Articles by Justin Niessner
BGH bids $1b for Australian software provider Hansen
Australian private equity firm BGH Capital has offered to acquired Sydney-listed industrial software provider Hansen Technologies for an enterprise valuation of A$1.3 billion ($1 billion).
India micro VC player Artha raises $30m debut fund
Indian micro VC investor Artha Venture Fund (AVF) has raised INR2.2 billion ($30 million) for its debut vehicle, beating a target of INR2 billion.
Singapore food tech VC raises $25m for debut fund
Good Startup, a food tech VC set up in Singapore last year, has hit a $25 million first close on its debut fund, which will invest exclusively in alternative protein start-ups.
India's Urban Company closes Series F, hits $2.1b valuation
India’s Urban Company, a marketplace for in-home services from housekeeping to fitness training, has raised $255 million in Series F funding at a valuation of $2.1 billion.
Singapore's iGlobe completes $100m fundraise
Singapore-based iGlobe Partners has closed its third venture capital fund with $100 million in commitments.
KV Asia hits $100m first close on Fund II
KV Asia Capital has reached a first close of $100 million for its second Southeast Asia private equity fund. The vehicle, which focuses on the lower middle market, has a target of $300 million.
Japan's Dentsu launches second VC fund
Japanese advertising agency Dentsu Group has set up its second corporate VC fund with a corpus of JPY10 billion ($91.1 million).
L Catterton leads $40m Series B for Singapore's Zenyum
L Catterton has led a $40 million Series B round for Singapore’s Zenyum, a company that makes 3D-printed dental products.
KKR impact fund backs Vietnam K-12 business
KKR is mobilizing its recently established global impact fund to invest Vietnamese K-12 bilingual school operator EQuest Education.
Carlyle commits $439m to India's PNB Housing Finance
The Carlyle Group has agreed to invest up to INR31.8 billion ($439 million) in India-listed PNB Housing Finance, which would give it a majority interest in the company and trigger an open offer for an additional stake.
Myanmar: Asia’s anguish
Myanmar has proven unique among Asia’s frontier markets in terms of volatility and risk. As its ongoing humanitarian and political catastrophe deepens, a sense of helplessness has taken root
LP interview: OMERS
Canadian pension fund OMERS, an established infrastructure investor in Asia, is beginning to make its mark regionally in private equity. Post-pandemic China has provided a foothold
Tata buys majority stake in India's BigBasket
Tata Group has acquired a majority stake in India’s BigBasket, an online grocer backed significantly by Alibaba Group and several private equity investors. It has been valued previously at around $2 billion.
Bain & Co names Australia PE head
Bain & Company has appointed James Viles as head of its Australia private equity practice, a newly created role.
CDIB, Firstred, Huatai buy China cosmetics packaging business
CDIB Capital has teamed up with Firstred Capital and Huatai International Private Equity Fund to acquire 100% of Chinese cosmetics packaging company Yuga Holdings for an undisclosed sum.
Pakistan’s Habib Bank backs digital SME lender
Habib Bank, the largest bank in Pakistan, has joined a $10.1 million Series A round for Finja, a leading local financial technology start-up and small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) lender.
Vivo, Novo back Singapore's Esco Lifesciences
Vivo Capital and Novo Holdings have led a $200 million Series A round for Esco Lifesciences, a Singapore-based manufacturer of biopharma lab equipment and medical devices.
Vision Fund leads Series C for India-founded Zeta
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has led a $250 million round for Zeta, an Indian-founded and now US-headquartered banking software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider, at a valuation of $1.4 billion.
India's FarEye raises $100m Series E
US-based VCs TCV and Dragoneer Investment Group have led a $100 million Series E round for FarEye, an Indian logistics software-as-a-service platform focused on Western markets.
Vision Fund invests $175m in Korea education start-up
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has invested $175 million in Korean education app Riiid to build out its artificial intelligence (AI) capacities and advance a global expansion.
Deal focus: New angle on logistics flourishes in China
China’s DST Car Rental has achieved a level of vertical integration unique among start-ups in electrified logistics. With the model proving itself at home, an overseas expansion awaits
Deal focus: NFT start-up declares war on the internet
Hong Kong’s Animoca Brands is at the forefront of securing digital property rights via cryptographic tokens. The concept is germinating in the games sector, but it is expected to change everything
Navis acquires Malaysia hospital developer
Navis Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in Malaysia-based hospital developer Aurelius Healthcare for an undisclosed sum.
Japan's CyberAgent raises $55m for latest VC fund
CyberAgent Capital, a unit of Japanese advertising agency CyberAgent also known as CyberAgent Ventures, has raised JPY6 billion ($55 million) for its third flagship VC fund.