For the last two years, Didi has been the dominant car-hailing force in China and its success has spawned a handful of competitors initiated by both internet firms and old-school carmakers. Just last week, another notable challenger has stepped up. T3, which is short for “top 3”, officially launched after a dozen entities, including three […]
View More Alibaba, Tencent and other major names form $1.45B ride-hailing ventureCategory: food delivery
Grab launches SME loans and micro-insurance in Southeast Asia
In its latest move beyond ride-hailing, Southeast Asia’s Grab has started to offer financing to SMEs and micro-insurance to its drivers. The launch comes just weeks after Grab raised $1.5 billion from the Vision Fund as part of a larger $5 billion Series H funding round that’ll be used to battle rival Go-Jek, which is […]
View More Grab launches SME loans and micro-insurance in Southeast AsiaMeituan confirms Mobike’s retreat from most overseas markets
TechCrunch reported last Friday that Mobike has scrapped operations across the Asia Pacific region as a key step towards a long-term plan to scale back its international business. On Monday, its parent company Meituan confirmed that the pioneer in China’s bike rental sector will shut down most of its foreign markets. “Mobike international business is […]
View More Meituan confirms Mobike’s retreat from most overseas marketsVCs have growing appetite for “AgriFood”
Venture investors are pouring billions of dollars into feeding their hunger for food and agriculture startups. Whether that trend line is due to enthusiasm for the sector or just broader heavy investing in the VC space is much less clear. According to a recent report published by AgFunder – a VC and investing marketplace focused […]
View More VCs have growing appetite for “AgriFood”Food delivered to the doorstep is not so cheap in China anymore
A big selling point of ordering food to the doorstep in China is price, which, in the early years, could be much cheaper than eating in-house. That’s arguably indulged a demographic of lazy, indoorsy eaters, but that may not last for much longer. Over the past few months, users in China have noticed incremental price […]
View More Food delivered to the doorstep is not so cheap in China anymoreIndia’s Swiggy goes beyond food to offer product delivery from local stores
Swiggy, the Indian food delivery service, has made its much anticipated moved into general deliveries today after it announced its new ‘stores’ product. The move has been speculated since as early as 2017, but recent developments have taken the company closer towards the expansion. Last September, Swiggy picked up delivery service SuprDaily in an acquisition […]
View More India’s Swiggy goes beyond food to offer product delivery from local storesBlue Apron hopes lower cost meal kits, now on Jet in NYC, will help save its business
Blue Apron is introducing a lower-cost version of its meal kits, initially only for Jet.com shoppers in the greater New York City metro area. The new kits, called “Knick Knacks,” still require refrigeration, but require customers to supply their own protein and produce to complete the meal. But by dropping the two most expensive ingredients […]
View More Blue Apron hopes lower cost meal kits, now on Jet in NYC, will help save its businessGo-Jek confirms first close of $2B Series F round at $9.5B valuation
Go-Jek, the Indonesia-based ride-hailing company that is challenging Grab in Southeast Asia, has announced the first close of its Series F round, as TechCrunch reported last week. The company isn’t revealing numbers but sources previously told us it has closed around $920 million. Go-Jek is planning to raise $2 billion for the round, as reported last […]
View More Go-Jek confirms first close of $2B Series F round at $9.5B valuationBMW, Porsche, Jaguar Land Rover invest in roadside assistance startup Urgently
Urgently, the roadside assistance startup that connects car owners who need help with tow truck and other services, has raised $21 million in a Series B round that includes the venture arms of BMW, Porsche and Jaguar Land Rover. BMW has also signed Urgently as a vendor partner for its own roadside assistance platform (known […]
View More BMW, Porsche, Jaguar Land Rover invest in roadside assistance startup UrgentlyAsian food delivery startup Chowbus raises $4M
Greycroft Partners and FJ Labs have led the round, with participation from Hyde Park Angels and Fika Ventures.
View More Asian food delivery startup Chowbus raises $4MChina’s Mobike will rename to Meituan Bike as its parent takes the wheel
One of China’s top bike rental apps is entering a new phase. Mobike, which neighborhood services giant Meituan-Dianping gobbled up last April, is changing its name to Meituan Bike as part of an ongoing integration with its parent, according to an internal letter from Meituan senior vice president Wang Huiwen to staff. There’s no timeline for when the […]
View More China’s Mobike will rename to Meituan Bike as its parent takes the wheelThe food delivery robot take-over continues at yet another college campus
Make way for more robots bearing lattes and doughnuts for college students.
Starship Technologies has a fleet of 25 mini robots descending upon the George Mason University campus, in Fairfax, Virginia, on Tuesday. The bots will deliver food and…