Softbank
Grab completes SPAC merger, sees volatile trading debut
Southeast Asia ride-hailing platform turned super app Grab experienced a tumultuous first day of trading on NASDAQ following the completion of its merger with a US-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) at an enterprise valuation of $30.4 billion.
Vision Fund leads $188m investment in Naver's metaverse
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 is the largest participant in a KRW223.6 billion ($187 million) investment in Naver Z, the metaverse platform unit of Korean internet giant Naver Corporation.
Vision Fund joins $300m round for China vaccine developer
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and 5Y Capital have led a $300 million Series C extension for Suzhou Abogen Biosciences, a Chinese vaccine developer focused on mRNA products, including one for COVID-19.
Vision Fund adds managing partners in India, China
SoftBank Vision Fund has promoted Sumer Juneja, who heads up its India investments, and Dennis Chang, a China-focused partner, to managing partner level.
PE-backed Paytm raises $2.5b in India's largest-ever IPO
Indian digital payments platform Paytm completed the country’s largest-ever IPO – raising INR183 billion ($2.47 billion) – but then saw its stock fall 27% on debut.
Vision Fund backs China cleaning robot maker
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Capital Today have led a RMB1.2 billion ($188 million) Series C round for Chinese cleaning robot maker Gaussian Robotics.
PE-backed Delhivery files for India IPO
India-based e-commerce logistics provider Delhivery is looking to raise up to INR74.6 billion ($1 billion) through a domestic IPO that would facilitate partial exits for The Carlyle Group, Fosun Group, SoftBank Vision Fund 1, and Times Internet.
Vision Fund leads $93m Series B for Hong Kong NFT platform
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has led a $93 million Series B round for Hong Kong non-fungible token (NFT) platform The Sandbox, a subsidiary of locally based category leader Animoca Brands.
China e-commerce SaaS player Huice raises $312m
Huice, a China-based provider of software for e-commerce retailers, has raised $312 million in a Series D round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. This is the largest single round in China’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry year-to-date.
Vision Fund: Big is beautiful?
Previously the sole elephant in Asia’s growth-stage technology space, SoftBank’s Vision Fund program is now one of a herd. Prevailing amid increased competition may prove its thesis once and for all
Falcon Edge leads $200m round for India's Ola Electric
Falcon Edge Capital has led a $200 million investment in Indian electric vehicle (EV) maker Ola Electric at a valuation of $3 billion with support from SoftBank.
PE-backed Oyo targets $1.1b India IPO
Oyo, an India-focused budget hotel platform backed by the likes of SoftBank Vision Fund, is looking to raise up to INR84.3 billion ($1.1 billion) through a domestic IPO.
India's Meesho sees valuation double in five months
Indian social e-commerce start-up Meesho has raised a $570 million Series F round, doubling its valuation in less than five months to $4.9 billion.
Deal focus: Southeast Asia’s four-trick credit pony
Advance Intelligence Group has used its core risk assessment technology to expand into lending and e-commerce transaction finance and services. Membership of Southeast Asia’s unicorn club is its reward
SoftBank, Warburg Pincus back Singapore's Advanced Intelligence
Advance Intelligence Group, a Singapore start-up best known for digital identity verification and fraud prevention platform Advance.AI and buy now, pay later (BNPL) business Atome, has raised over $400 million in Series D funding.
Deal focus: Vision Fund bets on service robots
COVID-19 crippled demand for restaurant service robots, so China’s Keenon Robotics pivoted towards hospitals. It has $200 million in Series D funding to target new application scenarios
India's Cars24 closes Series F, sees valuation double
Indian used car platform Cars24 has closed a $450 million Series F round and received $110 million in debt funding. It nearly doubles the company’s valuation to $1.84 billion.
SoftBank leads $200m round for China’s Keenon Robotics
China-based service robot manufacturer Keenon Robotics has raised $200 million in a Series D round led by Softbank Vision Fund 2.
China's Agile Robots raises $220m
Agile Robots, a Germany and China-based industrial robotics company, has raised a $220 million Series C round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
Deal focus: Vision Fund throws its weight behind Opay
An introduction from SoftBank Ventures Asia prompted Vision Fund 2 to lead a $400 million Series C for Nigeria-based Opay, creating Africa’s newest technology unicorn in the process
Deal focus: Ekuaibao’s PaaS plus SaaS proposition
China-based reimbursement platform Ekuaibao has ambitions to lead the digital transformation of corporate finance. Early investor Future Capital continues to re-up as the story unfolds
China AI player SenseTime files for Hong Kong IPO
SenseTime, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) technology developer that has received more than $5.2 billion in private funding in the past seven years, has filed for a Hong Kong IPO.
SoftBank leads $154m Series D for China's Ekuaibao
Ekuaibao, a Chinese software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider specializing in corporate reimbursements, has raised RMB1 billion ($155 million) in Series D funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.