Google in talks to acquire Indian social media startup ShareChat: Report

Google is in early talks to acquire Bengaluru-based startup ShareChat in a deal that could value the latter at around $1.03 billion, two sources told The Economic Times.

ShareChat and Google have signed a non-binding proposal and appointed bankers to take negotiations forward, they said and added that Google has started conducting due diligence of the five-year-old regional language social media platform.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

A source said ShareChat’s founders may continue to maintain a small stake in their company even if the deal with Google goes through.

Having raised $40 million from investors in September to bring its total funding to $264 million, ShareChat was last valued at $650 million, sources stated. They said that more funds would be sought if the company expands to the Middle East market.

On the prospective deal with Google, the source said “the time is good to sell as this is a money intensive business. He pointed out the costs involved in acquiring licences for music and pay for influencers, besides the presence of many players in the segment.

ShareChat and Google refused to confirm the news, as per the report.

For Google, this is in line with its pledge to invest $10 billion in India, and will provide it entry into the Indian social media space where ShareChat has been among the biggest gainers over the last six months since the ban of Chinese video-sharing app TikTok, the report said.