GSVlabs, a global innovation platform and startup accelerator, has completed a $7m Series B financing round.
The financing round was led by a syndicate of private investors, including partners from HMC Capital, a Latin American asset manager with over $9bn in assets under management.
In addition to the funding, GSVlabs also announced the appointment of Nikhil Sinha, most recently the Chief Content Officer of Coursera, as CEO and partner. Jules Coleman, the former Senior Vice Provost of New York University and co-founder of the Global Futures Group, will also join GSVlabs board of directors.
“Nikhil brings a unique blend of experience to GSVlabs spanning venture capital, as well as executive roles in both the corporate and academic sectors. We couldn’t be more excited to have him lead the platform,” said Michael Moe, GSVlabs board member and executive chairman of GSV Capital. “We are also pleased to see GSVlabs add a high caliber investor group that not only supports the company’s vision, but also has the experience and connectivity to support its execution against a global opportunity.”
Over 25 Fortune 500 corporations, including Cisco, AT&T, Intel, Visa, and IBM, have partnered with GSVlabs to launch new initiatives, identify talent, and attack new markets. The company recently launched a center in Boston and it operates accelerator programs in Bangalore and Gurgaon (Delhi) in partnership with the Times of India, the largest media company in India. GSVlabs is targeting an expansion into 40 global innovation hubs over the next five years.
GSV’s flagship center in Silicon Valley is home to over 200 startups, focusing on big data & artificial intelligence, education technology (EdTech), FinTech, gaming & entertainment, the Internet of Things (IoT), digital health, and others.
Most recently, Sinha served as the chief content officer at Coursera, one of world’s leading higher education platforms backed by leading VC firms including GSV Capital.
Sinha also co-founded and served as the CEO of two technology companies – iDLX Technology Partners and Silverskills – which he led to successful strategic acquisitions. In the academic sector, he was the founding vice chancellor of Shiv Nadar University in India and also served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas.
“I am thrilled to be joining the GSVlabs team at this exciting inflection point for the company,” said incoming CEO Sinha. “GSVlabs is creating powerful network effects by connecting Silicon Valley to innovation centers around the world while connecting the world to Silicon Valley. We have the opportunity to build a special company.”
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