Dubai-based platform for short-term rentals Silkhaus has raised $7.75 million, while Singapore-based venture capital firm Velocity Ventures has invested an undisclosed sum in New Zealand’s enviro-tech company CarbonClick.
Dubai-based Silkhaus raises $7.75m seed round
Dubai-based Silkhaus, a platform for short-term rentals, has raised $7.75 million in a seed funding round to expand to South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the MENA region, according to an announcement.
The company raised the funds from investors including Nuwa Capital, Nordstar, Global Founders Capital, Yuj Ventures, Whiteboard Capital and VentureSouq. International family offices, business leaders, and several global proptech entrepreneurs also joined this round.
Founded in 2021 by Aahan Bhojani and Ashmin Varma, Silkhaus’s technology provides asset owners with tools to monetise and manage their properties as short-term rentals.
The company is building out its technology stack, led by Varma who previously developed cutting-edge technologies for global proptech firms. Silkhaus said it will grow the supply of properties on its platform, with a focus on hiring extensively for technology and strategic roles.
Velocity Ventures backs New Zealand’s CarbonClick
Singapore-based venture capital firm Velocity Ventures has invested an undisclosed sum in New Zealand’s enviro-tech company CarbonClick, per a report on e27.
The fresh fund will be used to boost its expansion into Asia, with a regional office in Singapore scheduled to open in 2023.
Established in 2017, CarbonClick was formed to make carbon offsetting simple, cost-effective and transparent.
Its founders worked on voluntary carbon offsetting for a major airline and saw the potential these programmes had to help the planet. They realised that taking climate action is complex, expensive and time-consuming, and not widely trusted by consumers.
Velocity Ventures was founded by A Patrick Imbardelli, the former CEO of the Pan Pacific Hotels and InterContinental Hotels Group (APAC) and Nicholas Cocks, the entrepreneur and investor. Last year, the firm hit the first close of its $20-million Southeast Asia-focused hospitality and travel fund.