Articles by Justin Niessner
VCs back Filipino fintech start-up
Philippines-based financial technology company First Circle has received $2.5 million from a group of VC firms, including a seed stage investment unit of emerging markets microfinance group Accion International.
Blackbird backs Australian space, IoT start-up
Australia’s Blackbird Ventures has led a A$5 million ($3.7 million) Series A funding round for Fleet, a domestic space technology start-up targeting growth in the internet of things (IoT) industry.
China semiconductor fund to buy Xcerra for $580m
Sino IC Capital, a technology-focused private equity fund manager backed by the Chinese government, has agreed to acquire US semiconductor and electronics manufacturer Xcerra in a deal that values the company at about $580 million.
NZ Super joins $172m investment in Kiwibank
New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZ Super) has participated in a NZ$247 million ($172 million) investment in Kiwibank, a banking and finance services provider controlled by New Zealand Post.
Indonesia resources: Storms and blue sky
Indonesia’s resources sector has proven a socially and politically tumultuous investment environment in recent years. GPs are monitoring the headline issues and maintaining long-term confidence
VC-backed real estate start-up gets $11.7m from Mitsui
Mitsui & Co has agreed to invest JPY1.3 billion ($11.7 million) in Renoveru, a VC-backed start-up focused on online services in Japan’s home renovations market.
Volkswagen China invests $180m in VC-backed Mobvoi
Volkswagen's China unit has agreed to invest $180 million in Beijing-based Mobvoi, a venture capital-backed start-up that is developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology for the automotive sector.
Dragon Capital sets up microfinance business in Myanmar
Vietnam-based private equity firm Dragon Capital has made its first investment in Myanmar, teaming up with a local strategic partner to seed a Yangon-based microfinance services business.
Deal focus: PE proves the right fit for fintech
Creador has exited its stake in Malaysian financial technology company GHL Group to Actis after scanning a field of strategics and deciding PE was the best backer for the sector
VCs back Series C for China mother-and-baby player
Eight Roads Ventures has led a group of investors in a Series C round of funding for Mama+, a social networking and e-commerce platform focused on China’s mother-and-baby market.
Jafco invests $12m in Singapore adtech firm AdAsia
Jafco Asia has invested $12 million in a Series A funding round for Singapore-based advertising technology company AdAsia Holdings.
Deal focus: GSSG sharpens focus on Japan solar
A turnaround in Japanese government policy on solar power is responsible for a renaissance in the renewables space. GSSG Solar has earmarked its entire corpus of its $120 million second fund for deployment in the country
J-Star acquires Japan pet services company
J-Star has bought Japanese veterinarian services company Fuji Field for an undisclosed sum as part of a pet clinic consolidation strategy.
Multiples acquires India's PeopleStrong
Indian private equity firm Multiples Alternative Asset Management has acquired a controlling stake in domestic human resource (HR) services and technology company PeopleStrong.
Grab buys VC-backed Indonesian e-commerce player Kudo
Southeast Asian ride-hailing app operator Grab has agreed to acquire Kudo, an Indonesian online-to-offline (O2O) e-commerce start-up backed by a number of venture capital firms.
Actis invests in Malaysia’s GHL, Creador exits
Emerging markets-focused private equity firm Actis has invested MYR290 million ($65.6 million) in Malaysia-listed payment services provider GHL Group, facilitating a full exit for Creador.
China’s first One Belt One Road project secures $1.4b facility
Pakistan’s Karot hydroelectric power project has secured a $1.4 billion facility from a group of Chinese investors and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). It is considered the first infrastructure deal under China’s One Belt One Road initiative.
TPG buys majority stake in Vietnam school, Mekong exits
TPG Capital has agreed to acquire a controlling position in Vietnam Australia International School (VAS), facilitating an exit for existing backers Mekong Capital and Denmark-based MAJ Invest.
B Capital leads $25m Series C for India's Icertis
B Capital Group - a VC firm launched by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin - has led a $25 million Series C round for Icertis, an India and US-based company that provides cloud-based contract management software.
HgCapital invests $25m in New Zealand's Gentrack
HgCapital has agreed to invest NZ35.5 million ($25 million) in New Zealand industrial software specialist Gentrack to support an acquisition and expansion process in the UK.
Solar-focused GP invests $120m in Japan projects
GSSG Solar, a US private equity firm focused exclusively on the solar energy sector, has agreed to invest at least $120 million in an expansion of its Japanese portfolio.
China edtech: Tangible teachings
Educational hardware remains an emerging investment segment globally. In China, cultural shifts are piquing expectations for a local boom, but success will depend on various cross-market diversifications
Korea to invest $102m in life science start-ups
The South Korean government has pledged to establish a KRW113.5 billion ($102 million) fund to support life science start-ups through related ecosystem and infrastructure investments.
Gateway invests in Singapore's Healthway Medical
Singapore-based private equity firm Gateway Partners has agreed to invest S$70 million ($50.2 million) in distressed local hospital operator Healthway Medical.