Branch, a US-based deep-linking technology developer backed by consumer electronics group Samsung, has authorised the sale of $129m in series D shares to unnamed investors, TechCrunch reported on Friday.
The company is targeting a valuation of at least $1bn for the funding round.
Founded in 2013 as Branch Metrics, Branch operates a platform that allows developers to integrate deep links – a type of link that, when clicked on a website, will open a specific app and take the user to the product in question.
The technology has been integrated into 40,000 mobile apps to date, including those of e-commerce firm Amazon, dating platform Tinder and short-term rental service Airbnb.
Samsung Ventures, the corporate venturing division of Samsung, contributed to a $60m series C round in April 2017 that was led by Playground Ventures and also included New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Founders Fund, Pear VC, Madrona Ventures, Cowboy Ventures and private investor Ben Narasin.
Founders Fund led a $35m series B round in 2016 with contributions from NEA, Pear VC (then known as Pejman Mar Ventures), Cowboy Ventures and private backers Narasin and Zach Coelius.
NEA and Narasin co-led a $15m series A round in 2015, with participation from Pear VC, Cowboy Ventures, TriplePoint Capital and Coelius. NEA, Pear VC and angel investors including Narasin had already provided $3m in seed funding in 2014.