Articles by Justin Niessner
Singapore’s Dymon joins $15m medical industry acquisition
Singapore-based Dymon Asia Private Equity (DAPE) has teamed up with domestic engineering company Tee International to acquire a medical division of industrial services provider Sembcorp Environment for S$20 million ($15 million).
Indonesia's Alpha JWC to back PayPal incubator start-ups
Indonesia-based Alpha JWC Ventures has agreed to invest up to $5 million in PayPal’s financial technology start-up incubation program for Southeast Asia.
Next 10 secures $50m for user-generated content fund
Next 10 Ventures, a US and Singapore-based GP headed by former YouTube and Warner Bros executives, has raised $50 million for a fund focused on user-generated media content businesses.
Vietnam start-ups: A tale of two cities
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City provide Vietnam’s nascent start-up scene with a unique double-hub structure. Ecosystem gestation remains slow but it is supported by a nuanced diversity
Malaysia’s Jirnexu receives $11m Series B
Malaysia-based financial technology start-up Jirnexu has received an $11 million Series B funding round led by Japan’s SBI Group.
Indian incubator raises $12.5m for seed fund
Indian educational institution IIM Ahmedabad has raised $12.5 million for its on-campus start-up incubator and seed fund from investors including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
GIC backs $117m Asia co-working platform
Singapore’s GIC Private has joined co-working space provider JustCo and local developer Frasers Property to establish a $117 million platform that will focus on co-working space investments across Asia Pacific.
JD.com invests in PE-backed Asia logistics platform
Chinese online retailer JD.com has invested $306 million in e-Shang Redwood (ESR), a private equity-backed pan-Asia logistics operator and fund manager.
Australia's Westpac invests $37m in Reinventure
Australia’s Westpac Banking Corp has committed A$50 million ($37 million) to the third fund of its venture capital unit Reinventure.
Vietnam consumer: Trading up
Vietnam’s consumer economy is attracting a wider range of investors as deal sizes inflate and new openings emerge in a winding value chain. Private equity is positioned to exploit several vantage points
Singapore's M17 Entertainment files for US IPO
M17 Entertainment, a Taiwan and Singapore-based media streaming company, has filed to list on the New York Stock Exchange.
Rakuten, EDBI lead $85m round for classifieds player Carousell
Rakuten Ventures and EDBI have led an $85 million Series C funding round for Singapore’s Carousell, an online flea market shopping app operator.
Beyond, Linear invest Hong Kong’s Insight Robotics
Beyond Ventures and Linear Capital have co-led a $9 million investment in Insight Robotics, a Hong Kong-based company that specializes in advanced forest fire detection systems.
Warburg Pincus, GIC set up China rental apartment platform
Warburg Pincus and Singapore’s GIC Private will establish a RMB4.3 billion ($675 million) platform for investing in rental apartments in China’s tier-one cities.
Singapore's Carro gets $60m Series B
Singapore-based automotive marketplace operator Carro has received a $60 million Series B funding round led by Softbank Ventures Korea, Insignia Ventures Partners and B Capital Group.
Pencarrow invests New Zealand yogurt maker
New Zealand-based Pencarrow Private Equity has paid an undisclosed sum for a 39% stake in domestic yogurt maker The Collective.
GLP establishes $1.6 billion China logistics fund
GLP, a private equity-owned warehouse operator based in Singapore, has launched a RMB10 billion ($1.6 billion) PE fund that will invest in the China logistics ecosystem. It is the second Chinese fund set up by the company this year.
GIC leads $260m round for China’s CStone Pharma
Singapore’s GIC Private has led a $260 million Series B investment in China’s CStone Pharmaceuticals. The round, completed within two months, is said to be the largest biopharma Series B in the country to date.
EQT closes Asia mid-market fund at $800m
EQT Partners has closed its Asia-focused middle market private equity fund on target with $800 million in commitments.
KPCB leads $20m round for China cross-border retail player
KPCB has led a $20 million Series B funding round for BorderX Lab, a US-based e-commerce services company that helps global retailers connect with Chinese consumers.
South Asia: Indian satellites
India’s economic dominance of South Asia has not translated into a firm leadership role for the region. Private equity strategies therefore vary widely across the country’s immediate geographic orbit
Indian brewer B9 Beverages gets $50m
B9 Beverages, an Indian brewer that markets craft beer under the brand Bira 91, has received $50 million in Series B funding led by Belgium’s Sofina.
Nepal's Dolma set to close $37m top-up fund
Nepal-focused private equity investor Dolma Impact Fund has received $37 million in commitments for a top-up vehicle that will pursue additional investments by its debut fund.
Manipal, TPG improve offer for India's Fortis Healthcare
Manipal Hospital Enterprises (MHEPL), an Indian hospital chain backed by TPG Capital, has submitted a revised buyout offer for Fortis Healthcare's (FHL) hospital operation that values the business at about INR83.5 billion ($1.2 billion).