Articles by Justin Niessner
New Zealand's Oriens Capital raises $21.8m
New Zealand private equity firm Oriens Capital has received commitments for its debut fund in excess of the vehicle’s first-close target of NZ$30 million ($21.8 million).
TA Associates invests $140m in India's TCNS Clothing
TA Associates has contributed to a $140 million round for Indian women’s apparel retailer TCNS Clothing.
Aspirant Group to acquire Japan's Sagami
Japanese private equity firm Aspirant Group has committed to a JPY1.2 billion ($12.3 million) investment to take a 54% stake in Tokyo-listed kimono retailer Sagami.
Indian government, NBFC launch $15m venture fund
The Indian government and an associated non-banking finance company (NBFC) have launched a INR1 billion ($15 million) venture fund to support start-ups in the country’s northeast.
3D printing: Dimension jump
3D printing technology is expected to grow at an accelerated rate now that its practical applications have come into focus. As a global manufacturing leader, Asia could be at the center of the boom
Chinese consortium further scales back Opera deal to $575m
A PE-backed Chinese consortium has agreed to scale back its ongoing acquisition of the web browser business of Norway’s Opera Software to a value of $575 million. It follows a renegotiation earlier this year that agreed a $600 million deal as an alternative...
Tencent leads round for China's VC-backed Keep
Tencent Holdings has led an undisclosed Series C+ round of funding for Chinese fitness app operator Keep.
Australia's Atomo gets $3.5m from Bill Gates-backed fund
A US-based healthcare fund backed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates has led a A$4.5 million ($3.5 million) investment round in Australian medical technology company Atomo Diagnostics.
Indian energy company launches $15m incubator
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), an energy sector supplier under the Indian government, has launched a INR1 billion ($15 million) venture fund to promote entrepreneurship in the struggling local fuel industry.
Australia’s Square Peg in $17m round for UpGuard
Australian VC firm Square Peg Capital has contributed to a $17 million Series B round for UpGuard, a Sydney-founded cybersecurity start-up now headquartered in the US.
Norwest leads $15m Series B for India, US-based Zenoti
Norwest Venture Partners has led a $15 million Series B round of funding for Zenoti, an India-founded and US-headquartered software provider for the spa and wellness industry.
Australia’s Bigstone receives $2.3m seed round
Australia-listed investment firm CVC has backed a A$3 million ($2.3 million) seed round of funding for Bigstone, a domestic online platform operator that connects investors with start-ups.
Australia's Future Fund leads round for US-based MapR
Australia’s Future Fund has led a $50 million round of funding for US-based big data services company MapR Technologies.
EVP, Microequities launch $15.4m Australian VC fund
Equity Venture Partners (EVP) and Microequities Asset Management have launched a A$20 million ($15.4 million) venture capital fund to focus on Australian technology start-ups.
Drones: High-flying tech
The exponential rise in drone technology investment during the past few years is now expected to level off into slower growth as venture capitalists discover a galaxy of more nuanced opportunities
Japan analytics player Abeja raises $2m
Japanese corporate analytics platform Abeja has raised JPY200 million ($2 million) in Series B funding from PNB Inspire Partners, a domestic investor aimed at helping companies expand into Southeast Asia and Islamic countries.
Golden Gate invests $2.5m in Indonesia's Alodokter
Singapore’s Golden Gate Ventures has committed $2.5 million to a Series A funding round for Indonesian healthcare information portal operator Alodokter.
Telkom Indonesia, Telstra launch VC partnership
State-controlled Telkom Indonesia has partnered with Australia’s Telstra Ventures to pursue venture capital investment opportunities in Southeast Asia.
Australian government launches $191m biomedical VC fund
The Australian government has seeded $250 million ($191 million) from its Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to a biomedical technology-focused venture investment vehicle. It will match private sector commitments, bringing the total available for deployment...
China's HNA supports US accelerator's global expansion
Chinese conglomerate HNA Group has agreed to invest $336 million to bankroll US start-up accelerator RocketSpace's global expansion, with a particular emphasis on China.
Louis Vuitton's Australia CEO joins L Capital as country head
L Capital Asia – a private equity arm of French luxury goods giant LVMH – has appointed Louis Vuitton Australia CEO Philip Corne as its executive chairman in Australia.
Deal focus: VCs back Japan’s fintech underdog
As Japan's traditional financial institutions take time to address demand for online payment services, start-ups are trying to corner the market. Exchange Corporation's Series B round is intended to make sure it is one of them
Ex-SBCVC partner Joe Chang joins Eight Roads China team
Eight Roads Ventures has appointed former SBCVC investment partner Joe Chang as a partner on its China team.
New Zealand's Powerhouse Ventures files for $15m IPO
New Zealand-based start-up incubator and investor Powerhouse Ventures has filed to raise as much as A$20 million ($15.2 million) through an Australian IPO.