IDG leads $20m Series B for China's Dew Mobile

Previous backers Northern Light Venture Capital and Innovation Works also took part in the round; the pair had previously provided a $4 million Series A round and $2 million angel investment.

DewMobile was set up in 2012 by Frank Wang, who previously founded wireless network company Azalea Networks. Its flagship app Zapya, or Kuaiya as it is known in China, allows users to transfer files between devices without being connected to the internet.

It reconfigures the Wi-Fi chip in a user's smart phone or computer so it works as a router that can send out signals and establish a connection to other devices. The process is intended to be more reliable than cloud storage, and easier than than using Bluetooth or NFC for file-sharing.

The app is particularly useful for people living in areas where internet connectivity is poor. Over 90% of Zapya's users are from China, with others are in places like Malaysia and Myanmar. Zapya claims to have 80 million users and expects the number to swell to 200 million by next year.

According to The Wall Street Journal, many Zapya users can be found in lower-tier cities where people who do not have an internet connection at home or work meet in so-called download bars to share movies and mobile games.

Proceeds from this latest investment will be used to expand DewMobile's team of 70 staff to 140. The firm currently has offices in Beijing, Nanjing and the US. The business will maintain its focus on China, Southeast Asia and other emerging markets and plans to expand to the US at a later date.

 

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Save this article  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Venture
• Early-stage
• Technology
• IDG Capital Partners
• Northern Light Venture Capital
• Innovation Works
• Technology