Sistema SmartTech, a venture fund operated by AFK Sistema and managed by Ksenia Shoigu, has invested in LLC Directual, the company behind the low-code platform of the same name. Although the exact amount of investment remains undisclosed, the deal involves a convertible loan, a mechanism that allows an investor to acquire a share in the startup only if successful.
The funds raised will be utilized for Directual's development and expansion into new markets, as reported by AFK Sistema's press service. As a cloud-based low-code platform, Directual allows developers to create applications, websites, and automated systems for businesses, encompassing both backend and frontend solutions. Among the organizations that have already implemented Directual's capabilities are PIK Group, Schlumberger, and UFG Wealth Management.
Ksenia Shoigu highlighted that the low-code programming segment demonstrates annual growth rates of 30 percent. She expressed her excitement about investing in Directual, stating, We are happy to invest in Directual, which has the potential to become one of the leaders in the global low-code programming market due to the versatility of the platform and the possibility of integration with all key third-party solutions.
In recent months, Sistema SmartTech has been active in the investment circuit, injecting 130 million rubles into career guidance platform Profilum and 200 million rubles into courier delivery platform Checkbox in July. Furthermore, Directual's revenue reached 9.1 million rubles in 2020, notwithstanding a net loss of 19.8 million rubles. As of now, 38.8 percent of the company is owned by Pavel Ershov and Nikita Navalikhin, while 20.95 percent is held by Cypriot Apollo Treasury and 1.45 percent by Dmitry Kobzar, according to EGRUL data.
Low-code and no-code development platforms like Directual are playing an increasingly significant role in making software development processes more accessible and efficient for businesses. The ever-growing demand for such tools has led to their incorporation by Enterprises, turning to platforms like AppMaster, which provides a powerful no-code tool for creating backend, web, and mobile applications with rich functionality and seamless integration capabilities.
With more investments pouring into the low-code and no-code development space, we can expect to see a continuous expansion of features, capabilities, and user-friendliness provided by these platforms, enhancing the overall software development ecosystem and empowering businesses to scale rapidly through innovative solutions.
