Articles by Justin Niessner
China’s AIpark closes $15m Series A
AIpark, a Chinese start-up that applies artificial intelligence (AI) technology to the car parking industry, has closed a Series A round of about RMB100 million ($15.4 million) led by the US-China Green Fund.
VCs invest $18m in Japan lifestyle media player
Every, a Japanese media company focused on lifestyle-oriented and smartphone-accessible content, has raised about JPY2.1 billion ($18.3 million) from a number of VCs, including World Innovation Lab.
AVCJ Awards 2017: Operational Value Add: Great Southern Rail
Allegro Funds secured a 25x return on Great Southern Rail by helping the formerly no-frills Australian transport company find a new life as a stylized high-end tourism attraction
Crescent sells Australia's GroundProbe to Orica
Australia's Crescent Capital Partners has sold domestic mining services technology supplier GroundProbe to explosives and blasting equipment company Orica for A$205 million ($157 million).
Temasek leads $80m round for Singapore biopharma player
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has led an $80 million funding round for domestic biopharmaceutical company Tessa Therapeutics with support from a number of venture and growth capital investors.
Deal focus: The flair apparent
Gaja Capital’s investment in Chumbak Design aims to leverage an emerging sub-trend in India’s growing consumer space where style-conscious millennials are making their mark
Warburg Pincus raises $2.3b global financial services fund
Warburg Pincus has closed its first global private equity fund focused on financial services with $2.3 billion in commitments.
J-Star buys Japan restaurant business
J-Star has acquired Japanese restaurant operator Echigoya with a view to accelerating a domestic franchising strategy.
Microequities backs New Zealand's Fergus
Microequities Venture Capital Fund, a vehicle set up by Equity Venture Partners and Microequities Asset Management, has invested A$3.5 million ($2.7 million) in New Zealand software company Fergus.
The crystal ball: Predictions for 2018
From China to Australia and secondaries to venture debt, industry participants share their perspectives on the year to come for fundraising, investments and exits
US, India-based MindTickle raises $27m Series B
US and India-based training and networking platform operator MindTickle has raised $27 million in Series B funding led by Canaan Partners.
India's Teabox closes $7m Series B
Teabox, an online delivery service for fresh Indian tea, has closed a $7 million Series B funding round led by RB Investments.
Finstar commits $50m to Southeast Asia fintech program
Finstar Financial Group, a Russia-based private equity firm focused on financial technology, will invest $50 million in an existing portfolio company as part of a Southeast Asian mobile consumer lending agenda.
Japanese start-up gets $90m for space trips
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has joined a $90.2 million round for Japanese lunar exploration company iSpace. It is said to be the largest Series A raised in the country to date.
ICICI Venture set to part-exit India's KIMS via IPO
India’s ICICI Venture Funds Management will exit part of its stake in Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in a planned domestic IPO.
Deal focus: GPs smile at emotive robots
Kaname Hayashi, development leader of SoftBank's Pepper, is working on his own line of emotive robots. Few details have been disclosed but investors were happy enough to commit $57 million in funding
China autos: Wheeling and dealing
A nascent, fragmented and digitally savvy industry of traditional car services is set for expansion as China’s booming car market matures. Private equity investors are piling in enthusiastically
Cathay Capital launches $227m China automobile fund
Cathay Capital Private Equity has launched a RMB1.5 billion ($227 million) China automobile sector fund with cornerstone investments from Yangtze River Industry Fund and French auto supplier Valeo.
CPPIB invests $248m in Hong Kong logistics program
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has invested HK$1.9 billion ($248 million) in a Hong Kong-based warehousing joint venture with logistics operator Goodman Group.
Fund focus: Eight Roads fund targets Japan tech
Eight Roads Ventures has $223 million to deploy in Japan, with robotics, inbound tourism and healthcare all high on its agenda
B Capital leads round for India's Mswipe
Indian financial technology company Mswipe has closed a $40 million Series D funding round led by B Capital Group.
NZ Super appoints head of external investments
New Zealand Superannuation Fund has named Del Hart as head of external investments and partnerships.
Japan household robot maker secures $57m round
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Tokyo-based asset manager Sparx Group have agreed to invest at least JPY6.4 billion ($57 million) in household robot maker Groove X.
Riverside exits Australia's Learning Seat
The Riverside Company has sold Learning Seat, an Australia-based online compliance training specialist, to NASDAQ-listed marketing services provider Callidus Software for $26.4 million in cash.