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Several brazilbased 83m softbank investors participated in the financing round, including Globo Ventures, the venture arm of a Brazilian media conglomerate. Additionally, existing investors contributed. Advent, the world’s largest acquirer of Amazon FBA brands, was also a core investor. SoftBank has previously invested in several Latin American online platforms, including Olist, Petlove, and Thrasio.
Descomplica
SoftBank Group Corp. led a round of financing for Descomplica, a Brazilian EdTech startup that offers online tutoring for standardized tests, including those for the university and civil service. The round was also co-led by investment fund Invus Opportunities, and is the largest EdTech investment in Latin America. Descomplica currently counts five million monthly users.
Merama
Softbank’s latest investment in Latin America has changed the landscape of venture capital in Brazil and its neighboring countries. The fund has brought unprecedented liquidity into the region’s technology ecosystem, and its investments include a number of unicorns. A recent round of financing led by SoftBank also included the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and U2 guitarist The Edge.
Softbank led an investment in Descomplica, a Brazilian startup that specializes in test brazilbased 83m softbank prep for the SAT, ACT, and AP exams. Descomplica has been expanding its offerings since 2013 to include undergraduate classes and an online mobile application. In 2015, it was acquired by Grupo A. SoftBank’s Vision Fund invested $50 million in the company, and the company is using the funding to increase its staff and develop new products. The company has plans to reach 1 million students in the next year.
Advent International
Advent International and SoftBank Latin America have joined forces to invest in retail brand acceleration startup Merama. Founded in 2013, Merama focuses on e-commerce and recently announced the completion of a $60 million Series B funding round. The funding comes from Advent International and SoftBank Latin America, as well as existing investors. Merama has doubled in size since its Series A round and is on track to reach $250 million in revenue by 2021. The newly injected capital will help the startup expand its brand portfolio and provide working capital for its existing brands. In addition, it will help develop platform features, including automated demand planning and supply management from multiple international sources. Advent also announced that Alex Szapiro will join the company’s board as an observer.
Advent is a leading private equity firm in Latin America, with US$7 billion invested in 67 companies across the region. Its portfolio includes companies in fintech, payments, and e-commerce. It has previously invested in Thrasio, Nubank, and EBANX. SoftBank is a global technology company with global Vision Funds that have committed US$5 billion to invest in Latin America. The firm has also announced a new US$3 billion fund dedicated to Latin America.
SoftBank
SoftBank has invested $40 million in Brazilian fintech company TerraMagna, a company that provides technology to the farming industry. The investment is the Japanese company’s first in an agriculture-related startup. The funding is split between $10 million in equity and $30 million in debt. SoftBank is expected to increase its investment in the region.
SoftBank’s investment is expected to boost the company’s growth. It plans to use the funds to expand its product offerings, acquire other companies, and develop new products. It aims to reach one million students by next year. At the end of September, Cogna Educacao SA had about 820,000 students enrolled in its Kroton higher education division.
