Articles by Justin Niessner
Blackbird joins $7m round for New Zealand's Sunfed
Blackbird Ventures has joined a NZ$10 million ($7 million) funding round for Sunfed Meats, a New Zealand-based company that specializes in meat-like vegetarian foodstuffs.
SparkLabs launches $10m Taiwan fund, recruits NBA star
SparkLabs Group, a pan-Asian network of accelerators and global venture funds, has launched a $10 million fund in Taiwan and appointed NBA star Jeremy Lin (pictured) as an advisor.
China's Alphamab gets $100m Series A
China’s Alphamab Oncology has completed a $100 million Series A funding round from a group of investors including PAG Growth Capital, Advantech Capital, and OrbiMed.
IDG, Matrix back $20m round for Singapore's KuCoin
IDG Capital, Matrix Partners, and Neo Global Capital have jointly invested $20 million in Singapore-based cryptocurrency services company KuCoin.
Australia's Future Fund leads $140m round for Rocket Lab
Australia’s Future Fund has led a $140 million Series E round for Rocket Lab, a US-based space technology company that operates primarily in New Zealand.
Investors seek new openings as China tech matures – AVCJ Forum
Investors in China’s technology space must learn to play contrarian angles as consumer-facing segments become increasingly difficult to penetrate.
China's Gobi Partners enters Pakistan
China’s Gobi Partners has made its first investment in Pakistan by leading a $1.5 million Series A round for online travel services start-up Sastaticket.
Weathering cycles requires focus on fundamentals – AVCJ Forum
Private equity firms looking to maintain momentum across macro cycles must focus more on asset selection and value creation, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
EDBI joins $50m round for US-based WalkMe
Singapore’s EDBI has joined a $50 million Series F round for US-based enterprise software provider WalkMe that will drive an Asia Pacific expansion.
Mixed impact on exits as early-stage VC heats up – AVCJ Forum
VCs face new challenges and opportunities in exit markets across Asia as later-stage investors and strategic players participate more deeply in early-stage ecosystems.
Warburg takes apartment rental exposure into HK
Warburg Pincus has invested $181 million in Weave Co-Living, a Hong Kong-based rental accommodation provider focused on millennials and young professionals.
GP-LP communication key to effective ESG policy – AVCJ Forum
Continued uptake of meaningful environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies in private equity will depend on fostering deeper dialogue on the subject between GPs and LPs, according to industry participants at the AVCJ ESG Forum.
Southeast Asia PE outlook: Debatable boom
PE and VC players remain focused on Southeast Asia’s long-term growth trajectory despite gathering macro storm clouds. Valuations remain a bone of contention
Malaysia to invest $478m in PE, VC matching scheme
The Malaysian government will allocate MYR2 billion ($478 million) to a co-investment scheme that will match investments made in the country by private equity and venture capital funds.
Operational value-add: Active duty
VCs are under pressure to improve operational capacity as competition heats up in Asia’s start-up ecosystems. Methodologies filtering over from the US are finding both disciples and skeptics
Alibaba, Line invest Taiwan's KKday
Alibaba Group and Line Corporation have led an extended Series B round of undisclosed size for KKday, a Taiwan-based travel services company backed by a number of venture capital firms.
Operational value-add: Sweat equity
As Asian GPs trial a range of operational value-add strategies with an eye on shifting market dynamics, they are discovering that helping portfolio companies requires self-inspection
Intel Capital backs China healthcare AI business
Intel Capital has led an investment of undisclosed size in Huiyi Huiying, a Chinese medical imaging technology developer that uses artificial intelligence (AI).
Operational value-add: Sign of the times
Budding interest in operational value-add marks a new level of maturity in Asian private equity. Trial-and-error experimentation has progressed slower than the macro motivators
BASF venture unit backs China 3D printing player
Germany’s BASF Venture Capital has agreed its first direct investment in China with a commitment of undisclosed size to 3D printing company Prismlab.
MassMutual sets up $50m Southeast Asia VC fund
US-based Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) has established a $50 million Southeast Asia-focused VC fund via its in-house financial technology investment unit.
Joy Capital seeks $300m for China opportunity fund
Joy Capital, a Chinese VC firm that spun out from Legend Capital, has launched a domestic opportunity fund with a target of $300 million.
CLSA invests in Singapore e-commerce site
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has invested an undisclosed sum in FortyTwo, a Singaporean e-commerce player focused on home furnishings.
PE-backed Merdeka buys stake in Indonesian gold mine
Merdeka Copper Gold, an Indonesian mining company controlled by Provident Capital and Saratoga Capital, has agreed to pay $55 million for a 66.6% stake in a domestic gold operation known as Pani.