Technology
GGV leads $50m round for China credit card management app
GGV Capital has led a $50 million Series B round of funding for 51Zhangdan, a Chinese mobile app that helps manage credit card spending.
Laser tech firm, Guosen plan China robotics fund
Guosen H&S Investment, a PE investment arm of state-owned Guosen Securities, has teamed up with Shenzhen-based Han’s Laser Technology to form a RMB1 billion ($160 million) industry fund that will target robotic projects.
Australia’s DesignCrowd wins backing from AirTree Ventures
DesignCrowd, an Australia-based crowdsourcing platform used to source designs from hundreds of freelance designers, has received A$6 million ($4.6 million) in a Series B funding round led by AirTree Ventures.
Temasek leas $60m round for India big data player Manthan
Temasek Holdings has led a $60 million round if funding for India-based data analytics firm Manthan Software Services, with participation from existing backer Norwest Venture Partners.
Taiwan’s MasterLink Securities launches VC units in Tianjin
MasterLink Securities, the fourth-largest brokerage firm in Taiwan, has won regulatory approval to launch two venture capital investment units in mainland China.
India venture debt: Innovation capital
Led by SVB India, venture debt providers are beginning to take root in India. Can this nascent asset class replicated its success in developed markets and become a viable option for domestic start-ups?
Shanghai mobile marketing firm gets $35m in PIPE financing
Dodoca Information Technology, a Chinese enterprise mobile marketing solutions provider, will raise RMB222 million ($35 million) from investors including Shenzhen Capital Group and its mutual fund arm Hotland Innovation Asset Management.
Sequoia leads Series B round for China P2P car-sharing app
Sequoia Capital has led a Series B round of funding for Tiantian Yongche, a Chinese peer-to-peer (P2P) car-sharing platform.
Gobi, ABC lead $6m Series A for China's AutoBot
Gobi Partners and ABC Capital have led a $6 million Series A round for Chinese start-up AutoBot, which makes diagnostic tools for cars.
Japan's Gumi Ventures reaches a $16.9m close on Fund II
Gumi Ventures - the corporate venture arm of the Japanese mobile gaming company of the same name - has reached a JPY2 billion ($16.9 million) final close on its second fund.
Japan’s Wizpra raises $2m from VCs
A consortium of Japanese investors including Gree Ventures, Mobile Internet Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, and Mizuho Capital has invested JPY230 million ($1.9 million) in internet-based market research platform Wizpra.
Goldman backs Antuit’s big data ambitions
Various factors influence the amount of milk a cow produces – breed, diet, weather, living conditions and the calving cycle among them. Working with one of its clients, dairy giant Fonterra, Singapore-headquartered big data analytics firm Antuit now...
China VIEs: An end to uncertainty?
China has proposed a new set of rules that would regulate the use of variable interest entity (VIE) structures that underpin VC investment in restricted industries. It is a positive sign but questions remain
Singapore: Start-up central
When looking for an example of how Singapore start-ups previously struggled to get funding, one of the founders of tenCube was happy to oblige. Bootstrapped into existence in 2005, the mobile security solutions provider spent a frustrating 18 months trying...
China’s Renren invests in US online broking platform
Chinese social networking platform Renren has committed $40 million to Motif Investing, a US-based online broking platform that has previously received funding from several venture capital investors.
Taiwan’s NDF commits $84m to VC funds
Taiwan’s National Development Fund (NDF) will invest up to $84 million into four venture capital funds as part of efforts to support local start-ups.
Singapore expands Block 71 tech start-up hub
Singapore start-up hub JTC LaunchPad @ one-north – better known to many as Block 71 – has been expanded to accommodate 500 companies and 35 incubators, with plans to create space for 250 more.
Chinese radio mobile app raises $20m Series C round
Lizhi.FM, a Chinese radio broadcasting mobile app, has raised $20 million in a Series C round of funding from Chinese smart phone manufacturer Xiaomi and Shunwei Capital Partners.
Goldman leads $56m round for big data firm Antuit
Goldman Sachs has led a $56 million round of funding for Antuit, a Singapore-headquartered big data analytics start-up. Zodius Capital, which provided seed funding for the company in 2013, also participated.
Japan's Mitsui Global backs clinical SaaS start-up
Japan’s Mitsui Global Investment and Dolby Family Ventures have together invested $12 million in cloud-based, clinical study software start-up goBalto.
Portfolio: J-Star and Primagest
Primagest is a long-standing leader in Japan's document-scanning industry, but it faces challenges in terms of a transition in leadership and staying relevant as technology evolves. J-Star is providing support
Japanese entrepreneurs' big data start-up raises $15m
Treasure Data - a Silicon Valley-based big data start-up founded by two Japanese entrepreneurs - has raised a $15 million Series B round of funding led by Scale Venture Partners with participation from AME Cloud Ventures.
Alibaba buys majority stake in VC-backed AdChina
Alibaba Group has purchased a controlling stake in AdChina, a digital advertising technology firm that previously received funding from several VC investors.
Tiger Global invests in China P2P online lending site Dianrong
Tiger Global Management has invested an undisclosed sum in Dianrong.com, a Chinese VC-backed peer-to-peer (P2P) online lending service platform.