Software companies are increasingly securing funding to expand at an international level. Data from fDi Markets shows that between January and April 2012, 82* Signals (an fDi Markets tipping service regarding investor intentions) for funding have been recorded, compared with 73 in the same period for 2011. This represents an increase of 12%. Between January and April 2012, 29 of the Signals were geared towards the creative industries, which is similar to the number for the same period in 2011.

A considerable number of Signals concern companies which are new to the fDi Markets database. This includes Spain-based mobile advertising network Taptap Networks, which has secured $4.5m in series A financing led by Nauta Capital. The company will use the funds to help launch its international expansion plans, as well as for product and service development. llinois-based technology platform provider BrightTag has raised $15m in a new financing round led by Baird Venture Partners. The company intends to use the funds to expand its sales efforts in the US and overseas, as well as to accelerate development of its platform.

The majority of the companies seeking funding are based in the US, with the country accounting for 37 of the 82 Signals. Within these Signals, the majority of destinations were unspecified, meaning that companies have expressed intention to expand into unnamed new geographies. Where a region was specified, Asia-Pacific recorded three more Signals than its closest competitors – the 'Rest of Europe' region and the US. The second most popular country is the UK, with eight Signals, with unspecified locations also prevailing. The most popular region for expansion, where specified, was also Asia-Pacific, but only by small margin. Interestingly, 61% of the UK Signals were in the creative industries, which could mark a trend for the rest of 2012.

* A further 9 Signals are not yet live, so this percentage could reach 24% for the January to April 2012 period