Articles by Tim Burroughs
Ebix to acquire India's Yatra Online for $338m
Indian travel services platform Yatra Online, which has several VC investors, has agreed to an acquisition by software and e-commerce services provider Ebix at an enterprise valuation of $337.8 million.
Chinese streaming platform trades flat after $775m US IPO
Chinese game live-streaming platform Douyu International Holdings closed flat on its first day of trading on NASDAQ following a $775 million IPO – the largest US offering by a Chinese company this year.
Chinese B2B electronic components platforms raises Series A
Sequoia Capital China and Eastern Bell Venture Capital have led a RMB250 million ($36.3 million) Series A round for Lichuang Mall, a Chinese B2B online trading platform that specializes in electronic components.
Fund focus: Genesis targets China's tech inflection points
With $850 million in dry powder to deploy from its second US dollar-denominated fund, China’s Genesis Capital is targeting Series C and D rounds for start-ups on the cusp of greatness
Asia-based Ilfryn Carstairs to become co-CEO of Värde
Ilfryn Carstairs (pictured), Singapore-based CIO of global alternative investor Värde Partners, has been named CEO. He will share the role with George Hicks, the incumbent and co-founder of the firm.
Investors target China's lower-tier cities - AVCJ Forum
Private equity and venture capital firms are seeking investments that target China’s lower-tier cities, which continue to see rapid consumption growth despite the economic slowdown at national level.
Southeast Asia PE: Integration angst
Slow progress in the effort to improve Southeast Asia’s multilateral economic cooperation reveals deep rooted challenges for investors, including cultural and regulatory barriers
Ping An invests in PE-backed Chinese online education start-up
Ping An Insurance has made a strategic investment in iTutorGroup, a Chinese online education platform that previously raised four rounds of funding, the most recent at a valuation of $1.6 billion.
PAG buys Australia's Craveable Brands from Archer
Australian quick service restaurant chains Oporto, Red Rooster and Chicken Treat have their third consecutive private equity owner after PAG Asia Capital bought the business from Archer Capital.
Plum Ventures raises $77m for China angel fund
Chinese early-stage investor Plum Ventures has closed its fifth angel fund with RMB532.5 million ($77.4 million) in commitments, taking its total assets under management to RMB3 billion.
Singapore's Novena buys VC-backed China hair salon chain
Singapore-based healthcare platform Novena Global Lifecare has completed a $350 million merger with Xingkedou, a VC-backed Chinese hair salon operator that specializes in fast turnaround services.
Culture is key to a sustainable spin-out - AVCJ Forum
Making a private equity spin-out work is as much about cultivating a transparent culture within the team as identifying an underserved market segment, industry participants told the AVCJ USA Forum.
Q&A: Jupiter Impact Partners' Melissa Kang
Melissa Kang helped raise Morgan Stanley’s first global impact fund before striking out on her own with Jupiter Impact Partners. She explains why Southeast Asia should prove fertile ground for the strategy
Temasek trims investment pace as performance stutters
Annual divestments by Singapore’s Temasek Holdings exceeded investments for only the second time in a decade against a backdrop of challenging market conditions and weaker returns.
Southeast Asia buyouts: Flexibility first
Southeast Asia has yet to deliver a consistent stream of large-cap buyout deals. Private equity investors must be creative, flexible and patient in trying to crack the market
Southeast Asia's Provident Capital seeks $250m for Fund II
Provident Capital, a Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm that is primarily active in Indonesia, is looking to raise $250 million for its second fund.
TPG affiliate co-leads $25m round for Singapore's Taiger
TPG Capital affiliate PacificBridge Asset Management and MCM Investment Partners, a Hong Kong-headquartered merchant bank and asset manager, have led a $25 million Series B round for Singapore artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Taiger.
2Q analysis: Mixed fortunes
Second quarter analysis: Spin-outs reflect challenges for China fundraising; weak buyout activity continues to hold back Asia PE investment; Korea heads the exit charts as China falls back
China's Miaoshou Doctor hits $1b valuation
Miaoshou Doctor, a Chinese online healthcare services platform that has expanded into the offline pharmacy space, has completed its extended Series C funding round, having achieved a post-deal valuation of more than RMB7 billion ($1 billion).
Japanese cooking robot developer raises Series A
Global Brain has led a JPY8.5 billion ($7.8 million) Series A round for Connected Robotics, a Japanese robotics developer that specializes in cooking.
Quadrant set for debut deal from Australia growth fund
Australia’s Quadrant Private Equity has made the first investment from its new growth fund, with an agreement to acquire domestic auction sites Graysonline and AreYouSelling for A$60 million ($42 million).
Fund manager due diligence: Culture club
Truly understanding a GP involves digging beneath the track record and presentations into the human dynamics that can make - or break - a team
Tencent leads $36m round for Chinese healthcare AI start-up
Synyi, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up that targets hospitals, has taken its total fundraising to RMB550 million ($80 million) following a RMB250 million Series C led by Tencent Holdings and featuring Sinopharm Capital.
LionRock teams up with Li Ning for China sports fund
LionRock Capital, an Asian PE firm that counts Italian football club Inter Milan among its previous investments, has launched a sports-focused fund with retailer Li Ning participating as an anchor LP.