Southeast Asia delivery operator, Ninja Van has secured USD578 million or RM2.4 billion one of the largest after its Series E funding round. With the region set to grow in terms of startups and investment, this latest round of funding involves comes from existing investors Geopost/DPDgroup, B Capital Group, Monk’s Hill Ventures, and Zamrud, an entity linked to a Southeast Asian sovereign wealth fund. The newest to join the fray is Alibaba Group, parent company of Lazada, the pan-Southeast Asia e-commerce platform.
According to Ninja Van the funds will go into infrastructure and technology systems that will support its long-term cost structure, as well as to offer quality and consistency of Ninja Van’s operations. Funds will also be invested in Ninja Van’s suite of micro-supply chain solutions to help Southeast Asian businesses optimise e-commerce opportunities.
“The quality of investors joining us in this round of investment is a clear signal that the market recognizes the emerging opportunities for e-commerce logistics in Southeast Asia and how as an entrenched player in the region, Ninja Van is positioned to take a central role in meeting the shifting demands of both businesses and consumers,” said Mr. Lai Chang Wen, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ninja Van Group.
With regards on the prospect of the company, Mr. Boris Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of GeoPost/DPDgroup, “by leading this new fundraising, we reinforce our ambition in this key geographical market and reiterate our trust in the management team of the company. This transaction represents a new milestone in the deployment of our Together & Beyond strategy launched last March, which is aimed at accelerating in new markets such as Southeast Asia”.
New investor Alibaba is optimistic on its investment ,Kenny Ho Head of Investment stated “we strongly believe in the potential of e-commerce in Southeast Asia, in particular the power of technology-enabled logistics to fuel e-commerce growth. With Ninja Van’s vast presence and extensive local insights in the region, we are confident that our partnership with Ninja Van would enable us to better serve participants in the e-commerce ecosystem across the region.”
Since its inception in 2014, Ninja Van has become a leading regional logistics player in Southeast Asia. The company has established its end-to-end logistics network in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, connecting over 1.5 million active shippers with close to 100 million recipients. The company currently employs more than 61,000 staff and delivery personnel that support the delivery of around 2 million parcels a day throughout the region.
