The Parent Inc. Founder and CEO Roshni Mahtani
theAsianparent onboards Thailand’s Central Retail as investor
Singapore-based The Parent Inc. (formerly Tickled Media), the owner of theAsianparent, one of Southeast Asia’s leading community and content platforms for mums and parents, has closed a US$22 million round.
The funding round was led by East Ventures and other undisclosed investors. New investor Central Retail Corporation and existing investor WHG Holdings participated.
The round comprised a mixture of primary and secondary investment alongside venture debt. The venture debt funding was provided by DBS and is the second such venture debt financing obtained from the bank.
The deal comes close on the heels of announcing LINE SEA as a shareholder late last month.
The Parent Inc. owns and operates several media platforms, including Mama’s Choice, a direct to consumer brand that manufactures and retails safe, natural, Halal, and FDA-approved pregnancy, nursing, baby care, and household products for families in Asia. Its other publications are:
- Asian Money Guide (a personal finance and career portal for women).
- HerStyleAsia (delivering cutting-edge content on the Asian entertainment, style, and culture scenes).
- Nonilo (a food, home, and DIY lifestyle hub).
theAsianparent is available in 11 languages in 13 countries, including Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, India, Taiwan, Japan and Nigeria.
Also Read: How theAsianparent aims to help reduce stillbirth rates in Southeast Asia
Today, the firm claims to reach over 35 million users monthly. According to Mahtani, the company’s revenue grew 100 per cent in 2021 y-o-y.
Conversational AI platform Active.Ai gets acquired
Gupshup, a global conversational engagement company, has acquired Singapore-based Active.Ai, a conversational AI platform used by banks and fintech firms.
The acquisition strengthens Gupshup’s customer experience solutions for BFSI customers.
Headquartered in Singapore, Active.Ai serves BFSI customers across 43 countries with its conversational banking-as-a-service (CBaaS) platform that helps clients engage with millions of consumers every month.
Also Read: Singapore fintech startup Active.ai raises US$8.25M to help banks adopt AI solutions
Active.Ai claims to have enabled more than 300 million user interactions via voice, video and messaging, managed over 30 million service requests and fulfilled 50 million-plus enquiries.
Active.Ai’s investors include InnoCells, Kalaari Capital, Vertex Ventures, Chiratae Ventures, CreditEase, DI and Kstart.
Textile tech platform Wifkain raises seed funding
Indonesia-based tech-enabled textile trading platform Wifkain has secured an undisclosed seed funding led by Insignia Ventures Partners.
Prominent angels, including Atome’s Wawan Salum, participated.
The money will help expand the suite of services provided to SMEs and fashion brands on Wifkain’s platform, onboarding more merchants and building the team.
Founded in 2020, Wifkain is a supply chain platform for all fashion brands in Indonesia. The startup aims to bring convenience for businesses to source fabrics from direct suppliers, both online and offline.
Customers can view and order fabrics online. Samples can be ordered effortlessly for direct touch and feel within a 24-hour delivery.
Since its launch in 2020, Wifkain claims it has seen 11x year-on-year growth with over 150 merchants across Java Island.
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The post SEA roundup: theAsianparent closes US$22M Series D round, Gupshup acquires Active.Ai appeared first on e27.