Chinaccelerator Daily Digest 2019/6/21

Overseas:

1. Gaming analytics firm NewZoo reports Global e-gaming expected to become a $152 billion industry this year

2. Businesses can now accept PayPal through Google Pay in 24 countries

3. Slack’s stock closes on NYSE debut up 48.5% at $38.50 per share, valuation now $20+ billion

4. Shopify Is Setting Up Fulfillment Network in U.S., Just Like Amazon

5. SaaS data protection provider Druva nabs $130M, now at a $1B+ valuation, and to acquire Microsoft-backed startup CloudLanes

6. AI-based travel app Hopper sales increase 100% in 2019 and expands price monitoring to hotels worldwide

7. Bitwise Raises $27M Series A To Bring Tech Hubs To ‘Underdog Cities’

8. Cloud-based procurement software company Procurify raises $20 million in series B to help companies manage spending

9. Digital prescription marketplace Xealth closes $14M round as healthcare providers bet on startup

10. Navigator, a new AI chatbot chief of staff aimed at reimagining meetings, launches with $12M 

11. NZ’s Termius raises $2.7m in seed round, gets backing of Silicon Valley VCs

China:

1. Shanghai Pools USD434.4-Million for China’s First Exhibition-Focused Investment Fund

2. Tencent set for a rebound in 2019 as hit game Peacekeeper Elite expected to rake in US$1 billion

3. Ant Financial Releases First AI Financial Advisor Product

4. Chinese life services platform 58.com 同城 to employ cloud services and virtual reality to improve real estate industry

5. AutoX and Pony.ai first Chinese self-driving start-ups to receive US permits to offer autonomous rides to California commuters

6. Healthcare platform Weimai 微脉 latest round of financing totals $100 million

Cross-border:

1. Founders Factory partners with insurance company Aviva France to expand to Paris and accelerate fintech startups

2. Singapore’s Qualgro expands investments to Europe with a US$11.2M Series A in foodtech startup Pazzi

Emerging Market:

1. Ethiopia hosts first Startup Ethiopia event, bid to become African startup hub

2. GDP Venturez commits to Series A round for Indonesian NLP startup Prosa.ai

3. Philippines’ Globe Telecoms launches 5G service backed by Huawei equipment

4. Yamaha backs Nigerian motorcycle transit app MAX.ng in $7M round 

5. Vietnamese e-commerce firm Tiki set to raise over $100m in upsized funding round

6. 10-year-old CEO of Thai blockchain startup KIDLetCoin educating kids about cryptocurrencies

Image credits: United Press International