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SINGAPORE, March 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AnyMind Group, an AI solutions provider for the advertising, influencer marketing and human resource industries, has today announced the closure of its Series B Plus round at US$8 million, bringing the company's Series B total to US$21.4 million and total current funding to US$35.9 million. The new investors are VGI Global Media Plc (VGI), Thailand's leading offline-to-online solutions provider across advertising, payment and logistics platforms, and Tokyo Century Corporation, a Japanese financial services company.
As part of the investment, AnyMind Group will look to enter a joint venture with VGI to integrate digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising technology to VGI-owned out-of-home advertising spaces in Thailand. Covering a potential daily media reach of 40 million people, the digital advertising spaces include digital signage on train platforms, transportation, buildings, streets and digital billboards, along with future out-of-home advertising inventory partnerships, with the objective to create more connected, dynamic and interactive advertising experiences.
Through mounted cameras placed together with digital signage, viewers will be able to view more personalized advertising. This is done through computer vision to determine gender, age group and location, allowing for advertisements and content to be matched, optimized and shown to the most relevant audience segments.
This follows AdAsia Holdings' pilot DOOH advertising project with East Japan Railway Company Limited in December 2018, providing a dynamic DOOH solution to serve advertising through digital billboards in train stations, and measure the effectiveness of ads through actual view rate and reaction. Advertisers and marketers will be able to purchase DOOH and connected advertising inventory through the AdAsia Digital Platform for Advertisers.
Apart from the expansion of offerings into digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising, the funds will also be used for potential strategic acquisitions in the advertising, influencer marketing and human resource industries, and acceleration of talent and product growth.
"With our vision to empower the growth of professionals, businesses and industries through technology, and newly onboarded investors, we're now in a strong position to propel forward the advertising, influencer marketing and human resource industries in Asia," said Kosuke Sogo, CEO and co-founder of AnyMind Group.
"We're excited for the future opportunities to partner up with AnyMind Group and its advertising technology, potentially allowing us to offer a fully integrated solution through the sales & marketing funnel," said Nelson Leung, CEO of VGI.
"Our objective here is to build a DOOH advertising marketplace across Asia, with a greater aim to bring a future where advertising across all mediums is connected - ultimately providing the most relevant and personalized advertising to everyone, on any platform," said Sogo.
"We are excited for the future of AnyMind Group, a company developing solutions for various industries using AI and other technologies in the fast-growing ASEAN region. We will provide AnyMind Group with a vast knowledge network and mutually beneficial support," said Yoshito Kitagawa, President of Business Development Unit, Tokyo Century Corporation.
Within three years, the company expanded into 11 markets in Asia, grown its headcount to 400 staff, expanded into two additional industries, and acquired two companies: FourM in Japan, and Acqua Media in Hong Kong.
This growth was achieved through AnyMind Group's three brands: AdAsia Holdings, a provider of advertising solutions to advertisers and online media publishers, CastingAsia, an influencer marketing business and platform, and TalentMind, a recruitment and talent management platform in the human resources industry.
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About AnyMind Group
Previously operating as AdAsia Holdings, AnyMind Group was formed in January 2018 and is now the parent company of AdAsia Holdings, TalentMind and CastingAsia. AnyMind Group aims to provide industries, businesses and professionals with a suite of AI-based solutions to enable greater growth. Headquartered in Singapore, AnyMind Group has over 400 staff from 20 nationalities, across 13 offices in 11 markets. To date, AnyMind Group has closed a total funding of US$35.9 million, from investors including (but not limited to) LINE, Mirai Creation Fund, VGI and JAFCO Asia.
About VGI Global Media Plc (Stock Code VGI.BKK)
Established in 1998, VGI has been committed to be Thailand's most customer-oriented media company. This rich heritage defines who we are and what we do today. VGI was the No. 1 out-of-home media platform having its media in Transit, Office, Outdoor, Aviation and Activation with THB 7billion inventory on hand. Now, VGI is a unique market leader with exclusive access to behavioral data from our advertising, payment and logistics platforms. We turn data to meaningful consumer insight, enabling us to offer Offline-to-Online solutions. To provide a better customer experience, we help brands to navigate their customers at every stage of the purchasing process. We are No.1 listed media company on SET by market capitalisation of over THB 67billion (USD 2billion) and generating THB 3,936milion in total sales revenue with a superior margin of 21.5% as of March 2018. VGI is a member of BTS Group Holdings Plc., Thailand's leading provider of mass transit solutions.
About Tokyo Century
Tokyo Century is a highly specialized and unique financial services company that pioneers new business fields combining finance, services and business expertise, working alongside customers in pursuit of their growth and goals. Through its four core businesses (Equipment Leasing, Specialty Financing, Domestic Automobile Financing, and International Business) Tokyo Century seeks to provide solutions that help increase the corporate value of customers.
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