1947 Tech 🇮🇳: 123

Once a week newsletter: Insights on Tech, markets, startups, venture capital, and foreign investments in India

1. India’s first unicorn InMobi to issue guidance on IPO in few quarters, says CEO

Sometimes one event is all it takes. 

It sets the narrative. The narrative brings massive change in the mindset. 

Mindset is everything

Massive news for the Indian tech ecosystem.

After Policybazaar, InMobi has also announced to go public soon. 

India's first unicorn InMobi to issue guidance on IPO in few quarters, says CEO

2. Silver Lake leads $500 million investment round in Indian online learning giant Byju’s

Edtech, fintech, gaming, digitizing SMEs, this is India tech ecosystem in 2020.

One sector that stood out the most is Edtech. In fact, who knew India would produce the most valuable Etech company in the world. 

Here were are.

Byju’s has raised $500 million in a new financing round that values the Indian online learning platform at $10.8 billion, a source familiar with the matter told TechCrunch.

The round was led by Menlo Park-headquartered PE firm Silver Lake, and existing investors Tiger Global, General Atlantic and Owl Ventures have also participated

Silver Lake didn’t stop here: PE fund Silver Lake to invest in Reliance Retail, buys 1.75% stake for Rs 7,500 crore ($1.2B)

Silver Lake leads $500 million round in India's Byju's

3. Early-stage deal activity picks up after Covid-19 crisis slowed investments

Early stage venture investments have picked up significantly since July, after a relatively slow period of deal-making in the previous quarter, multiple investors told ET. The pandemic is throwing up opportunities for new digital businesses, prompting more entrepreneurs to enter the fray.

Deal flow and the number of startup ideas a venture firm evaluates registered a 50%-plus uptick from the previous quarter, according to at least six funds ET spoke to, with some also attesting to an improvement in the quality of founders.

Early-stage deal activity picks up after Covid-19 crisis slowed

Worth your attention:

1. India bans PUBG Mobile, and over 100 other Chinese apps Link

2. India has key factors necessary to create top-tier edtech companies: Owl Ventures MD Link

3. These 4 homegrown VC firms have helped shape the Indian startup ecosystem into the powerhouse of today Link

4. Indian agri-tech sector can grow to $24.1 billion in five yearsLink

5. Robinhoods taking hold of Indian market too Link

Funding:

1. WeWork India raises $100 million from WeWork Global Link

2. Tiger & Kora in $250M Zomato funding round Link

3. Livspace raises $90 million led by Kharis Capital and Venturi Partners Link

4. Gaming startup MPL to close $50 Mn Series B round led by SIG Link

5. Pagarbook set to raise $7 Mn from Sequoia Capital Link

A week in review:

Shiva Singh Sangwan @shivassangwan

This week in 🇮🇳! • Silver Lake leads $500 million investment round in Byju’s • Silver Lake to invest $1b in Reliance Retail • WeWork India raises $100M from WeWork Global • Tiger & Kora in $250M Zomato funding round • Livspace raises $90M

Shiva Singh Sangwan @shivassangwan

• InMobi to go public in a few quarters, says CEO • Gaja Capital may lead $100M round in 1MG • MPL to close $50M Series B round led by SIG • Electric ride-hailing platform BluSmart raises $7M • Early-stage deal activity picks up after COVID-19 crises slowed investments

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