Hindustan Media Ventures backs EV maker Matter with $5.29M in diversification push
What's the deal? Hindustan Media VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (HMVL), publisher of Hindi daily Hindustan, has approved investments totalling up to US$12M across three companies in electric mobility, insurance distribution and media technology. The largest slice — up to US$6.79M, or roughly $5.29 million — goes to electric-motorcycle maker Matter Motor Works via compulsorily convertible preference shares.
The other bets: HMVL will put up to US$3.38M into Singapore-based 1 Play Global, which holds a 10-year contract to run Ayodhyatra, a digital tourism platform, and up to US$1.83M into tech-enabled insurer Inka Insurance. All three deals are expected to close by March 2027.
Why now? The approvals, cleared by HMVL's board on November 4, came alongside quarterly results. The publisher said the investments aim to generate future capital returns while leveraging its existing media assets.
What's the context? Matter is a growth-stage business, reporting turnover of US$1.34M in FY25 against US$802.6K the year before. In August it raised $25 million (about US$32.6M) from existing investors, taking its reported cumulative funding to roughly US$135.8M — making HMVL's stake a relatively small addition to an already well-capitalised company.
By the numbers: HMVL reported consolidated revenue from continuing operations of US$26.7M in Q2 FY27, up 11.5% year on year. Profit before tax from continuing operations rose 80% to US$9.27M, helped by other income climbing about 90% to US$7.04M.
What could go wrong? The investments are proposed, not completed, and eventual ownership stakes depend on conversion terms and warrant exercises. The 1 Play Global deal also requires compliance with overseas investment rules.
The signal: A print publisher steering capital into EVs, insurance and streaming-adjacent tech signals how legacy media groups are seeking returns beyond a shrinking core. HMVL says none of the three deals is a related-party transaction — framing the moves as pure financial diversification rather than strategic expansion of its publishing business.
Read more: bestmediainfo.com
Image credit: Matter
