Rakuten books a meeting with Kobo

Nov 11, 2011 • Robert Lavine

Online retail company Rakuten has acquired the Indigo-backed eBook company Kobo for $315m.

Japan-based online retailer Rakuten acquired the Canada-based eBook retailer Kobo on Wednesday for $315m in cash.

Kobo was spun out from book, gift and toy retailer Indigo Books & Music in December 2009, at the same time raising $17m from Indigo, along with Instant Fame (a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based conglomerate Cheung Kong Holdings) and book retailers Borders Group and RedGroup Retail, both of which have since gone bankrupt.

The series A round was followed up, in April…

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