Carousell, Singapore’s startup darling, has found its path. In November, the seven-year-old mobile classifieds service announced a merger deal with Telenor-owned rival, 701Search. The deal values the combined entity at $850 million and brings together two of the region’s most prominent classifieds businesses.
The Singapore-based company was “unbelievably lucky” to pick up this deal, an investor whose portfolio includes classifieds businesses told The Ken. This turns the business into a genuine contender for unicorn status (a valuation north of $1 billion), said the investor.
The Carousell story is well known in Southeast Asia startup folklore.