Singapore’s Appboxo just raised a $7M Series A to help turn any app into a super app. (You know, the same “super app” ambition that companies like AirAsia have to become like Grab or WeChat.)

• Appboxo’s 10 “super app” clients include GCash, Paytm and VodaPay.
• It powers over 400 mini-app integrations and a combined base of over 500M users.

Who cashed in? RTP Global led the round. 500 Southeast Asia, Antler, SciFi VC, Gradient Ventures (Google’s AI fund), and angels Huey Lin and Kayvon Deldar joined in.

📱  Go mini or go home

A mini-app is a lightweight version of an app within another app. For example, on WeChat you can access other apps even if they’re not downloaded on your phone. So, why are they good?

For you and I. Forget having way too many apps to scroll through and wasting precious phone storage! Super apps let you access multiple services in one app.

• Order food, make payments, book movie tickets, get loans and more on just one app.

For super apps. They get more engaged users, user data and even $$$ through ads and transactions. They’ll be the go-to app!

• In 2020, purchases made through mini-apps on WeChat totaled to $240B. (Big money!)

For mini-apps. Being a mini-app on another app gives you additional users and revenue.

• Acquire more users by tapping into a super app’s established base.

🤷🏻‍♀️  Not everyone’s WeChat and Grab

They have tons of resources to help them become super apps. Appboxo’s changing that.

• Developing mini-apps costs cash and time. Plus, bagging partnerships with companies to launch a mini-app on your platform isn’t always easy.

Build a mini-app. It has a developer ecosystem with tools to simplify building mini-apps.

Be a super app. Its marketplace has tons of mini-apps you can integrate into your platform. You’ll save time on app development and be able to skip the legal and partnership discussions.

😎  Going further

Last year, it launched Shopboxo. It lets anyone build a fast, mobile-first and beautiful website for their store in minutes.

• Offer local and international shipping, online payments and manage orders easily.

Seems strange? These stores are part of the super app play. They can be integrated as mini-apps within super apps using Appboxo.

• SMEs can scale the number of mini-apps, and e-commerce is in-demand with Appboxo’s clients, who are fintechs looking to diversify.

💰 What’s with the $$$?

It’s looking to develop Shopboxo, expand its merchant ecosystem and expand internationally— starting with Asia-Pacific.