Chinese mobile app distribution platform Wandoujia secured funding to the tune of $120 million from a group of investors led by Japanese mobile operator SoftBank.

In a statement seen by TechCrunch, Junyu Wang, CEO of Wandoujia, said the funding will be used to accelerate the app store’s growth and to develop “technology and innovation in mobile search”.

There are numerous Android app stores in China, with Google Play not widely available in the country.

Wandoujia, which was founded in 2009 by a former employee of Google, has 300 million users and differentiates itself with its app search technology and the integration of apps, games, videos and music.

Big name apps to have distributed apps through Wandoujia include Evernote, LINE, Path and Flipboard.

The company launched desktop Android manager SnapPea in 2012, its first international product. It also publishes the monthly China App Index.

Other investors to have contributed funding are existing investors DCM and Innovation Works Developer Fund.

DCM general partner Hurst Lin said in a statement that Wandoujia stood out due to its “unique app search model”, and with its strength in products and technology “has an opportunity to become the leader of the mobile internet industry”.

The most high-profile deal in the app sector in China so far was the $1.9 billion acquisition of Android app store 91 Wireless by web giant Baidu in July last year.

In October, SoftBank, together with game publisher GungHo, made a $1.5 billion strategic investment in Supercell, maker of hit game ‘Clash of Clams’.

The investment would be used to “accelerate Supercell towards our goal of being the first truly mobile games company, and gives us enough time to get there”.

‘Clash of the Clans’ is a regular in the top grossing chart of Apple’s App Store, thanks in no small part to its success in Asia.