Kobo

Toronto, Canada Founded: 2009 • Age: 17 yrs Acquired By Rakuten
Provider of app-based reading and self-publishing platform
Annual revenue - Latest available
Total funding $116.0M 3 rounds
Employees - Tracked headcount
Investors 3 Known backers
Products - Services tracked
Competitors - Brand Intelligence

About Kobo

Kobo is a company based in Toronto (Canada) founded in 2009 was acquired by Rakuten in November 2011. Kobo has raised $116 million across 3 funding rounds from investors including Rakuten, CKH LIMITED and Indigo. Kobo has completed 2 acquisitions, including Escapes and tolino.

  • Headquarter Toronto, Canada
  • Sectors
    Media & Entertainment
  • Email
    Locked
  • Phone
    Locked
  • Website
    Locked
  • Social
    Locked
Operational Areas
Media & Entertainment → Creator Economy & Social Platforms Unlock Sub-Sector Unlock Segment
Media & Entertainment → Digital Media, Publishing & Broadcasting Unlock Sub-Sector Unlock Segment
Key Metrics
  • Annual Revenue
    Not available
  • Net Profit
    Not available
  • EBITDA
    Not available
  • Total Equity Funding
    $116 M (USD)

    in 3 rounds

  • Latest Funding Round
    $53 M (USD), Series C

    Apr 19, 2011

  • Investors
    Rakuten

    & 2 more

  • Employee Count
    Not available
  • Investments & Acquisitions
    Escapes

    & 1 more

  • Acquired by
    Rakuten

    (Nov 08, 2011)

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People of Kobo

Headcount 200-500
Employee Profiles 2
Employee Profiles
People
Anna Giagkou
Chief Financial Officer
People
Blair Abercromby
VP Of Finance

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Teams

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Funding Insights of Kobo

Kobo has successfully raised a total of $116M across 3 strategic funding rounds. The most recent funding activity was a Series C round of $53 million completed in April 2011. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.

Investors in Kobo

Kobo has secured backing from 3 investors, including institutional investors. Prominent investors backing the company include Rakuten, CKH LIMITED and Indigo.

All
Institutional
Investor Description Founded Year Domain Location
Stationery products are retailed by Indigo in Canada.
Locked Locked Locked
Ports, retail, infrastructure, energy, and telecommunications are operated worldwide.
Locked Locked Locked
Internet services in e-commerce, finance, and digital content are operated.
Locked Locked Locked
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Investor details for Kobo

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  • Investor domains
  • Investor locations
  • Funding rounds
  • Participation history

Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.

Investments & Acquisitions by Kobo

Kobo has strategically engaged in corporate development activities, having acquired 2 companies. Notable acquisitions include Escapes and tolino.

Investments
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Investment portfolio details for Kobo

Portfolio company identities, transaction dates, round details, and investment values require an active premium plan.

  • Portfolio identities
  • Transaction dates
  • Round details
  • Investment values

Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.

Acquisitions
Company Name Description Domain Location Founded Year Amount
A travel blog is operated to inspire adventure seekers.
Locked Locked 2006 Locked
Ebooks and audiobooks are retailed via a mobile application.
Locked Locked 0 Locked
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Complete acquisition details for Kobo

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  • Transaction dates
  • Acquired stakes
  • Disclosed values
  • Domains and locations

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Financial Statements - Kobo

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Detailed financials for Kobo

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  • Historical revenue
  • Profit trends
  • Statement rows
  • Financial ratios

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Kobo Comparisons

Kobo Primary company
Description
Provider of app-based reading and self-publishing platform
Location
Toronto, Canada
Founded Year
2009
Annual Revenue
Not available
Net Profit
Not available
EBITDA
Not available
Employees
Not available
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Peer comparison for Kobo

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  • Named peers
  • Headcount comparison
  • Funding comparison
  • Operating benchmarks

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Competitors of Kobo

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Detailed competitors of Kobo

Competitor domains, locations, full profiles, and operating metrics require an active premium plan.

  • Domains and locations
  • Full company profiles
  • Operating metrics
  • Competitive positioning

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Latest news on Kobo

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Complete news archive for Kobo

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  • Full article archive
  • Source and publication date
  • Older coverage
  • Brand-specific news history

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Frequently Asked Questions about Kobo

Kobo was founded in 2009 and raised its 1st funding round 1 year after it was founded.

Kobo is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. It is registered at Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Michael Tamblyn is the current CEO of Kobo.

Kobo is a funded company, having raised a total of $116M across 3 funding rounds to date.

Kobo was founded in 2009 in Toronto, Canada, as a provider in the digital publishing sector. A self-publishing platform called Kobo Writing Life is offered to authors for digital distribution of their works. Content is made available via a companion app compatible with Android and iOS devices. Real-time sales tracking is enabled through an integrated analytics suite. Support is extended to multiple languages, such as German, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

Kobo has made 2 acquisitions, including Escapes, and tolino.

Kobo has 3 investors. Key investors include Rakuten, CKH LIMITED, and Indigo.

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