Articles by Justin Niessner
IFC, Sabre anchor HealthCare Global's India IPO
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sabre Partners and other anchor investors have committed INR2.92 billion ($43.6 million) to Indian cancer care services provider HeathCare Global Enterprises as part of its IPO.
US PE firm leads $41m round for Japan's Takeda
US-based GP Frazier Healthcare Partners is leading a $41 million Series A round for Japanese medical research and development company Takeda Pharmaceutical.
Polaris acquires Japanese power sector supplier
Polaris Capital has acquired Japanese power generation equipment and services company Yodogawa Transformer with a view to leveraging increased electricity demand related to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
VC-backed SMIT targets up to $37m in Hong Kong IPO
SMIT Holdings, a China-focused provider of payment systems and security devices for TV broadcasters, which has several VC investors, is looking to raise as much as HK$291 million ($37 million) through a Hong Kong IPO.
Japan hiking app provider Yamap raises $1.5m
Japan-based Hiking app provider Yamap has raised JPY170 million ($1.5 million) in a Series A funding round led by mobile gaming services company Colopl.
Deal focus: Mandarin sees Chinese future for Italian machinist
When Italian machine parts manufacturer Marval came to Mandarin Capital Partners with an investment opportunity, the private equity firm had been quietly enhancing its profile on a canvass of multiple macro developments.
Profile: Trifecta's Rahul Khanna
Rahul Khanna drew on his experiences in Silicon Valley to identify and then fill a gap in India’s VC landscape. The result was Trifecta Capital, the country’s first venture debt fund
Japan design firm Goodpatch raises $3.5m
Goodpatch, a Japan-based user interface design company that focuses on digital products, has received a Series A round of funding worth JPY400 million ($3.5 million).
Carlyle buys Japanese software group WingArc1st
The Carlyle Group has agreed to take a 100% stake in Japanese enterprise output management (EOM) and business intelligence (BI) software provider WingArc1st.
China Everbright, Catalyst back 3D printing player
China Everbright and Israel-based Catalyst Private Equity have led a $25 million investment in 3D printing company XJet.
Streaming media provider Iflix gets $45m for SE Asia rollout
Malaysia-based VC-backed internet television service Iflix has attracted $45 million of strategic investment from fellow Netflix rivals, including European broadcaster Sky, to expand the company’s business across Southeast Asia.
Legend, Hony back WeWork in Asia push
China’s Legend Holdings and Hony Capital have led a Series F round for an Asian expansion by WeWork, a US provider of collaborative workspaces for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Carlyle invests in Japan's GGC Group
The Carlyle Group will support overseas expansion efforts for western Japan’s biggest bean sprout manufacturer, GGC Group, through a strategic business and capital alliance.
UK’s Amadeus leads Series C round for IndiaMART
Amadeus Capital Partners has made its first direct investment in India by leading a Series C round for business-to-business (B2B) classified listing marketplace IndiaMART.
Mandarin commits $19.8m to Italy's Marval
Europe-Asia cross-border focused PE firm Mandarin Capital Partners has committed up to EUR18 million ($19.8 million) for a minority stake in Italian machine parts producer Marval.
Fund focus: Asia LPs in Morgan Stanley infra push
Morgan Stanley raises $5.8 billion for global infrastructure investments as the asset class matures in Asia
Japan e-commerce: Shopping for fun
Mercari has become Japan’s first unicorn on the back of an innovative approach to e-commerce. Can the company blaze a trail for others to follow by replicating its domestic success overseas?
Kotak Mahindra Group raises $237m for Indian realty
India’s Kotak Mahindra Group has closed a commitment of INR16 billion ($237 million) from institutional investors for equity investments in realty projects.
Japan’s LifeRobotics raises $4.4m in Series A round
LifeRobotics, the developer of an industrial collaborative robot called Coro, has raised JPY500 million ($4.4 million) in Series A funding aimed at a marketing initiative and technological developments.
Malaysia's VC-backed PurelyB buys Singapore yoga portal
Malaysian health and wellness company PurelyB has acquired Singaporean yoga lifestyle website Stretch City.
Jafco, Voyage in $2.6m round for Japan's Repro
Japanese mobile analytics provider Repro has raised JPY300 million ($2.6 million) for a US expansion from investors including Jafco and Voyage Ventures.
Hallyu Ventures invests $13.8m in Korean coffee house
Singapore’s Hallyu Ventures will acquire a 38% stake in South Korean coffee shop operator Caffe Bene for a cash consideration of KRW16.6 billion ($13.8 million).
Alibaba buys Hong Kong-listed AGTech
Alibaba Group and its financial services affiliate Ant Financial have purchased Hong Kong-listed gaming technology company AGTech in a move aimed at expanding the target’s existing mobile and internet lottery businesses.
CHAMP PE backs Australian forex broker
CHAMP Private Equity has invested in Pepperstone, an Australian foreign exchange broker that facilitates more than $100 billion in transactions every month.