Articles by Justin Niessner
Korea audience engagement platform Bemyfriends gets $29m
Korea’s Bemyfriends, an audience engagement platform for brands and creators, has raised USD 29m in Series A funding, with the latest tranche provided by US-based VC firm Cleveland Avenue.
Japan's Keio Innovation targets $109m for Fund III
Keio Innovation, a VC arm of Keio University, is aiming to raise JPY 15bn (USD 109.2m) for its third fund, more than its first two vintages combined.
ADB invests $15m in Philippines supermarket Dali
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed a USD 15m equity investment in the Philippines business of Switzerland-based discount supermarket operator Dali.
US, UK VCs invest Pakistan logistics start-up Trukkr
US-based Accion Venture Lab and Sturgeon Capital of the UK have led a USD 6.4m seed round for Pakistan’s Trukkr, a financial technology provider for the trucking industry.
Deal focus: Digital marketing piggybacks e-commerce boom
Malaysian digital marketing specialist Involve Asia is making hay as regional e-commerce shows no signs of slowing. Fresh VC support will guide inorganic expansion amidst erratically trendy user behaviour
Japan construction software supplier gets $8.5m
Japan’s Ballas, a software provider focused on metals procurement for the construction industry, has raised an approximately JPY 1.2bn (USD 8.5m) round led by Global Brain.
NIC buys Japan dental consultancy, Jafco exits
Japanese private equity firm Nippon Investment Corporation (NIC) has acquired 100% of local dental industry services provider Medical Support Consulting, facilitating an exit for Jafco.
Mekong backs $50m round for Vietnam microlending player
Vietnam’s Mekong Capital has backed a USD 50m Series C round for local financial microfinance provider F88 Investment, contributing USD 20m.
Premji Invest leads $26m round for India's SpotDraft
India’s Premji Invest has led a USD 26m Series A round for local contract lifecycle management and legal work automation supplier SpotDraft.
Multiples leads $146m for Indian EV maker
India’s Multiples Alternate Asset Management has led a INR 12bn (USD 145.7m) investment in TI Clean Mobility, an electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary of engineering conglomerate Murugappa Group.
AVCJ Awards 2022: Exit of the Year – Small Cap: CosmoLife
When selling CosmoLife, Advantage Partners prioritised strategics with existing customer bases that could help the Japanese drinking water company in its next chapter. This coincided with a healthy valuation
B Capital closes US-Asia healthcare fund on $500m
US and Asia-focused VC firm B Capital has closed its first dedicated sector fund, collecting USD 500m for investments in healthcare.
Investcorp opens Japan office
Investcorp has opened a Tokyo office to serve as a staging post for direct private equity and real estate investments Japan.
Japan enterprise blockchain supplier LayerX raises $40m
Japan’s LayerX, an enterprise technology supplier that incorporates blockchain into functions such as expense management, has raised JPY 5.5bn (USD 40m) from a mostly local VC syndicate.
New Zealand electronic waste start-up gets $37m
New Zealand’s Mint Innovation, a precious metals refiner that salvages electronic waste, has raised NZD 60m (USD 37m) in Series C funding featuring Australian PE firm Liverpool Partners.
Deal focus: Going regional to fill the coding gap
NxtWave is helping India’s massive engineering community get up to snuff in much-needed software-related skillsets. This is most difficult and most rewarding in lower-tier cities
Deal focus: Indian drone maker takes flight
Recently launched Indian VC firm SphitiCap is making a high-conviction investment in local industrial drone maker Garuda Aerospace. It hopes a sizeable debut fund will help carry the start-up to IPO
Japan's Astroscale raises $76m Series G
Japan’s Astroscale, a start-up specialising in on-orbit space debris removal, has raised USD 76m in Series G funding featuring Mitsubishi Corporation.
Singapore's Grayscale hits first close on debut VC fund
Grayscale Ventures, a Singapore-based VC firm set up last month by South Asia-focused investors at Japan’s Strive, has achieved a first close of about USD 10m on its debut fund.
Advent backs China pest control company
Advent international has invested an undisclosed sum in China’s LBS Group, a regionally active pest control and hygiene company.
AVCJ Awards 2022: Fundraising of the Year – Mid Cap: Potentia Capital
For Australia’s Potentia Capital, the beauty of its sophomore fundraise was not that it took four months, but that it took two years. Putting out feelers well before the official launch created buzz
Data sovereignty: Compliance complex
Deglobalisation is broadening the concept of cyber risk management from simply preventing attacks to navigating a minefield of data regulations. The pressure on PE spans investment, operations, and exits
Saudi Arabia's PIF backs China e-sports platform
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has invested USD 265m in China’s VSPO, an e-sports broadcaster and events promoter formerly known as VSPN.
Australia quantum computer maker raises $18m
Australian quantum computer start-up Quantum Brilliance has raised USD 18m from several local VC firms, plus US-based investors Ultratech Capital Partners and CM Equity Partners.