USA
H&Q backs US, China-based EV player
H&Q Asia Pacific has led a $7.8 million investment in Efficient Drivetrains (EDI), a US and China-based developer of electric vehicle (EV) systems and technologies.
Singapore’s ViSenze raises $10.5m Series B
ViSenze, an e-commerce-focused artificial intelligence (AI) company based in Singapore, India and the US, has completed a $10.5 million Series B funding round led by Rakuten Ventures, WI Harper and Enspire Capital.
MLS, 1955 Capital back US agrochemicals specialist
Crop Enhancement, a US-based company that develops sustainable agrochemicals, has received an $8.5 million Series B round led by the Asia and Americas-focused MLS Capital Fund II and 1955 Capital, a cross-border PE firm set by former Khosla Ventures partner...
Wanda-lust: Chinese investment in the US movie industry
Jianlin Wang, chairman of Dalian Wanda Group, has set his sights on buying one of Hollywood's six major studios. The rationale is sound but a strategy of incremental acquisitions might work better
Japan's Taiho Ventures backs US cancer drug developer
Taiho Ventures, the newly established VC arm of Japan’s Taiho Pharmaceutical, has participated in a $70 million Series B round of funding for Arcus Biosciences, a US-based start-up that develops cancer drugs.
China's Zhongwang acquires PE-owned Aleris for $2.3b
A unit of China Zhongwang has agreed to buy US aluminum company Aleris Corporation in a deal worth $2.3 billion, facilitating an exit for majority owner Oaktree Capital Management.
Sequoia leads $27m round for India, US-based Mitra
Sequoia India and US-based Sands Capital Ventures have led a $27.4 million Series B round of funding for Mitra Biotech, an India and US-based company that focuses on personalized cancer therapies.
Platinum buys Chinese manufacturing business
US-based Platinum Private Equity has agreed to acquire two Chinese manufacturing units from Singapore’s Broadway Industrial Group for S$150 million ($111 million).
Jaganath Swamy leaves HarbourVest to lead start-up
Jaganath Swamy, a vice-president at HarbourVest Partners, has left the firm to join Good Parents, a health and wellness-focused start-up based in San Francisco and Hong Kong.
3D printing: Dimension jump
3D printing technology is expected to grow at an accelerated rate now that its practical applications have come into focus. As a global manufacturing leader, Asia could be at the center of the boom
Deal focus: NextVR takes live VR worldwide
US-based virtual reality broadcaster NextVR raises $80 million for expansion, mostly from Asian investors
Australia’s Square Peg in $17m round for UpGuard
Australian VC firm Square Peg Capital has contributed to a $17 million Series B round for UpGuard, a Sydney-founded cybersecurity start-up now headquartered in the US.
Norwest leads $15m Series B for India, US-based Zenoti
Norwest Venture Partners has led a $15 million Series B round of funding for Zenoti, an India-founded and US-headquartered software provider for the spa and wellness industry.
China’s Tencent, PCCW invest in PE-backed STX Entertainment
China’s Tencent Holdings and Hong Kong-based telecom company PCCW have made equity investments in STX Entertainment, a Hollywood film and TV studio backed by Hony Capital and TPG Capital's growth arm.
Korean online beauty retailer Memebox raises $66m
Memebox, an e-commerce company that sells Korean beauty products, has raised $65.95 million in Series C funding led by Formation Group, an Asia-focused VC firm launched by Formation 8 co-founder Brian Koo.
Australia's Future Fund leads round for US-based MapR
Australia’s Future Fund has led a $50 million round of funding for US-based big data services company MapR Technologies.
Asian investors back $80m global expansion for NextVR
NextVR, a US-based start-up developing live streaming content for virtual reality (VR), has raised an $80 million Series B round, mostly from investors in Asia.
Drones: High-flying tech
The exponential rise in drone technology investment during the past few years is now expected to level off into slower growth as venture capitalists discover a galaxy of more nuanced opportunities
Deal focus: RocketSpace plots a China trajectory
With support from HNA Group, RocketSpace wants to take its San Francisco-based co-working space and accelerator model into new markets. China is the top priority
Sino-US VCs back US online marketplace GrubMarket
GrubMarket, a US-based online food marketplace, has raised $20 million in a Series B round of funding from several Sino-US investors including GGV Capital, Fosun Capital and Danhua Capital.
Discovery buys stake in CMC-backed VS Media
US media company Discovery Communications has acquired a minority stake in VS Media Group, a Hong Kong-based multi-channel network (MCN) that counts China’s CMC Holdings among its investors.
China's HNA supports US accelerator's global expansion
Chinese conglomerate HNA Group has agreed to invest $336 million to bankroll US start-up accelerator RocketSpace's global expansion, with a particular emphasis on China.
LP interview: PERA New Mexico
The Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico has seen its private equity portfolio outperform in recent years, but the program is still being revised. CIO Jonathan Grabel explains why
Foreign internet players in China: After Uber
Uber's experience in China suggests that foreign internet companies should be careful when picking their battles and wherever possible emphasize the international angle