Outblaze Ventures (Animoca™) raises Series A investments from Intel Capital and IDG-Accel
Leading VCs Intel Capital and IDG-Accel invest in Animoca’s rapidly growing smartphone app business
HONG KONG, 15 November 2011 – Outblaze Ventures Holdings Limited (the “Company”), also known as Animoca™, a smartphone games developer and publisher based in Hong Kong, has successfully closed its Series A funding round with investments from Intel Capital, Intel’s global investment organization, and IDG-Accel China Growth Fund III L.P. (“IDG-Accel”).
Since beginning operation in January 2011, Animoca has released more than 150 apps for Apple iOS and Google Android smartphone and tablet devices, including the highly popular “Pretty Pet” series of games (Pretty Pet Salon, Pretty Pet Tycoon, Pretty Pet Pony and others). Animoca operates a number of mobile games brands including Dream Cortex™, one of Hong Kong’s premier digital studios.
Animoca will use the newly raised funds to drive further growth of its apps business and to cement the company’s position as a leader in the app games sector.
“With dozens of top-ranked apps and more than 40 million downloads worldwide, in just ten months we have built Animoca into one of the – if not the – largest app game companies in this part of the world. We expect continued growth as we further expand our business on all fronts,” said David Kim, CEO and co-founder of Animoca. “The global app market continues to grow, and our goal is to establish the Animoca brand as a major international leader in smartphone games; the investments from Intel Capital and IDG-Accel will be critical to our efforts.”
About Outblaze Ventures (Animoca) Outblaze Ventures Holdings Limited, also known as Animoca™, is a global mobile media provider that develops and publishes innovative entertainment and education apps under the Animoca™ and Dream Cortex™ brands. The Company is one of the largest app developers and publishers in the world, with over 150 game and education apps for Apple iOS and Google Android platforms. Based in Hong Kong with offices and representatives throughout Asia and North America, Animoca has launched the highly acclaimed Pretty Pet series, My Car Salon, Hospital Story, and many other leading titles. For more information and to see a complete list of apps, please visit http://www.animoca.com/.
About Intel Capital Intel Capital, Intel’s global investment and M&A organization, makes equity investments in innovative technology start-ups and companies worldwide. Intel Capital invests in a broad range of companies offering hardware, software, and services targeting enterprise, mobility, health, consumer Internet, digital media, semiconductor manufacturing and cleantech. Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested more than US$10.4 billion in over 1,185 companies in 51 countries. In that timeframe, 194 portfolio companies have gone public on various exchanges around the world and 286 were acquired or participated in a merger. In 2010, Intel Capital invested US$327 million in 119 investments with approximately 44 percent of funds invested outside the U.S. and Canada. For more information on Intel Capital and its differentiated advantages, visit www.intelcapital.com.
About IDG-Accel China As the leading investment team in China, IDG-Accel China team was among the first to introduce foreign venture capital investment into China in early 1990’s and has since then invested in around 200 diverse successful portfolio, such as Baidu, Sohu, Tencent, Soufun, Ctrip, Home Inns, Hanting and Kanghui. Over 60 portfolios have successfully completed IPO or M&A.