Articles by Justin Niessner
Singapore fintech start-up LXA gets $10m seed round
New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has led a USD 10m seed round for Singapore’s LXA, a financial technology start-up launched by a former Asia senior executive at The Blackstone Group.
India's InCred announces $60m round, claims unicorn status
Indian non-bank lender InCred Financial Services said it has received INR 5bn (USD 60m) at a valuation of at least USD 1bn from unnamed investors including “a global private equity fund.”
Insight leads $50m round for Australia's Roller
Insight Partners has led a USD 50m round for Australia’s Roller, a venue management software provider specializing in family fun parks.
Japan's LayerX extends Series A to $67.5m
Japanese enterprise billing and invoicing software provider LayerX has raised JPY 2bn (USD 13.2m) from Hong Kong’s Keyrock Capital Management, lifting its Series A round to around USD 67.5m
Integral makes partial exit from Japan’s Skymark
Japanese private equity firm Integral Corporation has sold most of its remaining position in Skymark Airlines, the budget air carrier it took public in December last year.
Beauty brand Mamaearth raises $204m in India IPO
India’s Honasa Consumer, the private equity-backed parent of mother-and-baby brand Mamaearth, raised about USD 204m in a domestic IPO, facilitating several partial exits.
Norwest backs India hospital, HealthQuad marks 3x exit
Norwest Venture Partners has invested INR 4.5bn (USD 54m) in Indian hospital operator Regency Healthcare, facilitating an exit for HealthQuad, which generated a 3x return.
OTPP invests $80m in India's Xpressbees
Teachers’ Venture Growth (TVG), the late-stage growth investment arm of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP), has invested USD 80m in Indian logistics start-up Xpressbees.
Alta Capital commits $200m to India's Cappella Educore
India’s Alta Capital, a real assets and early-stage property tech investor, has committed USD 200m to an expansion effort by Cappella Educore, a chain of K-12 schools and student housing.
Deal focus: Riverside flourishes in Australia
The Riverside Company has notched a sizeable exit with the sale of Australia’s Energy Exemplar as the GP expands its local team and launches its fourth Australia fund
Energy transition: Getting comfortable
Private equity investors are leaning into energy transition with new funds, strategies, and attitudes about risk as more emerging categories go mainstream. Regulation remains the perennial spoiler
India's Euler Motors gets $14m Series C extension
India’s Euler Motors, a logistics-focused electric three-wheeler maker, has lifted its Series C round to about USD 83m with a USD 14m tranche featuring cleantech investor Green Frontier Capital.
Australia's Anchorage closes Fund IV on $327m
Australian turnaround investor Anchorage Capital Partners has closed its fourth fund with AUD 505m (USD 327m) in commitments.
Five V backs Australia radioactive drug maker
Australia’s Five V Capital has confirmed an investment of undisclosed size in Cyclotek, a radioactive drug maker positioning itself as part of an industry transition toward personalized medicine.
Everstone exits India's Servion Global Solutions to EMK Capital
Everstone Capital has sold Indian customer experience management provider Servion Global Solutions to UK private equity investor EMK Capital for an undisclosed sum.
Japan's Sensyn Robotics raises $15m
Japan’s Sensyn Robotics, which develops drones for various industrial inspection applications, has raised JPY 2.25bn (USD 15m) in growth funding from several local banks and VC investors.
Ares raises $2.4b for sixth Asia special situations fund
Ares Management has closed its sixth Asia special situation fund on USD 2.4bn, including a sidecar vehicle, citing strong economic trends in India and Australia.
Riverside builds out Australia team
The Riverside Company has added two principals to its Australia investment team as its assets under management (AUM) in the country cross the AUD 1.5bn (USD 965m).
Japanese digital alternatives platform gets pre-Series A
Luca, a Japan-based fundraising platform that aims to give local high net worth investors access to alternatives, has received seed-stage funding from VC investors.
Polaris leads $27m round for Singapore's Engine Biosciences
US healthcare and life sciences growth investor Polaris Partners has led a USD 27m Series A round for Singapore-based cancer medicine developer Engine Biosciences.
Blackstone, Vista buy Australia's Energy Exemplar, Riverside exits
The Blackstone Group and Vista Equity Partners have agreed to acquire Energy Exemplar, an Australia-based simulation software company, setting up a sizeable exit for The Riverside Company.
Japan's Integral agrees strategic exit for fertiliser maker Nitto FC
Japanese GP Integral Corporation has agreed to sell fertiliser maker Nitto FC to Ichinen Holdings, a listed automotive supplier with interests in industrial chemicals, for an undisclosed sum.
Deal focus: Affirma generates 8x return with India’s TBO
Affirma Capital makes good on a partial exit from Indian travel agent software provider TBO.com as General Atlantic comes in to help rekindle plans for a domestic IPO
Deal focus: Algae-based bio-plastics come to Asia
US-based Algenesis has figured out how to make plastic from algae. Singapore’s Circulate Capital is helping the company bring the technology to Asian manufacturers