Latest news with #SparkCapital
Entrepreneur
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Entrepreneur
Piston Raises $6.1 Million to Modernize Fleet Fuel Payments and Expand Network
Currently, Piston serves over 120 fleets across 800 stations, processing more than $20 million in annualized volume and growing by 50 per cent month over month You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Piston, a startup aiming to overhaul how commercial fleets and gas stations handle fuel payments, has raised $6.1 million in seed funding led by Spark Capital, with participation from Pear VC and BOND. This round brings the total raised by the Cupertino and Lehi-based company to $7.5 million, following a $1.4 million pre-seed round through the PearX accelerator. According to a press release issued by the company, the capital will be used to scale operations and grow its network of fleet and gas station partners. Founded by former fleet operators Vikram Sekhon and Shivam Shah, Piston has developed a cardless payments platform designed to eliminate long-standing issues in the fuel ecosystem, including rampant card fraud and inflated retail pricing. Drivers make payments via a secure QR code generated by the Piston app, which ties each transaction to a specific vehicle, time, location, and fuel type. On the other end, gas stations plug directly into Piston's infrastructure, gaining access to real-time data and commercial customers without installing new hardware or relying on intermediaries. "Fuel was our second-largest expense after payroll, and the most chaotic to manage," said Vikram Sekhon, co-founder and CEO. "We tried every solution on the market when we ran our own fleets, and none of them worked. So we decided to build one ourselves from scratch without the baggage of legacy card networks." Currently, Piston serves over 120 fleets across 800 stations, processing more than $20 million in annualized volume and growing by 50 per cent month over month. For the 90 per cent of U.S. gas stations that are franchise-owned, Piston offers a direct path to commercial business. The company also has a growing presence in India. Its Kolkata office, launched in April 2023 with five people, now supports over 25 team members, including the entire engineering team. "Being from Kolkata and having lived and worked here for many years gave me the insight and conviction that we can build a world-class payments product from here," said co-founder Shivam Shah. "Piston isn't just replacing the fleet card, it's redefining the economics of commercial fuel payments," said Arpan Shah of Spark Capital. Shravan Reddy of Pear VC added, "They identified a huge problem impacting an underserved market, and we believe there is enormous opportunity." For fleet operators like Saga Kapital Group, the impact has been immediate. "We've lowered our fuel spend by double digits and cut reconciliation from two days to two clicks," said company president Ash Kapoor.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spark Capital launches wealth management operations in Dubai's DIFC
India's Spark Capital Private Wealth Management (Spark Capital PWM) has established its operations in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) through its subsidiary, Spark Global PWM Private Limited. The move positions DIFC as the hub for Spark Capital's Middle East operations. DIFC hosts 420 wealth and asset management firms, including 75 hedge funds, 48 of which are part of the 'billion-dollar club'. Spark Global PWM Private Limited, a CAT4 firm regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, will facilitate access to diverse markets for global investors, offering comprehensive portfolio diversification opportunities. The DIFC office will be staffed by experienced wealth management professionals with extensive knowledge of global markets. The team will utilise Spark Capital's research capabilities and advanced investment strategies to deliver client-focused solutions in the region. Spark Capital PWM Private Limited senior managing director and co-CEO Arpita Vinay said: 'The establishment of our DIFC office represents a significant milestone in Spark Capital PWM's global growth strategy. 'Dubai's strategic location and robust financial infrastructure provide an ideal platform to connect investors across regions with diverse investment opportunities.' Spark Capital PWM stated that it has experienced 'substantial growth' in recent years, increasing its assets under management from around Rs30bn ($360.24m) in April 2023 to Rs300bn ($3.56bn) by May 2025. The firm's workforce has expanded from 60 to over 400 professionals, including more than 130 relationship managers, and it has established a presence in 12 cities across India. Spark Global PWM Private Limited senior executive officer Neeraj Ojha said: 'DIFC offers an exceptional ecosystem for wealth management firms, with its world-class regulatory framework and access to a wide network of financial institutions. 'Through our presence here, we aim to provide professional clients in the Middle East with comprehensive wealth solutions backed by Spark Capital's expertise and innovation in investment management.' "Spark Capital launches wealth management operations in Dubai's DIFC" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spark Capital launches wealth management operations in Dubai's DIFC
India's Spark Capital Private Wealth Management (Spark Capital PWM) has established its operations in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) through its subsidiary, Spark Global PWM Private Limited. The move positions DIFC as the hub for Spark Capital's Middle East operations. DIFC hosts 420 wealth and asset management firms, including 75 hedge funds, 48 of which are part of the 'billion-dollar club'. Spark Global PWM Private Limited, a CAT4 firm regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, will facilitate access to diverse markets for global investors, offering comprehensive portfolio diversification opportunities. The DIFC office will be staffed by experienced wealth management professionals with extensive knowledge of global markets. The team will utilise Spark Capital's research capabilities and advanced investment strategies to deliver client-focused solutions in the region. Spark Capital PWM Private Limited senior managing director and co-CEO Arpita Vinay said: 'The establishment of our DIFC office represents a significant milestone in Spark Capital PWM's global growth strategy. 'Dubai's strategic location and robust financial infrastructure provide an ideal platform to connect investors across regions with diverse investment opportunities.' Spark Capital PWM stated that it has experienced 'substantial growth' in recent years, increasing its assets under management from around Rs30bn ($360.24m) in April 2023 to Rs300bn ($3.56bn) by May 2025. The firm's workforce has expanded from 60 to over 400 professionals, including more than 130 relationship managers, and it has established a presence in 12 cities across India. Spark Global PWM Private Limited senior executive officer Neeraj Ojha said: 'DIFC offers an exceptional ecosystem for wealth management firms, with its world-class regulatory framework and access to a wide network of financial institutions. 'Through our presence here, we aim to provide professional clients in the Middle East with comprehensive wealth solutions backed by Spark Capital's expertise and innovation in investment management.' "Spark Capital launches wealth management operations in Dubai's DIFC" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Trade Arabia
03-06-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Spark Capital PWM launches operations in DIFC
Spark Capital Private Wealth Management (Spark Capital PWM) has announced the launch of its operations in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region through Spark Global PWM Private Limited. This strategic expansion will enable global investors to access diverse markets with ease while offering its clients comprehensive portfolio diversification opportunities. The move reinforces Spark Capital's commitment to delivering sophisticated, bespoke wealth management solutions on an international scale, the company said. Spark Capital PWM has significantly focused on growth and expansion in recent years. Its AUM & AUA has grown nearly 10x —from $360.24 million in April 2023 to $3.56 billion in May 2025. The firm has also scaled its team from 60 to over 400 professionals, including 130+ seasoned relationship managers, and established a pan-India presence across 12 cities. Arpita Vinay, Senior Managing Director & Co-CEO, Spark Capital Private Wealth Management Private Limited, said: "The establishment of our DIFC office represents a significant milestone in Spark Capital PWM's global growth strategy. Dubai's strategic location and robust financial infrastructure provide an ideal platform to connect investors across regions with diverse investment opportunities. This expansion allows us to enhance our service offerings to international clients while creating new avenues for wealth creation and preservation." Neeraj Ojha, Senior Executive Officer, Spark Global PWM Private Limited, added: "DIFC offers an exceptional ecosystem for wealth management firms, with its world-class regulatory framework and access to a wide network of financial institutions. Through our presence here, we aim to provide professional clients in the Middle East with comprehensive wealth solutions backed by Spark Capital's expertise and innovation in investment management." DIFC is a strategic gateway to financial institutions and multinational firms in the region. DIFC continues to experience exponential growth in the wealth and asset management sector with 420 wealth and asset management firms and over 75 pure play hedge funds, 48 of which are 'billion-dollar club' organisations, that are capitalising on regional opportunities. Spark Global PWM Private Limited's DIFC office will be staffed by a team of experienced wealth management professionals with extensive knowledge of global markets and a proven track record of delivering exceptional client outcomes. These professionals will leverage the firm's comprehensive research capabilities, innovative investment strategies, and established track record in wealth management to provide tailored solutions to clients in the region. This approach underscores Spark Capital's dedication to client-centric service while strengthening its position as a trusted wealth management partner globally, it said. –
National Post
03-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
dataplor Raises $20.5M Series B to Scale Global Location Intelligence and Accelerate Product Growth
Article content Following the recent international mobility product launch, dataplor continues rapid growth with new funding to scale global POI coverage, enhance customer solutions, and power smarter business decisions. Article content Article content MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — dataplor, a leading provider of global location intelligence, today announced the close of a $20.5 million Series B funding round, led by F-Prime, with participation from Spark Capital, FFVC, Acronym Venture Capital, Two Lanterns Venture Capital, APA Ventures, dara5, and Alumni Ventures. The new investment will accelerate dataplor's growth, expand its product offerings, and scale its global location intelligence products. This funding comes on the heels of dataplor's global mobility product launch, which delivers monthly refreshed, privacy-compliant foot traffic data across international markets—unlocking powerful new insights for customers. Combined with its proprietary Point of Interest (POI) data, dataplor now offers businesses the most comprehensive and privacy-forward view of real-world consumer behavior on a global scale. Article content 'Businesses around the world are realizing how critical accurate, dynamic location data is to their strategy,' said Gaurav Tuli, Partner at F-Prime. 'dataplor has built a truly differentiated solution that combines global scale, data quality, and compliance in a way we haven't seen before. We're thrilled to support their next phase of growth.' Article content Businesses rely on precise, dynamic location data to make strategic decisions—yet much of the available international POI data is outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate, particularly in emerging markets. This gap creates billions of dollars in missed opportunities for companies trying to expand, allocate resources, or understand consumer behavior across borders. dataplor's location intelligence fills this void, covering over 350 million POIs in more than 250 countries and territories, serving customers in technology, financial services, retail, logistics, consumer packaged goods (CPG), mapping, real estate, and more. Today, dataplor supports dozens of enterprise customers globally, including multiple Fortune 100 companies, embedding its data into critical workflows across geospatial, operations, and growth teams. Article content Its data powers high-impact decisions for global brands—from helping EV networks predict charger demand in real time to enabling insurers to model property risk with unmatched geospatial precision to empowering CPG leaders to identify distributors and grow in under-mapped regions. By combining AI, machine learning, and human validation, dataplor ensures its datasets remain accurate, comprehensive, and current—even in historically under-mapped regions. Article content With a privacy-first approach, dataplor ensures no personally identifiable information (PII) is ever used. This provides enterprise clients with full confidence in regulatory compliance and ethical data practices. Article content 'Our customers demand accurate, fresh, and globally compliant location data,' said Geoff Michener, Founder and CEO of dataplor. 'With this new funding, we're doubling down on our commitment to deliver the highest quality insights, while expanding our geographic coverage, enriching our product suite, and driving real business impact through seamless customer integration.' Article content dataplor is a leading provider of point-of-interest (POI) and mobility data that helps global enterprises grow abroad by mapping tough-to-reach markets with a privacy-first approach. As the majority of international location data is often inaccurate and quickly outdated, dataplor goes several steps beyond the industry standard, helping the world's largest companies across technology, mapping, search, third-party logistics, consumer packaged goods (CPG), telecom, investing, real estate, and finance understand location intelligence about any commercial or physical location in real-time, fueling their expansion abroad. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
