Dentsu Bets On 'Cloud-First' Mobile Startup

Dentsu has invested in a U.S. startup called Nextbit Systems that is developing cloud services for smart devices. The amount was undisclosed and made through the holding company’s Dentsu Ventures investment fund that was set up earlier this year. 

Last year in its initial funding round, San Francisco-based Nextbit raised $18 million from companies including Accel Partners and Google Ventures. 

On Sept. 1, the startup launched a cloud-based smartphone it calls Robin that it is promoting as a “smart smart phone,’ given its virtually endless capacity to store user mobile content including music, videos, apps, photos and other “high-volume” data. 

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The same day the company launched a Kickstarter funding campaign with a goal of raising $500,000. It’s already surpassed $1 million and the campaign runs through the end of the month. 

For Dentsu Ventures, Nextbit is the second investment it has made recently. In August it confirmed investing $3 million in a U.S. social robotics firm, Jibo Inc.

 

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