Articles by Winnie Liu
CDIB leads round for Taiwan image-recognition start-up
Viscovery, a Taiwanese cloud-based image-recognition technology start-up, has raised $10 million in an extended Series A round led by China Development Industrial Bank (CDIB), a subsidiary of China Development Financial Holding.
Carlyle finds new buyer for Taiwan’s EBC
Taiwan Optical Platform, a local telecommunication services provider, plans to acquire a majority stake in Eastern Broadcasting (EBC), a leading TV station in Taiwan controlled by The Carlyle Group, for NT$11.12 billion ($351 million).
Indian news app Dailyhunt raises $25m
Indian online news aggregator Dailyhunt has raised a $25 million Series D round led by ByteDance, a Chinese VC-backed online content provider.
Hillhouse, Warburg, Tencent lead round for China’s Mobike
Shanghai-based bike rental service start-up Mobike has raised a Series C round of funding led by Hillhouse Capital, Warburg Pincus and Tencent Holdings.
China GPs see window of opportunity to work with corporates on outbound M&A - M&A Forum
China-focused GPs are cautious about partnering with Chinese corporates on outbound M&A deals, although there is increasing demand for their support in terms of identifying acquisition targets and facilitating post-investment integration.
China’s Baidu launches $3b technology fund
Chinese search giant Baidu has established a RMB20 billion ($3 billion) investment fund, called Baidu Capital, to target mid- and late-stage deals in the internet industry.
China K12 education platform Xuele raises $200m Series C
Xueleyun, a Chinese education platform, has raised a $200 million Series C round led by China-based PE firm New Horizon Capital. Existing investors GSR Ventures and Huaxin Shiji Investment also participated in the round.
China’s PE-backed Tongcheng merges with Wanda Tourism
Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group has spun out its travel-related assets and merged them with a subsidiary of Tongcheng Network Technology, a PE-backed online travel platform. The aim is to create China's largest online-to-offline (O2O) travel business.
China bike-sharing app Ofo raises $130m Series C
Ofo, a Chinese online-to-offline (O2O) bike-sharing platform, has raised a $130 million Series C round of funding across two tranches.
China’s CSC Group backs UK AI incubator
Chinese private equity firm CSC Group has invested in Founders Factory, a London-based accelerator and incubator, with a view to getting exposure to artificial intelligence (AI) technology start-ups.
Singapore’s New Silkroutes launches private equity JV
Singapore-listed energy trading company New Silkroutes Group (NSG) has formed a joint venture with three parties to develop private equity funds targeting healthcare and infrastructure in emerging and developed Asia.
Philippines’ Xurpas buys VC-backed mobile ad firm
Early-stage VC firm Wavemaker Partners has made a full exit from Art of Click as Philippines-based mobile service developer Xurpas acquired the Singaporean mobile advertising player in deal worth $45 million.
Chinese consortium to invest in Australia’s Buderim Group
Sino-Australian PE firm Wattle Hill RHC Funds has partnered with Chinese snack producer QiaQia Food to acquire a stake in Buderim Group, Australia’s largest ginger producer, for approximately A$26.1 million ($20 million).
China tech M&A: Friends or rivals?
Consolidation is becoming a dominant theme in China’s internet industry as ever more sophisticated companies use M&A as a means of remaining dominant in their core areas and exploring new ones
China sports M&A: They shoot, they score?
China wants to develop its sports industry, with football a priority, prompting numerous investors to look for overseas assets in the name of government policy. Their rationale is often divorced from reality
Baring Asia assumes control of fashion label Cath Kidston
Baring Private Equity Asia has acquired TA Associates’ remaining stake in Cath Kidston, taking control of the UK lifestyle retailer.
MBK, TPG to buy Wharf’s telecom business for $1.2b
MBK Partners and TPG Capital have agreed to acquire Hong Kong telecom services provider Wharf T&T from its parent company The Wharf Holdings for HK$9.5 billion ($1.2 billion).
China’s Zoomlion launches $481m industry investment fund
Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology, a China-based construction machinery maker, has launched an industry PE fund with an overall target of RMB3.21 billion ($481 million).
Hong Kong hospitality technology firm Tink Labs raises $125m
Tink Labs, a Hong Kong-based start-up that provides hotel guests with free smart phones, has raised $125 million in a new round of funding led by existing investor FIH Mobile, a Hong Kong-listed unit of Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology Group.
Huasheng leads round for China education site Zmlearn
Huasheng Capital, a private equity firm established by financial advisor China Renaissance, has led a Series C round of funding for Zmlearn.com, a Chinese K-12 online learning and teaching platform.
China O2O retail: It’s good to touch
The rise of e-commerce in China has placed traditional retailers under pressure, but private equity investors are still finding opportunities with concepts that integrate online and offline
PE-backed Go-Jek acquires India home healthcare start-up
Go-Jek, an Indonesian mobile ride-hailing and delivery platform backed by several PE investors, has bought Bangalore-based online home healthcare services platform Pianta, its third acquisition in India.
Sino-US bio-pharma firm raises $55m Series C
MicuRx Pharmaceuticals, a Sino-US bio-pharmaceutical company, has raised a $55 million Series C round of funding led by Shanghai-based GP Healthcare Capital.
Meituan-Dianping acquires VC-backed Chinese payment player
Meituan-Dianping, the China-based online-to-offline (O2O) services platform created through the merger of two rival groups, has agreed to acquire Qiandaibao, a VC-backed point-of-sales (POS) mobile payment start-up.