Articles by Justin Niessner
Belt & Road: Circular dynamics
The economic fallout from COVID-19 and an antagonistic geopolitical backdrop have simultaneously stymied and validated China’s Belt & Road infrastructure agenda
CPE, GDS team up on China data center project
CPE - formerly CITIC Private Equity - and GDS Holdings have jointly acquired a greenfield data center project in China that will represent a RMB2.6 billion ($371 million) investment upon completion.
Australia's OneVentures closes credit fund at $57m
OneVentures has reached a final close of A$80 million ($57 million) on a venture debt fund said to be the first and largest vehicle of its kind in Australia.
India payments player Pine Labs invests Malaysia’s Fave
Pine Labs, an Indian payments start-up backed by MasterCard, PayPal, and Sequoia Capital India, has invested Fave, a Malaysian e-commerce platform also supported by Sequoia.
Carlyle co-CEO Glenn Youngkin to retire
Glenn Youngkin will step down as co-CEO of The Carlyle Group in September, with fellow co-CEO Kewsong Lee continuing in the role alone.
OMERS acquires 20% stake in Australia's TransGrid
Canada’s Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) has bought a 20% stake in Australian electricity network operator TransGrid for an undisclosed sum.
Blackbird joins $18m round for Australia's Propeller
Blackbird Ventures has joined a A$26 million ($18.3 million) round for Propeller Aero, an Australian data analytics provider focused on drone surveying at industrial worksites.
China biotech player Antengene raises $97m Series C
Fidelity Investments has led a $97 million Series C round for Chinese hematology and oncology biotech developer Antengene.
Korea e-sports player DRX secures $22.5m
Korean e-sports organization DRX has raised $10 million from a group of local investors. It coincides with a separate $12.5 million commitment from e-sports specialist ATU Partners.
Southeast Asia macro: Encouraging minefield
Southeast Asia benefits from an enviable macro outlook versus other markets, and investment in the region is set to recover relatively quickly. But is that enough?
Wavemaker closes third Southeast Asia fund at $111m
Wavemaker Partners has closed its third Southeast Asia venture capital fund with $111 million in commitments. The target was $100 million.
KKR backs Australia environment services player
KKR has made an investment of undisclosed size in GreenCollar, an environmental services provider that helped establish Australia’s carbon credit market.
Q&A: Navegar's Honorio Poblador
Honorio Poblador, co-founder at Philippines-based Navegar, explains how his firm is positioning its second fund – newly closed at $197 million – in the face of the COVID-19 downturn
Quan leads $80m Series A for China biotech player
Healthcare-focused VC firm Quan Capital has led an $80 million Series A round for Citrine Medicine, a Chinese biotech developer set up by Eight Roads, F-Prime Capital, and Vivo Capital.
Portfolio: CBC Group and I-Mab Biopharma
CBC Group’s stewardship of I-Mab Biopharma brings an intensely hands-on platform-based approach to a booming China biotech space often characterized by relatively passive strategies
China’s Harbour BioMed raises $103m Series C
Chinese biotech start-up Harbour BioMed has raised $102.8 million in Series C funding. It comes four months after it closed an extended Series B round of $75 million.
Deal focus: J-Star maneuvers Japan’s restaurant lull
J-Star's acquisition of Pepper Lunch is driven by a willingness to look past COVID-19 dislocations and focus on the long-term fundamentals of the fast-casual dining space in Japan
Warburg Pincus set for part-exit from Jinxin Fertility
Warburg Pincus will sell an approximately 5.5% interest in Hong Kong-listed IVF services provider Jinxin Fertility for about HK$1.5 billion ($194 million) through a share placement.
Navegar closes second Philippines fund at $197m
Manila-based private equity firm Navegar has closed its second Philippines fund with $197 million in commitments. The initial target was $150 million.
Investcorp leads $56m round for India co-living operator
Investcorp has led a $56 million Series C round for Indian managed co-living accommodation platform operator Zolo.
Singapore's Indies raises $100m for third PE, credit fund
Indies Capital, a Singapore-based GP focused on Indonesia, has reached a first close of $100 million for its third flagship private equity and credit fund.
EQT revises offer for New Zealand’s Metlifecare
EQT has submitted a revised offer to acquire New Zealand retirement village player Metlifecare at a lower valuation after facing a legal challenge over its attempt to terminate a previously agreed deal.
Japan's J-Star acquires Pepper Lunch
Japanese private equity firm J-Star has acquired regional restaurant chain Pepper Lunch for an undisclosed sum.
Software vs non-software: Digital distractions
Venture capital investors gravitate towards software start-ups, attracted by dynamic founding teams and readily scalable propositions. But should they be devoting more time and resources to hardware and biotech?