Prosus (PRX)

[Iceman147]

Tech Talk van De Aandeelhouder - met o.a. aandacht voor AI in China en Tencent

[ZyppBe]

Prosus Ventures Backs CuspAI’s $100M+ Series A to Revolutionise Materials Discovery with AI
https://www.prosus.com/news-insights/gr ... ry-with-ai

Prosus Ventures today announced its participation in the $100M+ Series A funding round for CuspAI, the frontier AI company pioneering a new approach to materials discovery. The round was co-led by NEA and Temasek, with additional participation from NVentures (NVIDIA’s venture arm), Samsung, Hyundai Motor Group, Basis Set Ventures, FJ Labs, Giant Ventures, LocalGlobe, Northzone, Tiferes Ventures, Touring Capital, and a group of renowned angel investors.

Founded in 2024 by Dr. Chad Edwards and Prof. Max Welling, CuspAI has developed an AI “search engine” for the material world. Its platform enables customers to specify the exact properties they need and generates new, synthesizable candidates up to 10x faster than traditional discovery methods.

In its first year, CuspAI has secured partnerships with global leaders including Hyundai Motor Group (sustainable energy applications), Kemira (PFAS removal), and Meta (carbon capture, via the world’s largest direct air capture database, ODAC25). Additional collaborations are forthcoming, including in the semiconductor sector.

Prosus backs a stellar European team scaling frontier AI

CuspAI has already built momentum with partnerships across automotive, semiconductors, energy, and climate. Its platform shows how AI can transform science itself — compressing discovery cycles and accelerating innovation across industries.

For Prosus Ventures, this investment reflects our thesis of backing frontier AI platforms that can transform foundational industries. With headquarters in Cambridge and teams in Amsterdam and Berlin, CuspAI represents the best of Europe’s AI ecosystem, led by a world-class founding team. CuspAI was founded in 2024 by Dr. Chad Edwards, a chemist turned deep-tech entrepreneur who previously scaled quantum computing unicorn Quantinuum, and Prof. Max Welling, a globally recognised AI pioneer and former Distinguished Scientist at Microsoft Research, and VP of Technology at Qualcomm.

“Material science is one of the most exciting frontiers for AI, and some of the most transformative breakthroughs will come in areas yet to be discovered,” said Sandeep Bakshi, Head of European Investments at Prosus Ventures. “CuspAI is at the forefront of that shift — redefining how new materials are created and accelerating innovation across industries from semiconductors to clean energy. With an exceptional founding team, CuspAI shows the strength of Europe’s AI ecosystem. Europe is a core focus for Prosus, with our headquarters in Amsterdam, and we’re proud to support Chad and Max as they scale their vision worldwide.”

This investment also complements Prosus Ventures’ broader frontier technology portfolio, which includes Tierra Biosciences (synthetic biology), Neara (infrastructure digital twins), and Oxford Ionics (quantum computing) — the latter of which was recently announced to be acquired by IonQ in a landmark quantum acquisition of over $1bn.

Scaling CuspAI’s mission

The Series A financing comes a year after CuspAI came out of stealth with a $30M Seed round. CuspAI will now look to expand its global footprint, including scaling its operations in the US and Asia to serve increasing customer demand.

“Next-generation AI compute, clean air and water and sustainable energy – these multi-billion-dollar global challenges share a common barrier: materials,” said CEO Chad Edwards said. “CuspAI’s mission is to change that. In just a year, we’ve gone from concept to partnerships with world leaders in automotive, semiconductors, energy, and climate. This funding allows us to scale our platform and deliver transformative materials to market faster. We’re grateful for the support of our investors, and the strategic backing from our customers as we accelerate into our next phase of our growth.”

To support the company’s rapid commercialization, CuspAI has also expanded its advisory board with Martin van den Brink, former President and CTO of ASML and a key architect of Europe’s semiconductor leadership, and Lord John Browne, former BP CEO and current Chair of the UK Government’s Council for Science and Technology. They join existing advisors Prof. Geoffrey Hinton and Prof. Yann LeCun — Turing Award-winning “godfathers of AI” — alongside Prof. Kristin Persson and Verity Harding, bringing unparalleled expertise across AI, semiconductors, and energy to help CuspAI scale globally.

About CuspAI

CuspAI is a frontier AI company pioneering the discovery of breakthrough materials to power human progress. Combining state-of-the-art generative AI with advanced molecular and physics based simulations, CuspAI designs and validates materials in months rather than decades. CuspAI’s founding team is among the most cited in the world. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with teams in Amsterdam and Berlin, the company partners with global leaders in automotive, energy, semiconductors and climate. www.cusp.ai

[ZyppBe]

Prosus-backed Urban Company powers into next growth phase with standout India IPO
https://www.prosus.com/news-insights/gr ... -india-ipo

Urban Company, India’s leading technology platform for home services, has today listed on India’s National and Bombay Stock Exchanges (NSE and BSE), at a valuation of INR 253.02 billion ($3 billion).Prosus has been a committed investor in Urban Company since 2021 and will continue to hold its existing ~7% stake in the company post-IPO.

Urban Company’s IPO is a significant milestone for India’s maturing technology ecosystem. The listing reflects the company’s progress in delivering consistent growth, achieving profitability, and driving governance standards that are aligned with global public market expectations.

Ashutosh Sharma, Head of Prosus India, said: “We are thrilled to celebrate Urban Company’s IPO – a landmark moment for the company, its exceptional team, and India’s vibrant technology ecosystem. Since our first investment in 2021, we have watched Urban Company evolve from a ground-breaking initiative into a category-defining platform, transforming how millions of people access trusted home services. This IPO is more than a listing; it is a milestone in the coming of age of India’s digital economy. At Prosus, we are proud to back companies that are reshaping industries, creating opportunities, and building long-term value. Our continued investment in Urban Company reflects our deep conviction in the company’s future and in India’s extraordinary growth story.”

Founded in 2014, Urban Company connects millions of consumers with trained and verified service professionals across categories including beauty, home repairs, cleaning, and appliance maintenance. In FY25, the company grew 38% year-on-year and turned profitable, with its India consumer services segment delivering an EBITDA margin of around 10%. Urban Company has also been transformational for the gig economy in India, offering steady income opportunities, dignity of work, an employee stock option plans and social safety nets such as insurance and healthcare to its service partners.

Prosus has been a supportive partner in Urban Company’s journey, contributing expertise and ecosystem support alongside capital. Together, the two companies have collaborated on ESG initiatives including mobility support, scooter financing, and skilling programmes for female service partners. In advancing its technology capabilities, Urban Company has engaged closely with Prosus’s 150-member AI team in Amsterdam, as the company works towards enhancing efficiency and customer experience through advanced AI tools. This partnership illustrates how Prosus works with its portfolio companies to strengthen capabilities and deliver long-term value.

Abhiraj Singh Bhal, Co-founder and CEO of Urban Company, said: “This IPO is a milestone in our journey, but it is only the beginning of the next phase of growth. With Prosus as a steadfast partner, we have strengthened our governance, expanded our technology capabilities, and scaled responsibly. Their ecosystem support has been instrumental in making Urban Company more resilient and efficient. As we step into the public market, we remain committed to long-term value creation for our customers, partners, and investors.”

Urban Company’s IPO marks the third listing from the Prosus India portfolio in the past 12 months, following Swiggy and BlueStone, highlighting India’s position as one of Prosus’s top three ecosystems globally. Over the past decade, Prosus has steadily deployed capital across consumer internet, financial services, and AI in India, building a portfolio of transformational businesses. This long-term approach reflects Prosus’s belief in India’s structural growth story and the increasing maturity of its digital economy. With Urban Company’s IPO, Prosus further underscores its role as a patient capital partner committed to supporting innovative companies as they scale responsibly and create lasting value.

[Charlie Chaplin]

Bron: De Standaard - De Grote Markt - Pascal Dendooven - dinsdag 23 september 2025

Chinese techaandelen halen Nasdaq in

Chinese technologie-aandelen doen het dit jaar op de beurs een pak beter dan hun Amerikaanse tegenvoeters. De HangSeng Tech-index steeg sinds begin januari al met 40 procent, tegenover 17 procent voor de Amerikaanse Nasdaq-index. De HangSeng Techindex omvat de dertig grootste Chinese tech-aandelen die genoteerd zijn op de beurs van Hongkong.

Cambricon.GIF

De sfeer rond Chinese technologie is daarmee ten goede gekeerd. Twee factoren zijn cruciaal gebleken. Het Deepseek-moment in januari illustreerde dat China misschien een middel heeft gevonden om het probleem van de plafonnerende AI-vooruitgang op te lossen. Deepseek zet zijn rekenkracht veel selectiever in. Het valt ook op dat China veel meer inzet op de ontwikkeling van allerlei AI-applicaties dan de VS, en dus met meer toegepast onderzoek bezig is. Daarnaast zet China ook in op de ontwikkeling van eigen performante halfgeleiders, het wil zo een halfgeleiderindustrie op poten zetten die kan concurreren met de
Amerikaanse. Die halfgeleiders zijn de cruciale componenten waarop de AI-modellen draaien. Volgend jaar al wil China de productie van AI-processoren verdrievoudigen. Tezelfdertijd werden beperkingen opgelegd om chips van Nvidia te kopen. De
aandelenkoersen van Chinese chipproducenten zoals Cambricon en Smic schoten in augustus de lucht in en noteren sinds de start van het jaar respectievelijk 112,5 procent en 130,7 procent hoger. China lijkt dus opnieuw mee te spelen in de race naar
technologische dominantie. Een tijdje terug had de communistische partij nog technologiebedrijven aan banden gelegd. Een beslissend moment was er in november 2020, toen het Chinese vlaggenschip Alibaba zijn fintech-dochter Ant Group niet naar de beurs mocht brengen. Het kwam tot een heuse heksenjacht op de techbedrijven. Illustratief was dat Alibaba’s topman Jack
Ma zich lange tijd niet meer in het openbaar durfde te laten zien.

Maar nu lijkt China het ondernemerschap opnieuw alle kansen te willen geven. De aandelenkoersen van bekende platform-bedrijven zoals Alibaba, Tencent en Baidu kennen een topjaar. Alibaba steeg al sinds het jaarbegin met 93,5 procent, Tencent met 55 procent en Baidu met 60 procent. Al zit bij Alibaba de rekenkunde tegen. Een aandeel dat eerst met 75 procent daalde, moet met 300 procent stijgen om opnieuw op hetvertrekpunt te noteren. Alibaba moet dus na de al sterke rit dit jaar nog eens
verdubbelen om opnieuw op zijn hoogste koers uit oktober 2020 te halen. Voor Tencent liggen de kaarten anders. Dat aandeel noteert nog maar 8 procent onder zijn piekkoers van 2021. De Chinese tech-aandelen mogen dit jaar dan wel de Amerikaanse aftroeven, de Nasdaqindex is sinds 2020 al meer dan verdubbeld terwijl de HangSeng Tech-index nog 43 procent onder zijn piek van 2021 noteert. Voor buitenstaanders is het bovendien moeilijk om te weten wat er precies in China gebeurt. Alleen al van sommige halfgeleiderfabrieken is onduidelijk wie er de eigenaar van is. Dat bleek bijvoorbeeld bij
fabrieken die voor Huawei produceren.

In ‘De grote markt’ duikt de economieredactie dagelijks in een opmerkelijke beweging in de economische wereld.

Bron: De Standaard - De Grote Markt - Pascal Dendooven - dinsdag 23 september 2025

[ZyppBe]

KBC: Prosus verwerft belang in Rapido en versterkt positie in Indiase mobiliteitsmarkt.

Swiggy exits Rapido in $270Mn deal, sells entire stake to Prosus and WestBridge
https://thetechportal.com/2025/09/24/sw ... estbridge/

Swiggy has decided to completely exit its investment in bike taxi and logistics platform Rapido, finalizing a deal worth about US$270Mn (~₹2,400 crore). The food delivery platform (which owned around 12% of Rapido) is transferring its shares to two of Rapido’s existing backers, Prosus Ventures and WestBridge Capital. The deal is still subject to customary approvals, including clearance from shareholders and regulators under the Companies Act and SEBI rules.

Once completed, it will be one of Swiggy’s most successful exits in terms of returns. Also with this transaction, the food delivery giant moves away from a potential business conflict, since Rapido has recently entered the food delivery space.

The deal structure involves two separate transactions. Swiggy will sell 10 equity shares along with nearly 1.64 lakh Series D compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS) to MIH Investments One B.V. (a Prosus unit) for about ₹1,968 crore. Also, another 35,958 Series D CCPS will be transferred to Setu AIF Trust (managed by WestBridge Capital) for around ₹432 crore. Together, the transactions bring the total consideration to about ₹2,400 crore, making it one of the more significant secondary share sales in India’s startup sector in recent years.

Notably, Swiggy had invested around $180 million (~ ₹950 crore at the time) in Rapido in April 2022. And in just over two years, that investment has substantially increased in value, with the exit giving Swiggy more than double its initial expenditure. Importantly, based on the share sale, Rapido is being valued in the range of $2.5 to $2.7 billion.

Swiggy’s decision to sell its stake is also a strategic one. Actually, Rapido has recently launched a food delivery service called ‘Ownly,’ which directly competes with Swiggy’s main business. Therefore, by exiting now, Swiggy avoids this clash and, at the same time, gains access to a large amount of capital. The proceeds from the sale will help strengthen Swiggy’s balance sheet at a time when it has been facing significant losses in other verticals, particularly its quick-commerce arm Instamart. In the first quarter (Q1) of FY26, Swiggy’s revenue increased 54% to about ₹4,961 crore, but its net loss also grew to ₹1,197 crore. The company had around ₹5,354 crore in cash.

On the other hand, for Rapido, the share sale represents a change in its ownership structure rather than new funding. Since the deal is a secondary transaction, no fresh capital will flow into the company. Instead, it only strengthens the holdings of Prosus and WestBridge.

[ZyppBe]

Prosus's OLX Group agrees to acquire La Centrale, a leading motors classifieds platform in France, for EUR1.1 billion from Providence
https://www.prosus.com/news-insights/gr ... -in-france

- OLX agrees to acquire 100% of La Centrale in an all-cash deal.
- La Centrale is a leading French vertical motors classifieds platform, with a strong history of data-led growth and innovation.
- The deal will accelerate OLX’s European strategy to grow highly profitable marketplaces using best-in-class AI and tools trusted by dealers and consumers.
- The acquisition further strengthens Prosus’s ambition to build a European ecommerce ecosystem.

Amsterdam and Paris, 26 September 2025 — OLX Group (“OLX”), a global online classifieds leader wholly-owned by Prosus, today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire La Centrale, a leading French autos classifieds platform, from Providence Equity Partners L.L.C. for EUR1.1 billion. Closing is expected by year-end, subject to a customary employee consultation process.

OLX operates fast-growing and highly profitable online marketplaces for motors, real estate, jobs and goods with 29 million monthly users in eight countries, primarily in Central and Eastern Europe. The acquisition marks OLX’s entry into Western Europe and France’s structurally attractive autos market. La Centrale is recognised as France’s most specialised autos platform, with strength in higher-value vehicles and deep trust among sellers and consumers.

The transaction combines two proven leaders in classifieds, strengthening OLX's European autos portfolio in a compelling and attractive market while bringing on a strong leadership team to help build Prosus's ambition to become the leading European ecommerce ecosystem.

”La Centrale is a natural fit within our classifieds portfolio,” commented Christian Gisy, CEO of OLX. “Our strategy is to unleash the growth potential of vertical marketplaces, building strong regional leaders by scaling businesses using our proprietary AI technology. La Centrale’s strong market position and talented team are the perfect foundation to deliver our trusted innovative customer-first technology solutions to France.”

Fabricio Bloisi, CEO of Prosus, added: “La Centrale strengthens our lifestyle ecommerce ecosystem in Europe and highlights our commitment to invest in the people and platforms shaping the future of ecommerce in the region. La Centrale will expand our footprint into one of Europe’s most dynamic technology markets and unlock new opportunities to innovate, scale, and deliver even greater value to consumers and partners through AI. I expect to invest more in AI technology in France.”

Karim Tabet, Senior Managing Director and Head of Europe, and Robert Sudo, Managing Director, at Providence, said: “Since our investment in 2021, Providence, in partnership with Philippe and his team, has successfully transformed La Centrale from a traditional auto classifieds player into a leading data and tech platform for new and used cars in France. We believe substantial investments in talent, technology and marketing, together with the dedication of all employees, have been pivotal to the company’s strategic transformation and to La Centrale’s success. We are proud to have supported La Centrale throughout this journey and wish the entire team and OLX continued success in the future.”

“La Centrale has long been a trusted destination for dealers and consumers in France,” said Philippe Chainieux, CEO of La Centrale. “We believe that joining forces with OLX and Prosus will allow us to expand that mission, accelerate innovation and deliver even greater value to our customers. We are excited to write the next chapter of growth together.”

La Centrale provides OLX with an immediate leading position in one of Europe’s largest used car markets. By combining OLX’s scale and technology with La Centrale’s local expertise and strong brand, the business is well-positioned to attract more dealers and expand their partnerships, enhance the customer experience, and accelerate revenue growth.

The Case for OLX + La Centrale

Strengthens OLX’s European motors portfolio: La Centrale is a leading French vertical motors classifieds platform with strong brand recognition and scale (c.4.5m monthly unique visitors and ~350k listings), which complements OLX’s leading motors portfolio in Central and Eastern Europe, comprising 4 brands spanning 5 markets.
A compelling market opportunity: The French car market is healthy and resilient, with solid growth potential in the dealer segment. The ongoing shift of the used cars market towards professional sellers presents significant upside as the dealership landscape matures and consolidates. Professional dealers currently account for ~36% of used car sales, compared with ~70% in Germany, and the average value per dealer transaction sits below European benchmarks. At the same time, margins on new cars are tightening, EV adoption is reshaping supply, and consumers are increasingly turning to trusted digital platforms for transparency and choice. Classifieds platforms like La Centrale are well-positioned to capture this opportunity by connecting professional sellers with a growing pool of value-conscious buyers.
Backs a strong leadership team: La Centrale’s leadership has revitalised the brand in recent years. It has undergone a successful restructuring, strengthening its technology, user experience and overall market position, closing ground with its competitors. This led to an improved financial performance with classifieds revenues growing at a 12% CAGR.
Enhances Prosus’s European ecosystem strategy: Prosus is building the leading European technology ecosystem, which will lead in consumer platforms and AI. Our ecosystem approach will drive user engagement and customer loyalty, strengthen AI capabilities, and help to optimise costs for our businesses. Prosus’s investment in AI is already reinventing ecommerce, from intelligent dispatching to hyper-personalised ordering, and we’re building Large Commerce Models - artificial intelligence systems which are the new operating systems for ecommerce. Following on the heels of Prosus’s planned acquisition of Just Eat Takeaway.com, La Centrale further strengthens Prosus’s European ambition.

Advisors

Prosus and OLX were advised by BofA Securities and A&O Shearman. Providence was advised by Goldman Sachs and Kirkland & Ellis.

[FarEnd]

Prosus's OLX Group agrees to acquire La Centrale, a leading motors classifieds platform in France, for EUR1.1 billion from Providence

Ik word hier niet wild van, ik zie Prosus liever actief in latijns amerika en in azie. Daar kunnen ze gemakkelijker multiples halen van hun investering. Zelf al faalt een investering af en toe, de successen compenseren ruimschoots. Ze moeten bedrijven zoeken die snel groeien en een alternatieve waardecreator voor Prosus worden naast Tencent.

Het is veel moeilijker in europa om dergelijke multiples te halen uit een investering.
Het doet volgens de info dat ik vind een omzet van 80 miljoen en jaarlijkse winst van 20 miljoen, dan kan men nog lang wachten voor deze investering waarde gaat brengen aan het Prosus aandeel.

[Rudi]

Prosus neemt een belang van 10,1 procent in het Indiase online reisplatform Ixigo. Het techbedrijf betaalt hiervoor 13 miljard Indiase roepies, omgerekend zo’n 126 miljoen euro, zo meldde persbureau Reuters vrijdag op basis van uitspraken van Ixigo.

Ixigo, dat eerder bekendstond als Le Travenues Technology, geeft preferente aandelen uit aan Prosus tegen een prijs van 280 roepies per aandeel. Dat ligt 10,5 procent onder de slotkoers van donderdag.

Ongeveer een kwart van de opbrengst zal Ixigo aanwenden voor groeiplannen, waaronder de ontwikkeling van nieuwe AI-platforms en de uitbreiding van de hotelactiviteiten. Ook zal het bedrijf extra investeren in marketing, reclame en mogelijke overnames.

Prosus heeft al meerdere investeringen in India gedaan, waaronder in het bezorgplatform Swiggy en fintechbedrijf PayU. De totale waarde van de Indiase portefeuille van Prosus bedraagt inmiddels circa 6,5 miljard dollar, aldus Reuters.

[ZyppBe]

Prosus backs Endowus’ next phase of growth as client assets cross US$10 billion
https://www.prosus.com/news-insights/gr ... 10-billion

Prosus Ventures today reaffirmed its commitment to shaping the future of digital wealth management in Asia through its continued investment in Endowus, Asia’s leading independent wealth advisory and investment platform. The new round coincides with Endowus surpassing US$10 billion (S$13 billion) in client assets and delivering over US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion) in net investment gains for clients. Endowus’ growth reflects the increasing appetite for transparent, technology-enabled, and conflict-free wealth solutions in Asia’s rapidly evolving investment landscape.

“This is our third investment in Endowus, and it reflects our strong belief in its mission to build an advisory-led wealth platform that meaningfully impacts the lives of individuals and families,” said Martin Tschopp, CEO of Prosus Ventures. “Endowus has achieved remarkable growth without compromising on its values, and continues to exemplify how technology and trust can come together to transform personal finance. We see enormous potential in their model as it scales across Asia.”

With the new funding, Endowus will deepen its technology edge through AI-driven advisory, expand retirement and pension platforms, and grow its B2B WealthTech offerings for financial advisors and external asset managers - furthering Prosus’ focus on supporting next-generation digital infrastructure for the financial services ecosystem.

For Prosus Ventures, which has invested in leading fintech innovators globally - from payments and insurance to credit and digital banking - the partnership with Endowus represents a strategic extension into digital wealth, a sector poised for exponential growth as Asia’s wealth pools deepen and investor sophistication rises.

[ZyppBe]

Slim. Het verschil in goede ideeën + tempo van uitvoering tussen ~1 jaar Bloisi en ~10 jaar Bob van Dijk is opvallend.

Prosus to Launch Brazilian Depositary Receipts (BDRs) on B3 Exchange
https://www.prosus.com/news-insights/gr ... 3-exchange

- Prosus BDRs (PRXB) will provide Brazilian investors with seamless access to a global technology company, with investments in leading Latin American lifestyle ecommerce brands.

- The listing underscores Prosus’s long-term commitment to Brazil and its integral role in the company’s global ecosystem strategy.

- The new B3 listing builds on the success of our American Depositary Receipts programme in the United States and complements Prosus’s listings on Euronext Amsterdam (PRX) and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (PRX.J).