Articles by Justin Niessner
Singapore auto marketplace Carro gets $12m
A group of Southeast Asian VCs have committed $12 million to Singaporean automobile marketplace Carro as part of an operational expansion into artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled car financing services.
FTV Capital leads $56m round for Indian researcher
US venture investor FTV Capital has taken a minority stake in India-based industry research and consulting company MarketsandMarkets after leading a $56 million funding round.
Fund focus: Pioneer sees PE come of age in New Zealand
Pioneer Capital sees the closing of its third fund at the hard cap of $180 million as confirmation that private equity in New Zealand has become more mainstream
Japan's Moneytree raises $9m Series B
Japan-based SBI investment has led a JPY1 billion ($9 million) Series B funding round for domestic financial technology services company Moneytree.
VCs invest $75m in US-New Zealand aerospace player
US venture capital firms Data Collective and Promus Ventures have joined a number of existing investors in a $75 million Series D funding round for US and New Zealand-based aerospace company Rocket Lab.
Deal focus: TPG makes surprise trade sale
Secrecy was paramount as TPG Capital abandoned plans to list Australia's Alinta Energy in favor of negotiating a $3.1 billion trade sale to Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises
Kubera Partners exits India's Planetcast
New York and Mumbai-based private equity firm Kubera Partners has agreed to sell its 28% stake in India’s Planetcast Media Services through a secondary transaction with an undisclosed PE buyer.
Thailand's Bangkok Bank launches fintech accelerator
Bangkok Bank has launched a start-up accelerator to support financial technology development in Thailand. Hong Kong venture investor Nest will co-manage the program.
500 Startups opens Australia office
US-based early-stage investor 500 Startups has agreed to establish its Australian headquarters in Melbourne after receiving financial support from the state government of Victoria.
OCP Asia raises $200m direct lending fund
Hong Kong and Singapore-based hedge fund manager OCP Asia has raised a $200 million direct lending vehicle to make private equity-style credit investments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).
Australia's SproutX closes $8m agritech fund
SproutX, an Australian accelerator focused on agricultural technology, has raised A$10 million ($7.7 million) for a venture capital fund. Artesian Venture Partners will act as investment manager.
B Capital adds investment partner
B Capital Group has hired former Eight Roads Ventures managing director Kabir Narang as an investment partner in Singapore.
Chow Tai Fook to buy Australia's Alinta from TPG
Hong Kong's Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE) has agreed to buy Australian power utility Alinta Energy, providing an exit for TPG Capital.
Euronet challenges Alibaba's acquisition of PE-backed MoneyGram
US payment services company Euronet Worldwide has extended a buyout offer worth about $2 billion for NASDAQ-listed MoneyGram, contesting a bid made earlier this year by Alibaba Group’s PE-backed affiliate Ant Financial. The pending sale will provide...
Japan's INCJ takes control of $87m pharma spin-out
The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has teamed up with two pharmaceutical players to invest JPY10 billion ($87 million) in the creation of a biotech spin-out. INCJ will hold a 70.5% stake in the company.
Australia launches incubator in Singapore
The Australian government has launched a start-up incubation program in Singapore that will focus on emerging industries, including services, and support new export market opportunities.
PE and smart manufacturing: Intelligent designs
The emergence of internet-connected manufacturing has created a new investment area that will impact adjacent sectors and even entire economies for decades to come. PE is among the early movers
CPPIB, CDPQ form Southeast Asia logistics partnership
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has teamed up with Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ) and Australia-headquartered property company Logos to develop logistics projects in Singapore and Indonesia.
GIC invests $113m in India's Can Fin
Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Private has invested about INR7.5 billion ($113.2 million) for a 13.4% stake in Indian mortgage lender Can Fin Homes.
Goodwater leads $48m investment in Korea's Viva Republica
US-based venture capital firm Goodwater Capital has led a KRW55 billion ($48 million) Series C funding round for South Korean financial technology company Viva Republica.
Hong Kong PE buys into US-HK entertainment merger
Co-High Investment Management, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm focused largely on culture and media, has agreed to invest in a film production company formed through a US-Hong Kong merger.
VC-backed Fave buys Groupon Singapore
Malaysian VC-backed online-to-offline (O2O) e-commerce company Fave has agreed to acquire Groupon Singapore, extending a string of related bolt-ons in Southeast Asia.
Australia's Uniseed secures $15m for VC fund
Uniseed, a venture fund manager associated with the Australian government’s CSIRO research unit and a number of domestic universities, has secured A$20 million ($15.2 million) in fresh commitments for a new follow-on fund.
China cloud computing: Billowing forth
China’s nascent cloud computing industry appears set to replicate a US-style growth trajectory. Venture investment, however, may play a larger role due to a range of cultural and economic differences