Articles by Justin Niessner
Deal focus: Partners Group sees sun rising on Taiwan solar
With significant policy support for the sector, Partners Group thinks its investment in Formosa Solar could be the first of numerous sizeable deals in Taiwan renewables
Marubeni-owned iSigma buys Japan's Kyosemi
ISigma, a mid-size buyout firm controlled by Japanese trading and investment conglomerate Marubeni, has acquired domestic semiconductor equipment manufacturer Kyosemi Corporation.
Singapore's Carousell gets $35m Series B round
Rakuten Ventures, a corporate VC arm of Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten, has led a $35 million Series B round of funding for Singaporean online flea market shopping app operator Carousell.
MPM Capital forms VC fund with Japan's Astellas Pharma
MPM Capital, a US venture firm focused on early-stage life science companies, has launched a new investment vehicle in partnership with Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma.
The Chatterjee Group buys Mitsubishi India unit for $48m
US-based private equity firm The Chatterjee Group has agreed to pay about $48 million for a 90% stake in an Indian unit of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC).
WiL leads $10.6m round for Japan's Retty
World Innovation Lab (WiL) has led a JPY1.1 billion ($10.6 million) investment in Japanese social media-oriented restaurant guide operator Retty.
O3 targets $150m for India hospitality fund
Indian boutique investment bank O3 Capital has launched a fund targeting $120-150 million that will focus on domestic, early-stage hospitality sector investments.
Eight Roads leads $15m round for Japan payments provider
Eight Roads Ventures has led a $15 million Series B round of funding for Paidy, a cardless payment and instant credit service offered by Japanese financial technology platform Exchange Corporation.
Partners Group makes $200m Taiwan solar investment
Partners Group has committed $200 million to the creation of a portfolio of solar power plants in Taiwan over the next three years.
Portfolio: Creador and Indonesia's Simba
By acquiring Simba, Creador has entrenched itself in a small but fast-growing Indonesian cereal story. Now it will take logistical and marketing expertise to realize the potential of the local consumer market
Deal Focus: IvyCap sees upside in India's online jewels
Bluestone's work to reshape India's jewelry industry and change customers' attitudes appeals to the domestic VC firm
Hamilton Lane closes global fund-of-funds at $516m
Hamilton Lane has closed its latest global fund-of-funds at $516 million, exceeding a target of $400 million on the back of strong international investor interest.
Temasek leads $105m round for Sprinklr
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has led a $105 million Series F round of funding in Sprinklr, a US-based social media company targeting growth in Asia Pacific.
Permira reaches $6.9b first close on latest global fund
Permira has achieved a first close for its sixth global buyout fund, with about EUR6.3 billion ($6.9 billion) in commitments.
India's Quikr buys VC-backed Hiree
Indian classifieds site Quikr has acquired Hiree, an online hiring platform focused on white collar jobs and backed by IDG Ventures.
Australia's Brandon Capital expands into New Zealand
Australian life sciences-focused VC firm Brandon Capital has expanded the mandate of its third Medical Research Commercialization Fund (MRCF) to include New Zealand.
Siam Commercial Bank unveils fintech strategy
Thailand's Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) has formally announced a financial technology investment strategy aimed at improving customer experience while encouraging domestic start-ups to keep up with changes in the global market.
IFC to invest $15m in India-based Byju’s
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, has proposed a $15 million investment in Indian education start-up Byju’s.
EQT exits Singapore’s Econ Healthcare
EQT Partners has agreed to sell its 49% stake in Singapore’s Econ Healthcare to the company’s founder Chu-Poh Ong ahead of a regional expansion initiative.
China VCs back $25m round for Austrian entertainment group
China Growth Capital has led a $10 million Series B-plus round of funding for Austria-based media company Juzi Entertainment. It brings the Series B to $25 million overall.
Hong Kong’s Quantifeed gets $4.5m Series A round
China’s PGA Venture Partners has led a $4.5 million Series A round of funding for Hong Kong-based financial services software provider Quantifeed.
Blackstone makes another partial exit from India’s Gokaldas
The Blackstone Group has sold down stock worth INR2.9 billion ($4.3 million) in India-listed garment manufacturer Gokaldas Exports as part of an ongoing exit from the company.
SBI leads $17.5m investment in Thailand’s Omise
Japan’s SBI Investment has led a $17.5 million Series B funding round for Thailand-based online payment services provider Omise.
Polaris buys Japanese timber company
Polaris Capital has agreed to acquire 100% of Japanese precut timber and building materials company Hivic for an undisclosed sum from domestic construction group Lixil.