Sources claimed that Amazon is reportedly in talks with Go-Jek for a plausible investment. This move could bolster the presence of the e-commerce giant in Southeast Asia.
Amazon is reportedly keen to join the start-up’s ongoing funding round. Amazon’s investment to Go-Jek will be significant as it has zero presence in Indonesia, which is home to several unicorn start-ups and by far the region’s biggest and most promising market with 260 million people.
The two companies declined to comment as nothing has been set in stone yet.
However, Amazon’s Chinese rivals have made inroads in Indonesia after Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. spent billions of dollars to acquire online shopping company Lazada Group and invested in homegrown Indonesian e-commerce companies Tokopedia PT and Bukalapak. Tencent Holdings Ltd. has backed Sea Ltd., whose mobile shopping unit Shopee is battling fiercely with Lazada.
Go-Jek is currently holding its Series F funding round (valued at USD 10 billion), The start-up reportedly pooled investments from Visa Inc., Thailand’s Siam Commercial Bank Plc, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance Co. this year. The terms of those deals were not disclosed.
Go-Jek debuted its app for hailing motorbike taxis in Jakarta in 2015. Since then, the company has evolved into a “super app” — part ride-sharing service, part food-delivery business and part digital-wallet provider. It also offers a dozen other on-demand services such as booking a cleaner and medicine delivery.
