Daily Roundup (December 3, 2021)

Funding news

Marketing technology platform Almond Solutions raises an undisclosed amount from HEXA Global.

Marketing technology and customer engagement solutions platform Almond Solutions has raised an undisclosed amount from Texas, US-based investment firm, HEXA Global Ventures. Almond Solutions was incorporated as part of Gurugram-based gaming, IoT and content distribution company ATechnos.

Founded in 2018 by Abhinav Jain and Apoorv Modi, Almond Solutions will is using the capital to grow its platform as a service by increasing operations, investing in team expansion and product innovationthe company said in a statement.

“We wanted a partner who would not only bring growth experience but also the ability to understand our ethos. With HEXA, we have started our venture strategy for the US and European markets,” said Abhinav Jain, co-founder and CEO of Almond Solutions.

The company works with brands, corporations, media and non-profits, offering them technology to engage customers through video, virtual and digital engagement modules.

Atypical Advantage raises round seeds

A platform for hiring people with disabilities, An atypical advantage, has raised 1 crore rupees by a group of angel investors.

Some of the names that participated in the round include Mohan P Alexander, co-founder of Amba; Rohan Bhansali, co-founder of Gozoop; Sadashiv Nayak, CEO, Future Retail Limited; Lokesh Bharwani, founder of Mad Over Donuts; Sashi Rajamani, who works for causes for the disabled, and artist Revathi Sharma Singh.

Founded in 2020 by IIM Bangalore alumnus Vineet Saraiwala, Atypical Advantage already clocks in at $450,000 in annual revenue.

Atypical Advantage offers a platform for people with disabilities to search for jobs and opportunities in 16 skill categories. The platform connects them with brands, corporations and retailers looking for specific talent.

Klub is raising debt financing from Northern Arc Capital

A revenue-based funding platform Club has raised an undisclosed amount in debt financing from The capital of the Northern Rainbow. This comes months after Klub raised $20 million from US-based Alter Global and Japan’s GMO Venture Partners.

The company will use the debt to expand its built-in financing platform targeting e-commerce merchants selling on online platforms in India.

Founded in 2019 by Anurakt Jain and Ishita Verma, Klub provides growth capital ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 30 crore to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“Klub’s built-in funding solution helps traders on our partner marketplaces get easy access to capital without leaving the marketplace ecosystem. We are excited to partner with Northern Arc to offer this compelling solution to our rapidly growing customer base,” said Sudharsan Venkatakrishnan, vice president of Klub in the statement.

General news

Battle of the EVs: Price Comparison of Electric Two Wheelers in the Indian Market

Headquarters in Bengaluru Bouncing entered the electric vehicle (EV) fray with the launch of its infinity e-scooter on Thursday priced at Rs 68,999 with battery and charger. Earlier this year, the startup acquired 22 Motors for technology to build the line electric scooters.

Bounce, which started as an app-based shared mobility solutions company, is entering a space that includes heavyweights like Ola Electricwhich is estimated to be close $3 billion and has raised $526 million to date.

Apna.co is hiring a Sharechat executive to lead a product role

Unicorn for professional networking and work Apna.co has appointed Mithun Madhusudan as head of Product Communities. Mithun was previously Director of Product Management at Indian language content and social media app ShareChat.

In his new role, Mithun will be responsible for improving the user experience on Apna’s platform, the company said in a statement.

“Mithun brings with him a deep understanding of consumers and industry best practices. We will leverage his expertise in creating better user experiences as we build for the world. He will play a central role in strengthening apna communities and help us drive our mission of #AccelerationIndia,” said Karthik Manivanan, COO of Apna Communities in the statement.

Founded in 2019, Apna has made many top-deck hires in 2021 to strengthen its leadership team. Backed by Tiger Global, Owl Ventures, Insight Partners, Sequoia Capital and others, Apna helps skilled blue and gray collar workers look for jobs and gig work opportunities, besides providing a platform to connect with peers.