Japan
Japan's SBI sets up $450m AI-blockchain fund
SBI Investment, the VC arm of Japan’s SBI Holdings, has launched a JPY50 billion ($450 million) fund that will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology.
Overseas LPs find entering Asia challenging
Overseas institutional LPs – in particular those willing to write larger checks – have found it difficult to access Asia's private equity market, industry participants told the HKVCA Asia Private Equity Forum.
Space technology: Starship enterprises
Space technology is being democratized outside its historical geographic and institutional spheres of development. As private investors get on board, a new range of risks and rewards is coming into focus
StepStone wins GPIF infrastructure mandate
Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) – the world’s largest pool of retirement savings – has awarded a global infrastructure fund-of-funds mandate to StepStone Group.
Nissan, Mitsubishi, Renault set up $1b auto VC fund
Automotive giants Renault, Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors have launched a venture capital fund that will invest $1 billion in advanced car technologies with a strong presence in Asia.
4Q analysis: Riding the wave
Chinese companies return in strength to US bourses as investors leverage public market highs; Australia a bright spot as Asia fundraising slows; 2017 sets new record for PE investment on back of big buyouts, tech deals
Japan's J-Star invests in restaurant, auto businesses
J-Star has acquired a majority stake in Japanese restaurant operator Section Eight and invested in new and pre-owned car dealer Sanwa Service.
Global Brain backs $13m round for Japan's Base
Japanese venture capital firm Global Brain has led a JPY1.5 billion funding round for domestic online shopping start-up Base.
Brookfield to buy Westinghouse from Toshiba
Brookfield Asset Management has agreed to buy the Westinghouse nuclear power unit from Japan’s Toshiba Corporation in a deal worth approximately $4.6 billion.
INCJ joins $33m Series C for Japan's Megakaryon
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has joined a JPY3.7 billion ($33 million) Series C funding round for Megakaryon, a domestic medical research company.
VCs invest $18m in Japan lifestyle media player
Every, a Japanese media company focused on lifestyle-oriented and smartphone-accessible content, has raised about JPY2.1 billion ($18.3 million) from a number of VCs, including World Innovation Lab.
J-Star exits Japan's Aisei Pharmacy to management team
J-Star has agreed to exit Japanese drugstore chain Aisei Pharmacy to company management less than two years after completing a JPY11.4 billion ($101 million) privatization.
Japan's Polaris sells power equipment supplier
Polaris Capital has agreed to sell Yodogawa Transformer, a Japanese power generation and equipment services company it acquired in early 2016, to Orix Rentec Corp.
AVCJ Awards 2017: Exit of the Year - Large Cap: Universal Studios Japan
Goldman Sachs, MBK Partners, Owl Creek Asset Management and PAG Asia Capital have profited handsomely from their efforts to bring more families to Universal Studios Japan
AVCJ Awards 2017: Exit of the Year - Mid Cap: Riraku
Over the course of four years, Advantage Partners doubled Japanese massage chain operator Riraku’s store count and tripled EBITDA. A 12x money multiple on exit was its reward
Carlyle sells Japan's AvanStrate to Vedanta Resources
Vedanta Resources, a metals and mining company founded in India and now headquartered in London, has agreed to assume control of Japanese LCD glass manufacturer AvanStrate from The Carlyle Group.
AVCJ Awards 2017: Firm of the Year & Fundraising of the Year - Large Cap: KKR
From raising the largest pan-regional fund ever seen in Asia to concluding Japan’s biggest PE buyout, KKR has enjoyed an eventful 12 months
J-Star buys Japan restaurant business
J-Star has acquired Japanese restaurant operator Echigoya with a view to accelerating a domestic franchising strategy.
MBK completes tender offer for Japan's Kuroda Electric
MBK Partners has completed its tender offer for Japanese electronic components manufacturer Kuroda Electric, having received support from more than 50% of shareholders for the JPY102 billion ($895 million) deal.
Japan's J-Star completes final exit from debut fund
J-Star has exited the last portfolio company in its debut fund, selling Taiheiyo Seiki Holding – a manufacturer of parts for construction machinery – to a subsidiary of Takitai Group for around $28 million.
The crystal ball: Predictions for 2018
From China to Australia and secondaries to venture debt, industry participants share their perspectives on the year to come for fundraising, investments and exits
Rakuten, Techstars launch Singapore accelerator
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has launched a Singapore-based accelerator program in conjunction with Techstars. It is Techstars’ first program in an Asian city.
Japanese start-up gets $90m for space trips
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has joined a $90.2 million round for Japanese lunar exploration company iSpace. It is said to be the largest Series A raised in the country to date.
2017 in review: Peak of the cycle?
Large-cap buyouts take private equity investment to record high; KKR leads the way in fundraising, but renminbi vehicles still distort the market; IPOs flourish amid global public markets boom