In brief: Japan’s SmartNews becomes a unicorn following $28m raise

nJapanese news discovery app SmartNews announced a new investment valuing the business at US$1.1 billion, Bloomberg reported.nJapan Post Capital, a fund managed by the national mail conglomerate, led the US$28 million investment in the company.nSmartNews, which has 200 employees, intends to hire more and invest further in the US, where it said the app’s audience is increasing sixfold annually.nKen Suzuki, a former researcher at the University of Tokyo, started SmartNews in 2012.n