Everledger, the UK-based technology company recently announced that it had completed its USD20 million Series A funding round which came to a close with the backing of Tencent Holdings Ltd, China’s leading internet-based services provider. Graphene Ventures, Bloomberg Beta, Rakuten, Fidelity and Vickers Venture Partners have also participated.

The company said that among the many new steps it has now planned is the launch of the world’s first WeChat Mini Program for blockchain-enabled diamonds, uniting key stakeholders in the diamond value chain, which aims to empower WeChat users to buy jewellery with more transparency and security​. ​

“Having this strong investor cohort join us at this stage in our development is both validation of the innovation we’ve displayed to date, and a statement of future intent. They will support us in bringing more visibility to good business practices in industries that impact millions, if not billions of people in developing countries,” said Leanne Kemp, founder and CEO of Everledger.

She added that there were numerous synergies of the partnership with Tencent, which makes the two a natural fit. “We share strategic synergies including several solutions that are part of their ecosystem (like the WeChat Mini Program for blockchain-enabled diamonds). In particular, we are excited to see how this new partnership with Tencent will help to strengthen and extend our developments in China and contribute to other potential partnerships.”

James Mitchell, Chief Strategy Officer at Tencent stated, “Everledger’s application of blockchain technology enhances value to consumers and reduces risks for businesses across the industry,” adding that the company was pleased to support efforts to “improve the transparency and sustainability of global supply chains”.

“Everledger is very well positioned to increase transparency in supply chains,” said Nabil Borhanu, Managing Partner at Graphene Ventures. “This investment marks an incredibly exciting addition to our cohort of talented technology organizations, such as Lyft and Snapchat, and an important step towards more sustainable practices in complex supply chains.”

Tencent’s mission to improve the quality of life through Internet value-added services is already an integral part of Everledger’s business model. Everledger’s purpose is to contribute greater clarity and confidence in the marketplaces where transparency is a strategic imperative. This allows for ever more knowledge and sustainable business practices, as information is surfaced in an unprecedented way. Tencent is now represented in the Everledger board.