Key Multiples
M&A, JVs, and Alliances
Marketplace News
BrightCHAMPS acquires K12 education marketplace, Edjust
- BrightCHAMPS, a GSV Ventures-backed edtech platform, has acquired Edjust, a K12 education marketplace, in an undisclosed cash and stock deal, to fuel its international growth
- Edjust, founded in 2022, leverages AI, human emotional intelligence, and data-driven contact centers to connect with parents with a strong interest in edtech products, established by edtech sales professionals, and has developed networks of parents in the US and UK
- Edjust plans to improve the sales model and expand parent networks across the 30 regions in which the company operates; additionally, they intend to implement stricter customer acquisition standards and refine the sales model
Linnworks partners with an e-commerce marketplace, Temu
- Linnworks, a provider of inventory, order, and warehouse management solutions for e-commerce retailers, has partnered? with Temu, an e-commerce marketplace
- This collaboration will allow retailers worldwide to effectively manage their operations while reaching millions of consumers globally through Temu's platform and will help streamline retailer operations by automating inventory updates, listing creation, price management, and order processing, including dispatch, tracking, refunds, and cancellations, between the two platforms
- “This partnership with Temu is a significant step forward in our commitment to connecting retailers with high-growth marketplaces. Emerging platforms like Temu are making great strides in the global e-commerce industry, offering unprecedented opportunities for retailers around the world to reach new audiences and drive growth. We are pleased to be playing a role in empowering these retailers with the tools and integrations needed to thrive in such dynamic environments,” said Chris Timmer, CEO of Linnworks
Kaspi.kz acquires Hepsiburada marketplace
- Kaspi.kz, a Kazakhstan-based fintech company, has acquired a 65.4% stake in Hepsiburada, a Turkish marketplace worth $1.1BN
- Kaspi.kz bought 40.0MM class A shares and 173.2MM class B shares of D-Market Electronic Services & Trading (Hepsiburada) under the agreement
- This partnership has the potential to drive progress in e-commerce and digital services in Kazakhstan and Turkey, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises
- “Expanding our addressable market to 100 million people has been an important strategic priority for Kaspi.kz. Going forward, we will leverage the combined knowledge and technology that the Kaspi.kz and Hepsiburada teams bring in order to deliver fast and sustainable bottom-line growth well into the future” said, Mikheil Lomtadze, CEO of Kaspi.kz
E-commerce News
eBay, an e-commerce platform plans to acquire Caramel
- eBay, an e-commerce platform has planned to acquire Caramel, an end-to-end online automotive transaction platform
- Caramel’s innovative technology platform delivers a secure and seamless digital transaction experience that manages the complexities of a vehicle sale, including paperwork, ownership transfer, financing, transportation, and more
- This acquisition of Caramel will make buying and selling vehicles on eBay more simple, regardless of which US state the vehicle and the buyer are located in
- “eBay’s acquisition of Caramel is about creating trust for vehicle buyers. Buying a car is a big moment. Caramel's platform brings it all into one simple, seamless process: title and identity verification, insurance, financing – even shipping the car to the buyer after purchase,” said Chris Prill, General Manager of eBay Motors
Zalando secures majority stake in ABOUT YOU
- The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority has approved Zalando's acquisition of ABOUT YOU shares at $6.8 per share, representing a 12% premium over the median analyst target price
- Zalando has secured nearly 80% of ABOUT YOU's share capital through agreements with major shareholders Otto Group, Otto Family, HEARTLAND, and the three founders and management board members of ABOUT YOU, as well as additional purchases
- The deal's acceptance period concludes on 17 February 2025, and the transaction is anticipated to be finalized in summer 2025, subject to regulatory approvals
Sector news
Marketplace News
Ambak, a fintech marketplace for home loans, raises $7.0MM from investors
- Ambak, a fintech marketplace for home loans, has raised $7.0MM in combined seed and pre-Series A funding round led by Peak XV Partners
- The round also saw participation from other investors, including Advantedge VC, DeVC, and a network of angel investors
- "We felt that the distribution of the secured retail lending space, in which home loans is the largest component, was riddled with lack of innovation despite lenders having made monumental upgrades in the last 5 years," said Rameshwar Gupta, CTO of Ambak
Aligned marketplace raises $3.0MM seed funding
- Aligned Marketplace, a primary care marketplace for self-insured employers, has secured an additional $3.0MM in seed funding from existing lead investors A* and Maverick Ventures?
- This funding will capitalize on the rising demand for Advanced Primary Care (APC) among employers to accelerate growth
- "As employers grapple with rising healthcare costs, they are motivated to find innovative, value-based solutions. Advanced primary care is a win-win for employers who are looking to cut down on costs and provide access to healthcare their employees will actually use and love. We are excited to present the partnership with 7-Eleven and other employers this spring at multiple employer benefit conferences" said Patrick Nelli, CEO of Aligned Marketplace
E-commerce News
Meesho secures $550.0MM in fresh funding amid IPO and expansion plans
- Meesho, an e-commerce platform based in Bengaluru, has secured $250.0–$270.0MM? in a funding round led by new investors Tiger Global, Think Investments, and Mars Growth Capital, bringing the total to $550.0MM
- The majority of the $550MM round was secondary and was carried out as the business eyes an initial public offering
- The company and the board previously discussed that the primary capital raise is mainly intended to support the merger, as they prefer not to use their existing cash reserves
Live shopping platform Whatnot secures $265.0MM in funding
- Whatnot, a live shopping platform, has raised $265.0MM in a series E funding round, bringing its valuation to a staggering $4.9BN
- The round was led by Greycroft, DST Global, and Avra, with participation from existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, CapitalG, BOND, and Y Combinator, along with new investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and Durable Capital Partners
- Whatnot was established in 2019, has transformed the online shopping experience by merging community and commerce into an interactive live shopping platform
- The funding will allow the company to continue transforming the online shopping experience
Amplience secures $39.3MM from AshGrove Capital
- Amplience, a UK headless content management platform, has raised $39.3MM from AshGrove Capital, bringing its funding to more than $258.0MM
- Amplience enables e-commerce brands and retailers across EMEA and North America to create, manage, and distribute digital content seamlessly across multiple channels, including websites, email, apps, and social media
- Amplience will use this funding to improve its e-commerce content management
- "This funding will help support our growth and fuel further investment in our platform, product roadmap, and most importantly, in delivering enhanced value to our customers. By strengthening our ability to meet their evolving needs, we aim to deepen our partnerships and support their success." said Bart Cloyd, Co-CEO and CFO of Amplience
E-commerce logistics startup Pipe17 secures $15.5MM in series A funding
- Pipe17, a Seattle-based startup that built a platform to manage e-commerce operations, has raised $15.5MM in a series A round
- LFX Venture Partners led the funding round with participation from current investors, including GLP
- The startup developed an artificial intelligence technology to manage various aspects of e-commerce, such as supply chain, pricing, order processing, inventory, warehousing, order routing, and delivery logistics
- “Joining Pipe17 feels like history repeating itself. When I joined commerce tools, I saw a massive market opportunity to redefine how businesses power e-commerce via headless and composable commerce infrastructure and we did exactly that. Now, with Pipe17, I see the same potential,” said Kelly Goetsch, COO of Pipe17
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