Japan
Fund focus: I-nest targets lifestyle technologies
Rather than addressing the healthcare opportunities created by Japan's changing demographic base, I-nest Capital is focusing on lifestyle and entertainment needs of an aging population
Japan Post Capital joins $26m round for Singapore's AnyMind
Japan Post Capital and Sparx Group have provided $26.4 million in funding to AnyMind, a Singapore-based marketing technology start-up focused on entertainment.
KKR to exit Japan's Pioneer DJ
KKR has agreed to sell its majority stake in AlphaTheta Corporation, a Japanese DJ equipment manufacturer previously known as Pioneer DJ, to domestic photo processing equipment producer Noritsu Koki for JPY35 billion ($324 million). The deal is worth...
Carlyle to sell Japanese food business Meisui Bijin
The Carlyle Group has agreed to sell full ownership of the maker of Meisui Bijin, a Japanese brand of bean sprouts, to food-focused Shinmei Holdings for an undisclosed sum.
Japan's I-nest Capital raises $60m for debut VC fund
I-nest Capital, a Japanese VC firm set up last year by former Mizuho Financial Group employees, has raised JPY6.6 billion ($60 million) for its debut fund. The target was JPY6 billion.
Japanese investors commit $856m to Grab
Singapore-based ride-hailing and online-to-offline (O2O) services platform Grab has raised $856 million from Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and TIS Intec Group.
Deal focus: Carlyle sells its golden goose
Having prioritized Asian expansion and high-end direct retail operations, Carlyle completed its exit from European sneaker brand Golden Goose with a more than 3x return
Globis backs two Japan marketing services companies
Japan’s Globis Capital Partners has invested in two marketing services providers in separate transactions, including web conferencing player BellFace and data-focused Flywheel.
Poor relations: Endowments and foundations in Asia
With a few exceptions, Asia’s endowments and foundations lack the scale, sophistication and appetite for alternatives of their US brethren. Structural and cultural barriers maintain the status quo
Japan's Endeavor United secures two industrials deals
Endeavour United, a Japanese private equity firm established by the team behind turnaround investor Phoenix Capital, has completed two acquisitions in the packaging and chemicals industries.
India's Z3 Partners invests in cybersecurity firm
Indian technology-focused private equity firm Z3 Partners has invested in Cyfirma, an analytics platform that helps enterprise clients identify potential cyber threats.
Portfolio: Unison Capital and CHCP
Through its Community Healthcare Coordination Platform, Unison Capital wants to bring efficiencies and economies of scale to parts of Japan’s healthcare sector that have been isolated from private markets
Deal focus: Counterintuition pays off for NSSK
Japanese mid-market buyout firm NSSK has executed a partial exit of Vati, a small but strong performer in the country’s competitive nursing care space
Japanese advisor matching network set for $54m IPO
VisasQ, a Japanese matchmaking platform that connects companies with relevant advisors, is looking to raise approximately JPY5.97 billion ($54 million) through a Tokyo IPO that will provide partial exits for several VC backers.
Polaris pursues take-private of Japan's Sogo Medical
Polaris Capital Group has made an offer to privatize Sogo Medical Holdings, a Japanese pharmacy chain operator and B2B healthcare management platform, at a valuation of JPY76.3 billion ($694 million).
Capital Dynamics loses Asia primaries head
Kazushige Kobayashi (pictured), a Tokyo-based managing director at Capital Dynamics and head of primaries coverage in Asia, is departing the firm after nearly 10 years.
NSSK sells Japan nursing care business
Japanese mid-market buyout firm NSSK has secured a partial exit from nursing care provider Vati through a sale of the business to an investor group that includes Neuberger Berman.
Samsung Ventures backs Japan tourism operator
Samsung Ventures has led a group of Korean investors in a Series B round for H2O Hospitality, which claims to be Japan’s largest vacation rentals provider.
Japan's SBI seeks $920m for technology fund
SBI Investment has launched a technology-focused VC fund, known as 4+5 Fund, with a target of JPY100 billion ($920 million).
Advantage-owned Japanese funeral services business to go public
Advantage Partners is set to make a partial exit from Kizuna Holdings Corporation, a Japanese funeral services business it acquired for around JPY2 billion ($18 million) in 2016, through an IPO.
Integral pursues $316m buyout of Japanese software developer
Integral Corporation has won management support for a tender offer for Japanese software development and IT consulting business Mamezou Holdings at a valuation of JPY34.4 billion ($316 million).
Bain pursues $824m buyout of Japan's Showa Aircraft Industry
Bain Capital has submitted a tender offer for Showa Aircraft Industries, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in paneling for aircraft interiors, that values the business at JPY90 billion ($824 million).
Japan's J-Star agrees IT jobs platform acquisition
Japanese private equity firm J-Star has agreed to acquire Gino, a local IT industry job search platform, for an undisclosed sum.
Japanese professional services marketplace raises $36m
Japanese start-up Minma, which operates P2P jobs and services marketplace Curama, has raised a JPY4 billion ($36.5 million) Series C round led by Nissay Capital, the VC unit of Nippon Life Insurance.