India: JSW One Platforms, JSW Group’s online business-to-business sales platform, has raised US$25m through an investment from Japan-based Mitsui Bussan. The business will use the funds to strengthen its market presence and further enhance technology capabilities. It also plans to expand its operations in Northern India, and to invest in credit, logistics and new technologies to improve customer experience. The platform stocks JSW Group subsidiary JSW Cement’s range of cement products. The Times of India newspaper has reported that Mitsui Bussan valued JSW One Platforms at US$336m.
JSW One Platforms CEO Gaurav Sachdeva said “There is a lot of distrust in the space and it’s highly fragmented. We want to be a one-stop shop for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, with defined service level agreements and deliverables. We will be the fastest in the space to touch US$1bn in gross merchandise value.” Sachdeva added that he expects the platform’s sales to more than double to US$91.6m in the current, 2024, financial year, from US$36.6m in the 2023 financial year.