Participated · Series B · Sep 2022

DotPe enables online business solutions for retailers, offering ordering, online payments, delivery and an ecosystem of omni-channel commerce and marketing software. The company provides sellers with integrated tools to run, manage, and grow businesses and also offers banking services. DotPe says it serves over 7.5 million brands, including customers such as McDonald's, 24‑Seven and Taco Bell, and claims its merchant base has grown over 3X since launch. Founded in 2020 by PayU co-founder Shailaz Nag with Gyanesh Sharma and Anurag Gupta, the startup has expanded its product footprint and undertaken M&A, acquiring PoS startup Rista in an all-cash deal last year. The company plans to foray into financial services to provide business loans and credit lines for merchant partners. Financially, DotPe has completed a $58M Series B and previously raised $27.5M in Series A and roughly $8M in seed funding. DotPe helps brick-and-mortar stores sell to customers online and collect digital payments, offering inventory scanning and quick catalog creation that can be shared on WhatsApp and surfaced in Google Search. Its platform requires no app installation for merchants, supports in-store payment collection, and includes tools for loyalty points and discounts to boost engagement. Co-founded by Shailaz Nag, the company has amassed over 5 million merchants in the last six months, with merchants reporting over 38% of daily orders from repeat customers. The startup is roughly one year old and is now valued at about $90 million. DotPe plans to deploy fresh capital to reach more merchants across India and to scale its technology stack to meet growing demand. It leverages WhatsApp — India’s most popular smartphone app with more than 450 million users — to help merchants reach customers.

Led · Convertible Note · May 2020

Bolt is a global shared mobility business operating a suite of services including ride-hailing, scooters and e-bikes, food delivery, grocery delivery, free-floating car-sharing, and corporate mobility. The company serves over 150 million customers across more than 45 countries in Europe and Africa. Bolt aims to accelerate the transition from privately owned cars to shared mobility by offering alternatives for multiple use cases. Financially, Bolt recently closed an inaugural €220 million syndicated revolving credit facility, which was upsized during syndication and oversubscribed. The facility is intended for general corporate purposes and is currently undrawn, and the company has previously raised €2 billion in funding. Bolt's management frames the RCF as a sign of financial maturity and incremental flexibility as it works toward being IPO-ready. Bolt is a transportation and ride‑hailing platform focused on providing reliable, affordable and sustainable mobility services. The company operates across numerous European and African countries and has rapidly gained traction. Bolt is described as a frontrunner in its industry and positions itself to transform urban transportation. In early 2022 Bolt raised a €600 million Series F from investors including Sequoia, Fidelity and D1 Capital. The article presents Bolt as a late‑stage, high‑growth company but does not disclose current operating metrics or valuation. No additional financial details or future product roadmaps were provided in the article. Bolt, founded by Markus Villig in 2013 and based in Tallinn, Estonia, is a mobility platform that provides ride-hailing, micromobility (scooters and electric bikes), and food and package delivery. The company has more than 75 million customers across over 40 countries. Bolt has expanded into grocery delivery with a new service, Bolt Market. It plans to launch Bolt Market in 10 European countries over the next few months, including the Baltics and Central Europe, Sweden, Portugal, Croatia, and Romania. All Bolt rides in Europe are carbon-neutral under its Green Plan. In March 2021 Bolt raised $713M at a $4.75B post-money valuation to boost Bolt Market and accelerate expansion of its mobility and delivery products. Bolt is an on-demand marketplace that transports people, food and other items using cars, scooters and bikes across Europe and Africa. The Tallinn, Estonia–based company, founded in 2013, operates in more than 40 countries and has over 50 million customers and more than 1.5 million drivers, including about 400,000 drivers in 70 African cities. Bolt focuses on expanding in emerging markets and is piloting services aimed at under-represented groups, such as a 'Women Only' ride-hailing service in South Africa. The company is pursuing further expansion in Eastern Europe and Africa, with the article specifically citing Ukraine and Nigeria as target markets. On the financial side, Bolt raised $182 million in December and said its valuation grew with that round, though it declined to disclose the updated valuation. The International Finance Corporation's €20 million investment will support expansion of services and programs to empower women and increase access to affordable mobility in emerging markets. Bolt operates a multi‑vertical mobility platform that includes ride‑hailing, scooters and food delivery. The company has developed in‑app safety features such as an SOS button and has built a 4th‑generation scooter with sensors to detect unsafe riding patterns. Bolt plans to roll out further safety functionality in 2021, including automated trip monitoring using AI and driver face verification. The company intends to use new funding to improve safety and quality across its products while continuing to grow its services in Europe and Africa. As of 2020 Bolt covered 200 cities in 40 countries and reported 50 million users globally; Bolt Food, launched in 2019, is available in 16 countries and 33 cities.