App rewards platform Gimmie raises USD 521K from WaveMaker Labs, NRF and Ideosource

January 10, 2013 by  

Singapore-based startup Gimmie announced today that it has raised a USD521K (SGD639K) round led by WaveMaker Labs in partnership with the NRF under the Technology Incubation Scheme. Completing the round is Ideosource, a Jakarta-based VC firm.

The company, which started in Silicon Valley in 2011 before moving to Singapore last year, will use the funds to expand across Asia in 2013. Indonesia features prominently in Gimmie’s plans. The startup made an appearance at Sparxup 2012, a startup conference in Jakarta. Ideosource will be helping the company expand its footprint in the country.

The company had previously raised USD 244K from angel investors in the United States. Tandem, a mobile industry incubator in Silicon Valley, invested USD 200K. Read more

Wavemaker Labs makes first investment, splashes USD 592,000 on cosmetics store Luxola.com

August 21, 2012 by  

Wavemaker Labs, a Singapore-based investment firm, together with the National Research Foundation (NRF), has invested over SGD 740,000 (USD 592,000) in Luxola.com, an online cosmetics and skincare store, which is also based in the same country. This is Wavemaker Labs’ first investment.

“We are thrilled to have received this funding which will help us expand into new markets while at the same time maintaining our focus on superior customer service and brand alignment,” said Luxola’s founder and CEO Alexis Horowitz-Burdick. Read more

Videos: What investors and mentors think of JFDI-Innov8 Bootcamp Demo Day (2)

May 7, 2012 by  

The Bootcamp is a technology startup accelerator program in Singapore (part of the Global Accelerator Network) where participants build a prototype within 100 days. Demo Day was on 4th May, 2012.

Vinnie Lauria of Golden Gate Ventures

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Eight more incubators join Singapore’s Technology Incubation Scheme

March 10, 2012 by  

The National Research Foundation (NRF), a Singapore government agency, has picked eight more incubators for its Technology Incubation Scheme (TIS).

The eight incubators are: Get2Volume, Golden Gate Venture Investments, Incuvest, Jungle Ventures, Red Dot Ventures, The Biofactory, The Network Fund (TNF), and WaveMaker Labs. Full details in the press release.

Under TIS, the NRF will co-fund up to 85 percent of total investment per company, or up to S$500k (US$400k), with the rest topped up by the venture firm. Only Singapore-based startups need apply.

The incubators can choose to buy out NRF’s equity share within three years of investment, at a price of 1.1 times capital in the first two years, and 1.15 times capital in year three.

Born in 2006, the NRF dictates the country’s direction for R&D by developing national policies and planning strategies for innovation, enterprise, and research. Read more