Unlockd recently appointed former Twitter APAC head Aliza Knox as COO to fuel their Asian expansion plan

Australian adtech startup Unlockd has closed a AU$30.7 million (US$23 million) Series B round led by Malaysia-based Axiata Digital, the digital services arm of Axiata Group.

Venture capital firm Alium Capital also participated in the round for the startup that provides mobile lock-screen ads in Android smartphones in exchange of plans for users.

The Australian Financial Review reported that existing investors have also increased their stakes in the round, such as Lachlan Murdoch, Peter Gammell, Margaret Jackson, Citibank Australia chairman Sam Mostyn, as well as Catch of the Day founders Hezi and Gabby Leibovich.

Since its founding in 2015, the startup has already raised more than AU$50 million (US$37 million) though it would not disclose the value of the company.

Also Read: Adtech company AdAsia Holdings raises US$12M, has eyes set toward IPO

The Melbourne-based company already has presence in the US, UK, and the Caribbean; Unlockd co-founder and chief executive Matt Berriman said that they are going to use the new funding agreement to “shore up a valuable partner” for regional expansion.

“Asia has always been a strategic focus for us but we have been patient to ensure we had the right entry strategy, including a strong local partner,” he said.

“We’ve always known APAC would be a key region for us,” he added.

Axiata Group owns mobile operators in Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, India, and Singapore.

Berriman also said that Unlockd expects to launch in “several key markets” within the next three to six months.

The startup has recently made headlines with the appointment of former Twitter Asia Pacific head Aliza Knox as COO; her appointment is also part of Unlockd’s plan to expand to the region.

Apart from competing with local players, in the market Unlockd will also be competing with New Zealand’s Postr, which recently raised US$2.1 million to enter Indonesia and the Philippines.

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