Denis Opudo
Naspers is a worldwide global entertainment and internet group. The firm was founded in 1915. Based in South Africa, the firm is one of the largest technology investors globally. The firm is found in more than 130 markets and countries, with a potential of having a growth that will last for long. It also specializes in both print and electronic media. MIH Holdings is the firm’s electronic media side which mainly takes charge of Nasper’s internet, pay-television, and other technical duties.
The firm’s major investments take place in three important areas. This includes media, internet, and video entertainment. The internet area has many consumer internet startups like Ibibo, Flipkart, Buscape, Udemy among others. The investment in the video and entertainment area comprises of MutltiChoice Africa. It also includes digital pay-TV provider GoTV based in Zambia among others. The media area investment includes Media24, In Loco Media and Novus Holdings.
Naspers startup sold 190 million shares that amounted to around 2% of its total shares to Chinese Internet giant Tencent. After the sale of its shares, the company’s shareholding in Tencent went down to 31.2% compared to 33.2%. The company had initially channeled $32 million in the Tencent in the year 2001. It is currently having shares in the WeChat owner worth more than $159 billion. The share places it amongst the most successful investments worldwide.
The company got $10 billion from the sale of Tencent shares. It is also planning to invest that money in important e-commerce segments worldwide. According to the CEO of Naspers, Bob Van Dijk the larger share of that money will be channeled to the Indian market. Naspers is also planning to invest in early-stage in India in different sectors. The sectors include media, education, technology, and blockchain.
Naspers has got major investments in India including Swiggy which is a food delivery startup. Furthermore, it has invested in Flipkart an e-commerce venture. Naspers together with China’s Tencent Holdings bought Ibibo Group back in 2009. Ibibo Group is a travel and e-commerce organization that later on launched Goibibo in Gurugram. Naspers, later on, invested $250 million in Ibibo Group taking its shares to 90%. The shares were later on bought by MakeMyTrip in 2016. The firm went ahead and launched its payment means PayU back in 2011 in India. The payment method was then deployed in Tradus and Goibibo. In January 2014 the PayU India was combined with PayU Global. Ibido group, later on, was made a shareholder in the commodity formed after the merging.
Back in June 2013, Naspers bought 100% shares in redBus via Goibibo. Furthermore, it bought shares in Travel Boutique Online (TBO) in 2014. The firm also claims the ownership of OLX that is a competitor of Quikr in the country. In May 2017, Naspers took part in the Series A funding PaySense startup based in Mumbai worth $5.3 million. It does this in collaboration with Nexus Venture Partners and Jungle Ventures.
The company had plans by November 2016 to develop a VC company in the country. This was aimed at expanding its investment in India. PayU India bought Citrus Pay startup in September 2016 at a value of $130 million. Ibibo Group was sold to MakeMyTrip in October 2017 at a value worth $1.8 billion. It came out in August 2018 that Naspers had plans to withdraw its investment in Travel Boutique Online (TBO). Naspers went ahead and contacted Yatra and MakeMyTrip for a stake scale.
