List of Rakuten Acquisitions and Investments

Rakuten has made a significant impact on the e-commerce industry through its strategic acquisitions and investments.

One notable acquisition is Kobo, a popular e-reader and digital bookstore.

In 2011, Rakuten acquired Kobo for $315 million, expanding its presence in the digital content market.

Rakuten also acquired Viber, a messaging app with over 1 billion registered users.

The acquisition was announced in 2014 for $900 million, marking a significant expansion of Rakuten's mobile services.

Another notable investment is in Pinterest, a social media platform with a strong focus on visual discovery and planning.

Rakuten invested $50 million in Pinterest's Series C funding round in 2015, demonstrating its commitment to the platform's growth.

Rakuten's acquisitions and investments have helped the company stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly changing e-commerce landscape.

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Rakuten has been on a buying spree, acquiring companies across various industries to strengthen its online presence.

In 2002, Rakuten acquired MyTrip.net, an online auction company, which was later merged with Rakuten Travel.

Rakuten's expansion into the US market began in 2005 with the acquisition of LinkShare, an online auction company that was later rebranded as Rakuten Marketing and then Rakuten Advertising.

Rakuten made significant strides in the e-commerce space with the acquisition of PriceMinister in 2010 for €200 million, and Buy.com for US$250 million.

The company's international presence expanded further with the acquisition of Ikeda in 2011, a Brazilian e-commerce company that was later renamed Rakuten Brazil.

Rakuten's acquisition of Play.com in 2011 marked its entry into the UK market, with the company paying £25 million for the e-commerce business.

Here's a list of some of Rakuten's notable acquisitions:

Rakuten's acquisition of Ebates in 2014 marked a significant milestone for the company, with the deal valued at US$952 million and changing the name to Rakuten Rewards.

In 2018, Rakuten acquired Curbside, a retail pickup service, expanding its presence in the US market.

Rakuten's most recent acquisition was Altiostar in 2021, a radio access network company, for US$1 billion.

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Rakuten has made several notable investments in various companies around the world. One of the earliest investments was in Carousell, a B2C and B2B marketplace in Singapore, where Rakuten led a US$800,000 seed round of funding in 2013.

Rakuten's investments have spanned across different industries, including online retail, social media, and real estate. In Russia, Rakuten invested in Ozon.ru, an online retailer, although the exact value of the investment is unknown.

Rakuten has also invested in ridesharing companies, including Cabify in Spain and Lyft in the United States. In the case of Lyft, Rakuten led a US$530 million funding round in 2015, acquiring a 12% stake in the company.

Here's a brief overview of Rakuten's investments in various companies:

Rakuten has also invested in other companies, including MetroResidences, a real estate investing company, where the company received US$4.2 million in funding in 2017.

Rakuten has made some significant acquisitions over the years, shaping its position in the market.

One notable acquisition was MyTrip.net in 2002, which was merged with Rakuten Travel. This was followed by the acquisition of LinkShare in 2005, rebranded as Rakuten Marketing then as Rakuten Advertising.

In 2010, Rakuten acquired PriceMinister, an online retailer from France, for €200 million. This was the same year it acquired Buy.com, an online retailer from the United States, for US$250 million.

Rakuten has also expanded its presence in other countries through acquisitions. In 2011, it acquired Ikeda, an e-commerce company from Brazil, renaming it Rakuten Brazil. It also acquired Tradoria, an e-commerce company from Germany, rebranding it as Rakuten Deutschland.

In 2012, Rakuten acquired Kobo, an e-book reader company from Canada, for US$315 million. It also acquired Wuaki.tv, a VOD service from Spain, rebranding it to Rakuten TV in 2017.

Here are some of the notable acquisitions made by Rakuten:

Rakuten has also made other significant acquisitions, including Viber Media in 2014 for US$905 million and Ebates in the same year for US$952 million.