a 100 percent stake in game marketing agency PublishME for $2 million. PublishME offers game launch plans, social media management, sponsorship, and activations to its partners. With this acquisition, Nodwin Gaming aims to expand its presence across the globe, particularly in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Turkey. The company believes that the inclusion of PublishME will help them understand and access these emerging markets more effectively.
slice to Merge with North East Small Finance Bank
Fintech unicorn slice and North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB) have announced a merger. This is the first instance of a fintech startup merging with a small finance bank in India. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the deal, and slice will become an SFB as a result. However, the merger is still subject to shareholder consent and other regulatory approvals. The merger between slice and NESFB is seen as a significant development in the fintech and banking space.
Krafton Launches Gaming Incubator for Indian Startups
Krafton, the maker of Battlegrounds Mobile India, has launched a gaming incubator for early-stage startups, students, and independent developers in India. The initiative, called Krafton India Gaming Incubator, aims to support six to ten teams annually. Selected participants will receive financial assistance ranging from $50,000 to $150,000, as well as access to Krafton’s internal resources such as data analytics and market research. The incubator will be led by former Gameloft and Glu Mobile executive Anuj Sahani.
Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan Launch Skincare Brand 9Skin
Actor Nayanthara and director Vignesh Shivan have launched a skincare brand called 9Skin. The brand has launched its premium line of skincare products in Singapore, Malaysia, and India. The products range from Rs 999 to Rs 1899 and are currently available on the brand’s website. Nayanthara and Vignesh have previously invested in a beverage chain and have now ventured into the skincare industry. Details about their investment in 9Skin have not been disclosed.
Fintech Startup DPDzero Raises $3.25 Million in Seed Funding
Fintech startup DPDzero has raised $3.25 million in a seed funding round led by Blume Ventures and IndiaQuotient. The company plans to use the funding to enhance product distribution, expedite product development, and hire new talent. DPDzero offers an AI-powered collections and debt recovery platform and claims to have witnessed 700 percent growth in revenue in just 10 months.
ClearFeed Secures $2.7 Million in Seed Funding
Conversational support platform ClearFeed has raised $2.7 million in a seed funding round led by Peak XV’s Surge. The funding will be used to drive the company’s next stage of growth, including product development and expanding its go-to-market teams in India. ClearFeed enables business customers to create and collaborate on support tickets within Slack, improving collaboration and response times.
FreightFox Raises $600,000 in Seed Round
Intelligent supply chain platform FreightFox has raised $600,000 in a seed funding round led by Aeravti Ventures. The funding will be used to further develop the platform and expand into new markets. FreightFox aims to streamline logistics for the manufacturing sector with its data and AI capabilities.
Altitude Raises Undisclosed Capital to Launch Flagship Product
Financial services platform Altitude has raised an undisclosed amount of capital in a funding round led by 40 investors from notable institutions. The funds will be used to accelerate the launch of Altitude Prism, a Structured Fixed Income Instrument that the company aims to list on the National Stock Exchange. The platform has already attracted founders, operators, and leaders from top institutions, and plans to strengthen its leadership in fund and risk management teams.
Artha Ventures and Rockstud Capital Exit Everest Fleet
Fleet management startup Everest Fleet’s investors, Artha Venture Fund and Rockstud Capital, have exited the company. Rockstud claims to have made a return of 18.8X on its investment in Everest Fleet. Both Artha and Rockstud invested in the startup in 2019 when it had a few hundred vehicles in its fleet. Everest Fleet recently raised $20 million in a Series B funding round from Uber and Paragon Partners.
81% of Indians Intend to Increase Online Spending During Festive Season
A study conducted by Nielsen Media India on behalf of Amazon India reveals that 81% of Indians intend to increase online spending during the festive season. Electronic items are the top priorities for consumers during this period. The study highlights the growing trend of online shopping and the popularity of electronics among Indian consumers.
Sources:
– Nodwin Gaming’s Singapore arm acquires 100 percent stake in PublishMe:
– slice gets rare RBI nod to merge with North East Small Finance Bank:
– Krafton launches gaming incubator for early-stage Indian startups:
– Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan launch new skincare brand 9Skin:
– DPDzero gets $3.25 million from Blume Ventures and IndiaQuotient:
– ClearFeed raises $2.7 million from Peak XV’s Surge and others:
– FreightFox gets $600,000 from Aeravti Ventures in seed round:
– Altitude raises undisclosed capital to launch its flagship product:
– Artha Ventures and Rockstud Capital exit from Everest Fleet:
– 81% Indians intend to increase online spending from last year this festive season, electronics top the shopping cart.