Talks of SoftBank Increasing Its Investment in Software Portfolio Company Icertis

SoftBank is once again making inroads into the Indian startup scene. The global giant is in early talks to increase its investment in Icertis, a company that now manages its software portfolio.According to ET, Pune-based Icertis is presently seeking to raise $150 million (about INR 1,252 crore) through the sale of secondary shares; as part of this transaction, SoftBank may expand its participation.It is important to note that with this new round of funding, SoftBank is not the only investor looking to extend their position in Icertis. Existing investors in the business are also thinking about increasing their stake. This action is being taken as some of the company's original investors look to leave the 15-year-old business.Valuation concerns play a major role in the talks between SoftBank and Icertis.As part of a bigger fundraising round, SoftBank's Vision Fund is completing preparations to invest in the e-commerce platform Meesho. This comeback comes after SoftBank and Tiger Global abstained from transactions for more than a year.Established in 2009 by Monish Darda and Samir Bodas, Icertis focuses on the corporate IT industry.

Businesses all around the world may manage, buy, sell, and corporate enterprise contracts with the aid of its product, Icertis Contract Intelligence (ICI).It was previously reported that SoftBank was getting ready to resume investing in Indian businesses following a roughly 18-month hiatus. The Japanese investment company, which had previously taken a wait-and-watch approach, is now aggressively seeking to support cutting-edge businesses and expand its holdings in the Indian market.SoftBank will keep investing, especially in growth-stage companies, as it often does so with over $100 million each round.As of December 2023, SoftBank India's investment portfolio across Vision Funds I and II had a fair value of around $14 billion, an increase of 9%.