Japan analytics player Abeja raises $2m
Japanese corporate analytics platform Abeja has raised JPY200 million ($2 million) in Series B funding from PNB Inspire Partners, a domestic investor aimed at helping companies expand into Southeast Asia and Islamic countries.
According to a statement, the capital will be used to strengthen the company's international competitiveness, especially in ASEAN member states. As the investment is Sharia-compliant, it is expected to allow the company to integrate more smoothly into the region's Islamic business hubs including Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
Founded in 2012, Abeja offers retailers services to enhance customer analyses such as tools for measuring customer waiting times and recording the age and gender of store visitors. Its flagship product, Abeja Platform, is used in around 100 Japanese retail stores.
The company received a JPY530 million investment in July as part of its Series B round, provided by Innovation Network Corporation of Japan and Archetype Ventures. This followed an angel round from Archetype, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital and others in 2014 as well as a Series A round from Salesforce Ventures the same year.
The latest investment was made from the JPY4.9 billion PNB-Inspire Ethical Fund I, which focuses on IT, communications, food, agriculture, environment and biotechnology. The vehicle was founded in 2014 by emerging markets investor Inspire Corporation and PNB Asset Management, a Japanese subsidiary of Malaysian fund manager Permodalan Nasional.
More on Southeast Asia
Latest News
Asian GPs slow implementation of ESG policies - survey
Asia-based private equity firms are assigning more dedicated resources to environment, social, and governance (ESG) programmes, but policy changes have slowed in the past 12 months, in part due to concerns raised internally and by LPs, according to a...
Singapore fintech start-up LXA gets $10m seed round
New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has led a USD 10m seed round for Singapore’s LXA, a financial technology start-up launched by a former Asia senior executive at The Blackstone Group.
India's InCred announces $60m round, claims unicorn status
Indian non-bank lender InCred Financial Services said it has received INR 5bn (USD 60m) at a valuation of at least USD 1bn from unnamed investors including “a global private equity fund.”
Insight leads $50m round for Australia's Roller
Insight Partners has led a USD 50m round for Australia’s Roller, a venue management software provider specializing in family fun parks.