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Report: JD.com Invests in Indonesian Ride-Hailing Startup Amid Southeast Asia Push

The Chinese e-commerce giant has invested $100 million in Indonesian startup Go-Jek in an effort to tap growth in Southeast Asian mobile-based services, say sources.
JD.com packages | Source: Shutterstock
By
  • Reuters

HONG KONG, China — JD.com Inc. has invested in Indonesian ride-hailing startup Go-Jek, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, in the latest move by China's second-largest e-commerce firm to tap growth in Southeast Asian mobile-based services.

Go-Jek, whose investors include global private equity firms KKR & Co LP and Warburg Pincus LLC as well as venture capitalist Sequoia Capital, has raised about $100 million from JD.com, one of the people said.

The startup is raising up to $1 billion from existing and new investors in its latest funding round and has a pre-money valuation of about $2.5 billion, the person said.

The people declined to be identified as the financing plans are not public. JD.com and Go-Jek declined to comment.

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Indonesia currently accounts for almost all of JD.com's investments outside China, which include an e-commerce platform and travel startup Traveloka.

JD.com's investment in Go-Jek follows that of Chinese social media and online entertainment firm Tencent Holdings Ltd, which is also an investor in JD.com. Reuters reported last month that Tencent had invested $100 million to $150 million in Go-Jek.

The people said Tencent is also in talks with Go-Jek for further investment as a strategic investor.

Tencent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Investment in Southeast Asia by some of China's largest tech firms point to ambitions to boost their presence in a region that many expect to produce the next batch of high-valued tech startups.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Didi Chuxing, China's largest ride-hailing firm, have also been investing in Southeast Asia, home to more than 600 million people and some of the world's fastest-growing economies.

Go-Jek, which began as a ride-hailing app for motorcycle taxis, also operates a food delivery business that a separate person said yields a much higher margin than ride-hailing. Its mobile payment business, Go-Pay, is growing rapidly as it is complementary with other Go-Jek offerings, the person said.

People close to the matter previously told Reuters that Go-Jek aims to close the current funding round in the third quarter.

Online technology newspaper The Information first reported JD.com's Go-Jek investment earlier on Friday.

By Julie Zhu, additional reporting by Kane Wu; editor: Christopher Cushing.
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