Webrazzi

Mobile-payment service Settle attracts $1.5M in funding from Russian venture fund Life.SREDA

Brendan Maynard | July 31, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

Russian venture fund Life.SREDA announces that they have invested an undisclosed amount in Ukrainian mobile-payment platform Settle, with plans to eventually back the Kiev-based service with $1.5 million in exchange for equity.

A few weeks ago, we looked at loyalty program Advice Wallet, a Ukrainian-created startup that rewards users with discounts for repeat business. Now, two of that company’s co-founders, Stas Matvienko and Anna Polischuk, prepare to enter the mobile-payment business.

CrowdCurity announces $1 million funding from Tim Draper, Kima Ventures and others

Brendan Maynard | July 30, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

Danish-born CrowdCurity announces that they have raised $1 million in a seed round from Tim Draper, Kima Ventures, and several private backers Gerhard Eschelbeck and Dr. Fengmin Gong. The startup intends to use the funds to expand its crowdsourced security marketplace of responsible disclosure and bug bounty programs.

Though currently based in Silicon Valley, the startup was launched by Danes Jacob Hansen, Christian Hansen, Esben Friis-Jensen, and Jakob Storm last July.

Coub, the Russian answer to Vine, raises $2.5M in Series A

Brendan Maynard | July 29, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

Russian video service Coub announces that they have obtained $2.5 million in funding from Vaizra Investment Funds, a New York-based VC created by VK (formerly Vkontakte) co-founders Lev Leviev and Vyacheslav Mirilashvili.

The round, which follows a $1-million round that they raised from Brother Ventures and Phenomen Ventures last year, will enable the company to continue to develop their iOS app and to expand internationally. Since brothers Igor and Anton Gladborodokov and Mikhail Tabunov founded the company back in 2012, it has exploded in popularity, now claiming 50 million unique monthly users and 337 million monthly views.

Medical booking and rating platform DocPlanner acquires Turkish market leader

Noyan Ayan | July 29, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

Medical booking platform DocPlanner has announced the acquisition of its Turkish counterpart Eniyihekim for an undisclosed amount. The Warsaw headquartered company claims the dominant position in the European market, increasing its monthly visitors by 1.5 million to 6 million with the takeover.

The team behind Turkey’s main doctor appointment and rating platform will be joining DocPlanner, growing it to over 100 people based in 3 counties. As a part of the deal, DocPlanner will invest capital and expertise in Eniyihekim’s sales and customer care units, and optimise its mobile app and reach.

Swedish med-tech firm Getinge acquires Danish counterpart Cetrea for reported €12M

Brendan Maynard | July 24, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

Getinge, a Swedish firm specializing in medical technology, announces that they have acquired Danish counterpart Cetrea for a reported €12 million. As part of the deal, Cetrea will be integrated under the Maquet name.

Despite the acquisition, Cetrea will also continue to operate as a Denmark-registered company. Together, the companies plan to combine Cetrea’s clinical-logistics solutions and Getinge’s operating-room services to target the entire hospital.

Rocket Internet re-enters Turkish market with local version of ClickBus

Noyan Ayan | July 24, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

Rocket Internet who had terminated operations in Turkey two years ago has decided to re-enter the market with TikoBus, a local version of the German incubator’s Brasil-headquartered long distance bus ticket sales marketplace ClickBus.

The new platform starts with over 65 bus travel companies on board, offering tickets to more than 3,500 destinations across the country.

TikoBus engine lists the schedules and prices for a bus travel to a destination with an option to buy the ticket instantly. The website also offers a full-refund option if the travel plans of a client changes.

First group of speakers announced for Webrazzi Summit 2014

Noyan Ayan | July 23, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

A preliminary list of speakers is announced for Webrazzi Summit 2014, one of the most influential internet and tech conferences in Turkey and the surrounding region. The conference will be held on 25th of September this year in Swissotel The Bosphorus, with the anticipated participation of over 1500 attendees from the leading companies and institutions shaping the digital ecosystem in the world.

The announced list of speakers includes BlaBlaCar co-founder and COO Nicolas Brusson, Y Combinator partner and CFO Kirsty Nathoo, Tech.eu writer and founder Robin Wauters, TechCrunch Europe editor Mike Butcher, SimilarWeb co-founder and CEO Or Offer,Web Arts founder Andre Morys, MUBI founder Efe Çakarel, Aslanoba Capital‘s founder and owner Hasan Aslanoba, HotelTonight‘s EMEA Managing Director Heather Leisman, CAPTCHA inventor and Duolingo founder Luis von Ahn, LaMetric founder Nazar Bilous and ArabNet founder Omar Christidis.

Quandoo closes $25m growth financing round to expand globally

Noyan Ayan | July 23, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

Real-time restaurant reservation platform Quandoo announced the closing of its Series C financing round lead by Piton Capital and affiliates.

Berlin-based company says the new funds will be used to ‘extend its market leadership in Germany, Austria and Italy across Europe, while preparing to launch also in Asia-Pacific and South America’.

Holtzbrinck Ventures and DN Capital, the two VCs who lead the A and B round, , as well as the Sixt family (lead investor in the Seed round) and Texas Atlantic Capital, participated in this growth-financing round.

Startupbootcamp FinTech announces 10 startups to join its 3-month acceleration program

Noyan Ayan | July 21, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

Startupbootcamp FinTech, a London-based accelerator focusing on financial technologies and innovation, has announced the first list of 10 fintech startups selected to join its 2014 program. The lucky startups, six of which are based in Europe and two in the US, will be working together with hundreds of mentors, partners and investors to build innovative and marketable fintech products over 3 months of acceleration period.

Startupbootcamp Fintech London will be offering the winners 3+1 months office space, €15K in cash per team and a bunch of expensive partner services to be provided for free, all in return for 8% equity in the participating company.

Global app ecosystem grows unprecedentedly, risks monopolization – GPBullhound

Noyan Ayan | July 17, 2014 | No Comment Tweet

App-driven mobile computing has created an unprecedented value so far, and will get even bigger as the people can no longer live without their ‘smart’ mobile devices. A report by GP Bullhound, a tech investment banking company, underlines that the mobile service providers will continue to shape the economy across the globe as long as they are able to stay relevant, cultivate large active user bases and convert their user relationships into money. However, this unprecedented growth also risks harming the competition by shutting a territory to new comers.