Category Archives: Deals

FunPuntos acquired by Acid Labs

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With Latin American countries topping the ‘happiness’ global ranking report (2013), FunPuntos news that they have been acquired provides another step forward in their mission to see that the region’s customer retail experience will be the same.

Just 59 days after FunPuntos (Fun Points) announced its launch, today we bring news from an official company representative that FunPuntos has been acquired by Acid Labs for an undisclosed sum.

FunPuntos is a smartphone enabled customer loyalty app with backend merchant management system, that was created by Oxford University alumni Daliso Zuze and Nabil Meralli.
Continue reading →

Aurus Capital ‘Taggify’ US$750k

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As reported by Andrea Hartung yesterday (via La Tercera), Taggify, which allows publishers to monetize their website through relevant ads in text, images and videos, has received a US $750k investment from Aurus Capital.

 

Tiburcio de la Carcova played his major role (as advisor) in this game when he introduced Gustavo Bessone (Taggify CEO and co-founder) to Raimundo Cerda (Aurus Managing Partner). Continue reading →

Sequoia Capital hits Latin America 40 years later, with Scanntech US$10M investment

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Editor’s note: The official press release was reported on December 7, 2011. 

This may seem like ‘old’ news, however, since we’re continuously hunting uncovered news about Latin America startup scene that haven’t received coverage in the English markets, we decided to publish this information regardless.

Back in 2011, Raul Polakof (Scanntech CEO) discussed the challenges and opportunities of building a business in a small market and how his company survived a financial crisis and the brink of bankruptcy. 9 months later, Scanntech, a Uruguayan based company that provides a platform for small business, received US$10M invesment from Sequoia Capital. The funding are for growing purposes and will help to strengthten Scanntech expansion in the region.

This is the first time that Sequoia Capital makes an investment in Latin America. Sequoia is one of the top vc fundings of the world (they raised 1,35 billion last year to fund new startups), and they are known by leading investments in companies that are developing new technologies and have high-growth potential such as Apple, Google, Linkedin, Paypal, Oracle, Cisco and Yahoo! (check their Internet portfolio). Continue reading →

Nixter Raises $100k from Chilean Angel Investors

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There are ‘angels’ in Chile and they even give you money! Imagine that, jejeje. Over the past month Chilean start up Nixter has disrupted the start up ecosystem on every level in Chile.

Their team has a kick ass 16 year old programmer. We personally met him and he is off the chain!

 

They have a great eye for design (check out their promo video). Yes, great design could definitely be declared disruptive in Chile.

They managed to raise more than $25,000 USD from Chilean Angel investors.

And their start up has nothing to do with mining or wine. Things are a changing for sure down here at the edge of the world. Vamos Chile! Continue reading →

DeNA acquires Chilean mobile game firm Atakama Labs

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DeNA became a billion-dollar company based on its success with mobile social games in Japan. It now has more than 400 employees and is trying to become a worldwide smartphone and tablet gaming powerhouse.

DeNA agreed to buy Chilean mobile social game firm Atakama Labs. The companies didn’t disclose the acquisition price, but we heard a couple of months ago that the deal was valued at around $6 million during negotiations.

Under DeNA, Atakama will provide support for subsidiary Ngmoco, which is creating the Mobage mobile social network.

As previously pointed out by VentureBeat, in 2009, Atakama Labs raised $4 million from Austral Capital and COPEC-UC.

 

Via: VentureBeat

Fundación Ciudadano Inteligente receives 500k investment from Omidyar Network

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Omidyar Network intends to support Fundación Ciudadano Inteligente with a grant of up to $500k over three years.

The Chilean nonprofit creates technology platforms, including websites and mobile applications, to provide citizens access to easy-to-use, graphical information about their government. Citizens can learn about what issues will be debated in parliament, access the profiles and voting records of elected officials and learn about the demographic make up of the legislature. Future plans include creating online tools to learn about money’s influence in politics and government, as well as expansion to other Latin America countries.

Source: Omidyar Network Supports Technology-Centered Organizations Seeking to Empower Citizens Across Six Countries

3M & ENDEAVOR announce partnership and their vision

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Antofogasta, Chile
On April 7th, 2011; 3M launched a Mining Innovation Center in Antofagasta, Chile.

The mining industry currently represents 20% of 3M’s total sales in Chile. That’s why 3M is interested in leading the industry as a provider and doing the research and development that mining companies are going to need in the upcoming years.

Guillermo Ochoa, Managing Director at 3M Chile, said:

“the goal of this innovation center is to cover the demand that will come from the mining industry, which will be close to $ 50 billion (US) over the next five years.”

In May 2011, a month later, 3M launched their business incubator called “El Ingenio” and they partnered with ENDEAVOR, which is going to work on the detection and evaluation of high potential entrepreneurs related with mining and energy industry. ENDEAVOR’s challenge is to recruit between 3 and 4 projects on a monthly-basis.

The incubator is intended to help 3M reach its next milestone:

“In 2016, the company hopes that 40% of their total sales in Chile, will come from products launched over the last 5 years. And from that 40%, the half should come from local projects”

Image Credits: Innovacion.cl / Diario Financiero

Zappedy has been acquired by Groupon

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As of July 17th, 2011; Zappedy has been acquired by Groupon. Zappedy was co-founded by Na’ama Moran, Francisco Larrain, Daniel Pérez Rada and Ricardo Zilleruelo-Ramos.

The mission statement of the stealth company was:

“Zappedy builds a website and helps develop and promote offers that give customers discounts if they persuade a group of friends to buy at the same time. Instant exposure for local businesses”

Learn more about Zappedy here

* This is the second time that Groupon acquires a chilean company (the first was Clandescuento on 2010)

Zappedy’s homepage, August 2010