Online directory service Truecaller is looking to raise $100 million in funding from as yet unnamed companies (possibly new and existing investors including Google and Twitter), reports TechCrunch. The report says that the funding would value Truecaller at $1 billion. The funds will be used to grow the product, expansion and build an office in the US. Truecaller has reportedly hired Morgan Stanley to lead the process. It has raised around $80 million to date. The company’s 2014 Sweden filings indicate that it posted net sales of SEK 6.7 million (~$780,000) and a net loss of SEK 84.6 million ($9.8 million), which was up by almost 400% compared to 2013 figures. It makes money through in-app purchases for premium features along with advertising. Truemessenger SMS app: Earlier last month, Truecaller launched an Android messaging app called Truemessenger which claimed to have an automated spam filter, for the Indian market. Truecaller said that it would roll this app out globally in the near future. Truemessenger would essentially do what Truecaller does for phone calls, it will identify the sender of the SMS through its claimed 150 million wide user base, especially for contacts outside a user’s phone book. India user base: In August last year, we’d reported that more than 50% of Truecaller’s 70 million registered user base was in India, translating to at least 35 million registered users in the country, up from 30 million in April last year. Cyanogen partnership: In May, OS-maker Cyanogen had partnered with Truecaller to…
