Education
Portfolio: CITIC Capital and Oriental Cambridge Education Group
Oriental Cambridge Education Group was already a leader in China’s early childcare market when CITIC Capital acquired it in 2014. The GP has strengthened the company to tackle new challenges
Quadrant's family entertainment platform makes debut acquisition
Australia’s Quadrant Private Equity has purchased amusement arcade operator Timezone Group as the first part of a buy-and-build strategy in the family and children’s entertainment market.
China's Primavera supports buyout of US study abroad business
China-focused GP Primavera Capital and Paris-listed investment firm Eurazeo have together invested in WorldStrides, a US-based provider of study-abroad programs for high school and university students, with a view to supporting expansion in Asia and Europe.
China's Four Seasons Education targets $111m US IPO
Four Seasons Education, a China-based after-school math tutoring services provider that is backed by Chengwei Ventures and Crimson Capital, is looking to raise as much as $111.1 million through a US IPO.
ClearVue, TAL lead $55m round for China’s Changingedu
Consumer-focused GP ClearVue Partners and US-listed TAL Education Group have jointly led a $55 million Series D round for Changingedu, a China-based education platform that connects teachers and students.
Australia backs four healthcare tech start-ups in VC push
The CSIRO Innovation Fund, a venture program under the Australian government’s latest science development policy push, has invested in its first four local technology start-ups.
CLSA makes partial exit from Japan's BC Ings
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has made a partial exit from Japanese cram school operator BC Ings to a government-backed investment fund.
Asian GPs join $41m round for Wonder Workshop
Wonder Workshop, a US-based education robot maker with a strong presence in China, has raised a $41 million Series C round from a group of investors including Tencent Holdings, MindWorks Ventures and Softbank Korea.
Japan education: School run
PE and VC investors are increasingly active across the breadth of Japan’s education sector, armed with an evolving set of targeting criteria and growth strategies intended to exploit sweeping social changes
Deal focus: Yao Capital bets big on sports training
A start-up aiming to improve Chinese children's access to sports training receives the backing of sport-focused GP Yao Capital
Ascendent-backed RYB Education gains 40% on US debut
Chinese kindergarten operator RYB Education closed up 40% on its first day of trading in New York following a $144.3 million IPO. Ascendent Capital Partners made a partial exit through the offering.
PE investors abandon Australia childcare merger
Outside school care providers Camp Australia and Junior Adventures Group (JAG), which are owned by Bain Capital Private Equity and Advent Partners, respectively, have abandoned plans to merge.
Bain's China education business set for NASDAQ IPO
Bain Capital Private Equity-owned Rise Education, a China-based company that provides after-school English teaching and tutoring services, has filed to list on NASDAQ.
CMC, AlphaX lead $84m round for China Gaosi Education
CMC Capital Partners and AlphaX Partners – a VC firm co-founded by Chuan Thor, formerly a managing director at Highland Capital China – have jointly led a RMB550 million ($84 million) round for Gaosi Education Group, a Chinese education and training...
India's Unacademy raises $11.5m Series B round
Sequoia Capital India and SAIF Partners have led a $11.5 million Series B funding round for Indian free-to-use learning platform operator Unacademy.
Baring Asia, CPPIB complete Nord Anglia acquisition
Baring Private Equity Asia and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) have completed their $4.3 billion privatization of US-listed Nord Anglia Education, a school operator in which Baring Asia was already majority shareholder.
Ascendent-backed RYB Education files for US IPO
RYB Education, a Chinese kindergarten operator in which Ascendent Capital holds a substantial minority stake, has filed for an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.
PE-backed Ambow Education seeks return to US main board
PE-backed Chinese tutoring and training services provider Ambow Education, which left the US main board in 2014 following allegations of financial impropriety and the appointment of provisional liquidators, has filed for an IPO.
Australian regulator queries PE-backed childcare merger
Australia’s competition regulator has expressed concerns about the merger of outside school care providers Camp Australia and Junior Adventures Group (JAG), both of which are private equity-owned.
CLSA-backed BC Ings makes Japan education bolt-on
BC Ings, a Japanese cram school operator owned by CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP), has acquired local counterpart Akasaka Gakuin.
Deal focus: Liulishuo bridges the learning gap
China's Liulishuo wins $100 million in funding for an adult-focused education app that uses artificial intelligence to bring customized teaching solutions to English language learners
China First Capital to acquire Korean online education platform
Hong Kong-listed investment group China First Capital plans to acquire 54% of SJW International, a Korea-based online video English training platform, for about $135 million.
Partners Group raises $7b for direct PE deals
Partners Group has achieved a close of EUR6 billion ($7 billion) on its latest direct private equity fund. It is the firm's largest fundraise to date.
China-based English language learning app secures Series C
CMC Capital Partners and Wu Capital – a Beijing-based family office for Longfor Properties – have jointly led a Series B round of funding for Liulishuo, a language learning app powered by artificial intelligence (AI).