Namrata Balwani

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Latest CDP and MarTech Insights, Sep 23, 2021 - Gulf and South West Asia

In partnership with the CDP Institute

I have partnered with the CDP Institute for their Emerging Markets Newsletter. Stay tuned for weekly updates on the CDP and MarTech space in the Middle East and South West Asia!

Issue 13: Sep 23, 2021

Amazon bets on Hindi voice shopping to reach wider India

Amazon announced plans to roll out the voice shopping experience feature in Hindi language in the South Asian market ahead of the Diwali festival in early November. Only 10% of India’s 1.3 billion people speak English. In recent years, voice search has dramatically surged in India as many new internet users find it difficult to type on virtual keyboards. Read More

India’s Cars24, a used-vehicle sales platform, raises US$450M at a US$1.84B valuation

The used car market is getting another major infusion of venture capital with one of the faster scaling startups out of India picking up a major round of financing to double down on growth. Cars24 — a site and app that sells users cars and used two-wheeled motorbikes — has raised $450 million, a Series F of $340 million and $110 million in debt. The investment values Cars24 at $1.84 billion post-money, the company said, making it one of the more valuable privately-held used car startups globally. Read More

Salesforce backs Indian payments startup Razorpay

Bangalore-based fintech Razorpay, which was valued at $3 billion in a financing round in April this year, has courted one more high-profile investor: Salesforce Ventures. Razorpay has received a strategic investment from the venture arm of the American enterprise giant. Razorpay accepts, processes and disburses money online for small businesses and enterprises. Read More

New HORECA B2B marketplace launched in the UAE

SupplyMe, a new online HORECA (hotels, restaurants and cafes) B2B marketplace has officially launched to connect the F&B supply chain in the UAE to provide a better buying experience for customers. During its beta phase, SupplyMe catered to businesses in the UAE and in the next 12 months, the company aims to extend their presence in other GCC countries, with their priority being Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Read More

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