Articles by Justin Niessner
VC-backed Chinese O2O retail platform pursues HK listing
Dmall, a Chinese O2O retail platform provider for traditional retailers backed by IDG Capital among others, has filed for a Hong Kong IPO.
Japan SME fintech player raises $17m
Japan’s Olta, a financial technology provider for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has raised JPY 2.5bn (USD 17.6m) in Series B funding featuring SBI Investment, Spiral Capital, and DG Ventures.
Illuminate Financial closes $235m VC fund, targets Asia
Illuminate Financial, a UK-headquartered GP with a base in Singapore, has closed its third fintech VC fund on USD 235m amidst plans to expand activity in the region.
Australia's Challenger Funds acquires stake in Proterra Asia
Challenger Funds Management, one of the largest active asset managers in Australia, has acquired a stake in Singapore-based PE firm Proterra Investment Partners Asia from Australia’s Pacific Current Group.
Japan advertising AI start-up Flux raises $32m Series B
DNX Ventures has led a JPY 4.4bn (USD 32m) Series B round for Japan’s Flux, which helps businesses manage advertising strategies via a no-code artificial intelligence (AI) platform.
Southeast Asia's Go-Ventures rebrands, raises $240m
Go-Ventures, an early to growth-stage investor established by Southeast Asian super app GoTo, has rebranded as Argor Capital Management and raised USD 240m for its second generation of funds.
Deal focus: How to go global as a neighbourhood shop
Singapore’s Madly, a tech-enabled but e-commerce-averse jeweller, knows that future family heirlooms must be sold with a personal touch. In East Ventures, it felt a rare simpatico
Profile: Zayn Venture Capital's Faisal Aftab
Weaving geopolitical analysis into the grassroots trenches of seed-stage investment, Faisal Aftab led the deployment of Pakistan’s first VC fund having never previously invested in the country’s start-ups
Japan's Global Brain, Fukoku Life set up $35m VC fund
Japanese VC firm Global Brain has teamed up with Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance to set up a JPY 5bn (USD 35m) fund.
Indonesia microfinance player Amartha raises $100m
Indonesia’s Amartha, a small business lender focused on rural women entrepreneurs, has raised USD 100m in debt financing from US impact investor Community Investment Management (CIM).
India's HomeLane raises $9m bridge round
India’s HomeLane, an interior design start-up backed by several venture capital firms, has raised a INR 750m (USD 9.1m) bridge round from unspecified existing backers.
Hildrics Capital backs Malaysian rubber producer
Singapore-based private equity firm Hildrics Capital has acquired an 8.2% stake in Malaysia-listed GIIB Rubber, a supplier of gloves and industrial rubber-based components.
Uber leads $20m round for India’s Everest Fleet
Uber has led a USD 20m round for India’s Everest Fleet, an existing VC-backed partner in the local taxi management service space that is transitioning into electric vehicles.
ChrysCapital invests $100m in India's Lenskart
ChrysCapital Partners has invested USD 100m in India’s Lenskart, bringing the eyewear retailer’s pre-IPO funding since the start of last year to USD 850m.
Australia battery technology supplier raises $15m
Australian VC firm Artesian, Canadian GP Waratah Capital, and India's Himadri Speciality Chemical have co-led a AUD 22m (USD 15m) Series A round for Australia’s Sicona Battery Technologies.
Philippines VC firm Kaya raises $12m across two funds
Philippines-based VC investor and venture studio Kaya Founders has achieved a first close of USD 12m across two early-stage funds. The target - for both vehicles - is USD 25m.
Japan's LayerX lifts Series A to $59m
Japan’s LayerX, an enterprise billing and invoicing software provider, has lifted an ongoing Series A round to JPY 8.2bn (USD 59m) with support from several local VC firms.
Proparco makes $35m LP commitment to Quadria healthcare fund – update
French development finance institution (DFI) Proparco has made a USD 35m fund commitment to Singapore’s Quadria Capital, a healthcare-focused GP active across South and Southeast Asia.
Start-up banking: Filling an SVB-shaped hole
Silicon Valley Bank was arguably the only institution globally to comprehensively service the unique banking needs of start-ups. In its absence, a mix of players are rising to the challenge
ICG joins $250m round for Amp Energy India
Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) has joined a USD 250m investment in Amp Energy India, a renewable power platform serving various industrial and utility segments.
India's Lok seeks $200m for Fund IV, gets AIIB support
Indian impact investor Lok Capital has secured USD 25m from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for its fourth private equity fund. The target is USD 200m.
Bain buys Indian industrial chemicals business
Bain Capital has acquired India’s Porus Labs, a manufacturer of agricultural and speciality chemicals, including pharmaceutical industry ingredients.
Japan's J-Star buys freight forwarding company
Japan’s J-Star has acquired local freight forwarding business Japan Trust Holdings for an undisclosed sum as part of a transportation services consolidation play.
PAG invests $200m in India's RK Pharma
PAG has invested USD 200m in RK Pharma, a US-headquartered generic drug maker with significant operations in India.