Articles by Winnie Liu
China buyouts depend on industry, company expertise - AVCJ Forum
Chinese GPs are shifting to buyout strategies with a view to having more influence and operational input in portfolio companies, but they should have clear plans on post-deal integration when making these investments.
Deal focus: PayPal backs Korean counterpart Viva Republica
Viva Republica has confirmed its preeminence in Korea's peer-to-peer payments space with rival provider PayPal joining existing investors in the company's $48 million Series C round
Fund focus: Hosen wins support for China food thesis
China agriculture investor Hosen Capital has completed its evolution from a corporate-sponsored GP into an independent player with a $440 million fundraise from institutional and industrial LPs
VC value-add: Personal touch
Chinese VC firms are expected to offer value-added services as a way of differentiating themselves from the competition. Are formalized concierge services for founders and their families a step too far?
Qualcomm, Accel back India-China IoT player Borqs
Qualcomm Ventures and Accel Partners India have co-led a new round of funding worth $10 million for Borqs, an India-China venture that develops internet-of-things (IoT) devices.
Legend leads $36m round for China truck logistics platform
Legend Capital has led a RMB250 million ($36 million) Series C round for Fuyoukache, a Beijing-based online truck logistics platform.
IDG-led consortium completes buyout of Osram unit
A Chinese consortium led by IDG Capital has completed the purchase of Ledvance, the lamps business of German lighting manufacturer Osram, for approximately EUR500 million ($527 million).
Dual currency fundraising: Servant of two masters
A resurgence in renminbi fundraising has prompted GPs best known for US dollar funds to enter the local currency market. Addressing conflicts of interest in an increasingly complex industry will prove difficult
Matrix leads $15m Series C for China’s Easemob
Matrix Partners China has led a RMB103 million ($15 million) Series C round of funding for Easemob, a Chinese start-up that provides instant-messaging services to mobile app developers.
China VC spin-outs: Daddy issues
Several managers in the latest generation of China VC spin-outs retain close ties to their former corporate parents. These relationships can deliver great deal flow, but also governance headaches
Ping An leads Series C for Singapore’s Bigo Live
Bigo Live, a Singapore-based social video streaming app, has raised a Series C round of funding from a Hong Kong-based investment arm of Ping An Insurance Group.
Chengwei leads Series B round for China messaging service provider
Chengwei Capital has led a Series B round of funding for Xin Xi Bao, a Chinese text messaging software developer.
China chauffeured car service Ucar raises $668m
Chinese chauffeured car service provider Ucar, which is backed by Warburg Pincus and Yunfeng Capital, has raised RMB4.6 billion ($668 million) through a private placement on the National Equities Exchange and Quotation (NEEQ).
China’s JD.com spins off VC-backed financial unit
Chinese online retailer JD.com has agreed to sell its entire 68.6% stake in its financial unit JD Finance, which is backed by Chinese investors including Sequoia Capital China, for RMB14.3 billion ($2.1 billion) in cash.
LP interview: Tsinghua University Education Foundation
Tsinghua University Education Foundation is the first Chinese endowment fund to invest in private equity. It has developed a preference for managers with niche strategies
Partners Group to acquire 30% of Chinese restaurant chain operator
Partners Group plans to acquire a 30% stake in Affluent Fine, a holding company that operates restaurant chains in China.
China VC-backed robotics start-up CloudMinds raises $100m
CloudMinds, a Chinese cloud-based robotics start-up backed by several VC investors, has closed a $100 million Series A round of funding from a group of investors.
Hony’s healthcare platform launches HK IPO
Hospital Corporation of China (HCC), a hospital operation group established by Hony Capital, has launched a Hong Kong IPO that would see the company raise as much as HK$500 million ($64 million).
China rural e-commerce platform raises $145m
Maihuolang Information Technology, a Chinese e-commerce company focused on selling agricultural products, has raised a RMB1 billion ($145 million) Series A round of funding from several domestic GPs.
China bike-sharing start-up Ofo raises $450m Series D
Ofo, a Chinese bike-sharing company, has completed a $450 million Series D round of funding led by DST Global.
Welkin invests $17m in Chinese camellia oil brand
China-focused PE firm Welkin Capital has acquired a 15% stake in Hunan Guitaitai Camelia Oil Technology, a camellia oil specialty brand listed on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), for RMB120 million ($17 million).
Taiwan’s Foxconn to buy stake in SoftBank investment unit
Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group has acquired a 54.5% stake in an investment subsidiary owned by SoftBank Group for $600 million.
China Lodging to acquire PE-backed Crystal Orange Hotel
China Lodging Group, a US-listed Chinese hotel chain, has agreed to buy Crystal Orange Hotel Holdings, a Chinese boutique operator backed by The Carlyle Group, for RMB3.65 billion ($530 million) in cash.
KKR invests in China’s Gambol Pet Group
KKR has invested in Gambol Pet Group, a China-based company that sells pet food products.