Articles by Justin Niessner
Insight leads Series E for Australia's Employment Hero
Insight Partners has led a $140 million Series E round for Australian human resources services start-up Employment Hero at a valuation of $800 million.
Taiwan video SaaS start-up raises $16m Series B
Kdan Mobile Software, a Taiwanese software-as-a-service company focused on corporate video and design services, has raised a $16 million Series B round featuring WI Harper Group.
Australia's Go1 raises $200m Series D at $1b valuation
SoftBank Vision Fund 2, AirTree Ventures, and Salesforce Ventures have led a $200 million Series D round for Australian workforce training start-up Go1 at a valuation of $1 billion.
India's Lenskart raises $220m at $2.5b valuation
Indian eyewear retailer Lenskart has raised a $220 million round led by Temasek Holdings and Falcon Edge Capital at a valuation of $2.5 million.
Deal focus: Fujitsu Ventures updates ancient grains
Fujitsu is bringing blockchain to the rice industry with a ramped up corporate VC agenda. Digital transformation is the goal; food security and sustainable trade are the outcomes
Deal focus: Targeting an insurance pain point
India’s Digit Insurance has achieved a valuation of $3.5 billion in four years with a thesis that simple is better – and more trustworthy. COVID-19 added more rocket fuel
Portfolio: Integral Corporation and Nitto FC
Japan’s Integral Corporation treads lightly in the conservative agriculture space as it helps fertilizer maker Nitto FC evolve from an owner-centric culture to a more distributed power structure
India's Paytm targets $2.2b domestic IPO
Paytm, India’s largest digital payments company, has filed for an INR166 billion ($2.2 billion) domestic IPO, setting up exits for several private equity investors.
AppWorks leads $12m round for Singapore's Tinvio
Taiwanese accelerator and VC investor AppWorks has led a $12 million round for Singapore-based enterprise services platform Tinvio.
SoftBank leads $150m Series C for US, India-based Netradyne
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has led a $150 million Series C round for Netradyne, a US and India-based software provider for vehicle fleet operators.
NewView leads Series B for Australia's Eucalyptus
Silicon Valley-based NewView Capital has led a A$30 million ($22.4 million) Series B round for Australia telehealth platform Eucalyptus.
Fujitsu VC unit backs rice trading platform
Fujitsu, one of Japan’s largest IT companies, is backing the world’s first digital global rice trading platform in the debut deal from its latest corporate VC fund.
India media platform Pratilipi raises $48m Series D
Pratilipi, a literature, comics, and audio storytelling platform with service in 12 Indian languages, has raised a $48 million Series D that will see the start-up branch into gaming.
Indies reaches first close on SE Asia tech secondaries fund
Indies Capital Partners has reached a first close on a Southeast Asia tech secondaries fund, with commitments totaling more than 70% of the $80 million target.
Singapore’s Next Gen gets $20m for US push
Singapore’s Next Gen Foods, which markets the vegetarian chicken brand Tindle, has raised $20 million from VCs including GGV Capital, with a view to entering the US.
India's Flipkart completes $3.6b funding round
Walmart-controlled Flipkart, one of India’s largest e-commerce players, has raised $3.6 billion at a valuation of $37.6 billion with significant private equity support.
Deal focus: Bringing specialization to healthcare
TE Asia Healthcare Partners, a Southeast Asia-focused investor backed by TPG Capital, has launched a long-term plan to add much-needed cardiology hospitals to Indonesia’s healthcare mix
GP profile: Unison Capital
Unison Capital hones its game and holds tight to its heritage as one of the pioneers of private equity in Japan, even as its tentacles begin to span the breadth of Asia
India's Ola receives $500m pre-IPO round
Temasek Holdings and Warburg Pincus have joined a $500 million in Indian ride-hailing platform Ola ahead of an IPO.
Korea's Kurly raises $200m, targets domestic listing
Korean grocery delivery platform operator Kurly has raised a $200 million Series F round at a valuation of $2.2 billion, as plans for a US IPO are scrapped in favor of a local listing.
Eight Roads adds partner to India team
Eight Roads Ventures has promoted Ashish Venkataramani to partner in India. It brings the firm's partner count across Bangalore and Mumbai to five.
Tiger Global leads $144m round for India's DealShare
Tiger Global Management has led a $144 million Series D round for Indian social e-commerce start-up DealShare.
China's Crystal Stream backs Egypt e-commerce platform
Chinese VC firm Crystal Stream Capital has doubled down on a Middle East and Africa strategy with participation in a $40 million investment in Egyptian logistics start-up MaxAB.
TE Asia acquires two Indonesia cardiology practices
TE Asia Healthcare Partners, a Singapore-based hospital platform backed by TPG Capital, has acquired controlling stakes in two Indonesian cardiology centers.