US-based mobility technology provider Via secured $130m yesterday in a series G round featuring conglomerate Koch Industries’ corporate venturing subsidiary, Koch Disruptive Technologies.
Investment firm Janus Henderson Investors led the round, which included diversified holding group Exor, asset manager BlackRock and investment firm Ion Crossover Partners. The round valued it at $3.3bn.
Founded in 2012, Via offers carpooling mobility services and public transit management software to optimise transport networks in areas including public, shuttle and school buses as well as autonomous vehicles.
The series G funding will be used to boost the company’s expansion into new markets, grow its team and support product development.
Via raised $60m in funding in March 2021, a year after it reportedly secured at least $200m in a series E round led by Exor and backed by oil and gas provider Shell, property manager Mori Building and media company Hearst’s corporate venturing unit, Hearst Ventures.
Macquarie Capital, Pitango, 83North, Ervington Investments, Planven Ventures, Broadscale Group and RiverPark Ventures also took part in the round, at a $2.25bn valuation.
Automotive manufacturer Daimler led a series D round for Via in 2017 reportedly sized at $250m, participating alongside unnamed existing investors, according to TechCrunch.
The company had raised $100m in a 2016 series C round that was led by Pitango and which also featured Hearst Ventures, Poalim Capital Markets, C4 Ventures, Ervington Investments and 83North, bringing the company’s total funding to $137m.
Via’s co-founders, Daniel Ramot and Oren Shova said: “This is the most exciting time in transportation in decades. Cities around the world are recognising the critical role that technology can play in improving the efficiency and quality of their transit networks.
Our software provides an end-to-end solution that helps cities and public agencies plan, operate and optimise every facet of their transportation system.”
Photo courtesy of Via.
