Articles by Justin Niessner
Eight Roads builds out China team
Eight Roads Ventures has added three partners to its China team through promotion, bringing the total number in the country to 10.
AVCJ Awards 2022: Operational Value-add: Owndays
L Catterton’s investment in Japanese eyewear brand Owndays demonstrated a hands-on approach to sharing commercial networks, expertise in omnichannel scaling, and operating capabilities
Goldman Sachs, TVS lead $150m round for India's InsuranceDekho
Goldman Sachs and TVS Capital Funds have led a USD 150m Series A round for India’s InsuranceDekho, an online insurance policy comparison and brokerage service.
Singapore's Aspire closes Series C on $100m
Singapore-based B2B banking platform Aspire has closed an oversubscribed Series C round with USD 100m in commitments. Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital Southeast Asia took the lead.
Portfolio: KKR and NVC China
KKR is targeting the short-video generation in the traditionally middle-aged world of home lighting fixtures with NVC China. But that hasn’t stopped the brick-and-mortar footprint from mushrooming
Indian drone start-up Garuda Aerospace raises $22m
Recently established Indian VC firm SphitiCap has led a USD 22m Series A round for Garuda Aerospace, a local industrial drone maker and related services provider.
Sequoia leads $17m round for Singapore's Tazapay
Sequoia Capital Southeast Asia has led a USD 16.9m Series A round for Singaporean cross-border payments start-up Tazapay.
India's Rezolve.ai secures $11m Series A
SIG Venture Capital has led a USD 11m Series A round for Rezolve.ai, a US and India-based start-up that applies conversational artificial intelligence (AI) to human resources services.
AIIB launches $160m to cleantech VC strategy
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has committed USD 160m to a plan to back small-scale venture capital funds targeting cleantech and technology-enabled sustainable infrastructure.
Bessemer, SIG lead Series B for India's Entropik
Bessemer Venture Partners and SIG Venture Capital have led a USD 25m Series B round for Indian marketing research platform Entropik.
Advantage exits Japan dental supplier to local strategic
Japan’s Advantage Partners has agreed to sell Dental Holding, a local dental industry equipment distribution company, to Askul, an office equipment supplier, after a 2.5-year hold.
AVCJ Awards 2022: Exit of the Year – IPO: GoTo
GoTo’s rocky start on the Indonesia Stock Exchange betrays the pioneering nature of the listing and cements a legacy as an ecosystem lynchpin. Long-time backer Openspace Ventures reflects
New Zealand hydrogen player raises $14m
New Zealand hydrogen and zero-emission technologies developer Fabrum has raised a NZD 23m (USD 14.5m) Series A round led by UK-based AP Ventures.
Japan's Baseconnect gets $41m Series B
Japanese corporate contact and recruitment database provider Baseconnect has raised a JPY 5.4bn (USD 41m) Series B round led by Z Venture Capital (ZVC), formerly YJ Capital.
India, US-based Usher closes $50m Series C
Third Point Ventures has led a USD 50m Series C round for India and US-based enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technology provider Ushur.
MO Alts pays $48m for stake in Indian diaper maker
Motilal Oswal Alternates (MO Alts), formerly Motilal Oswal Private Equity, has invested INR 4bn (USD 48m) in India’s Pan Healthcare, a hygiene products maker best known for diapers.
LP interview: Quilvest Capital Partners
Fund-of-funds Quilvest Capital Partners was an early-mover in PE globally but has maintained a lean profile that speaks to its family office roots. It is pressing ahead with a China and India-focused Asia strategy
Deal focus: EdenFarm rethinks Indonesian agriculture
EdenFarm is tackling Indonesia’s fragmented agribusiness space with a B2B fresh produce marketplace that not only helps distribute crops, but helps them grow in the first place
Singapore accelerator targets packaging industry
Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and US packaging giant Avery Dennison are bankrolling a start-up accelerator that will explore everything from new boxing materials to tech-enabled tags.
University of Melbourne VC fund hits $70m first close
The University of Melbourne has hit a first close on a VC fund that will invest in university-related entrepreneurs and researchers with AUD 100m (USD 70m) in commitments.
AVCJ Awards 2022: Responsible Investment: Sido Muncul
Affinity Equity Partners leveraged a minority position to exert significant influence on the growth of Sido Mucul, an Indonesian herbal wellness brand with a complex, fragmented operating model
Japan's Global Brain, Meiji Yasuda launch $39m VC fund
Japan’s Global Brain has further extended a string of corporate VC partnerships, teaming up with Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance to launch a JPY 5bn (USD 39m) fund.
Creador, Navegar back Philippines supermarket chain
Creador and Navegar have invested an undisclosed sum in the Philippines business of Switzerland-based discount grocery and supermarkets operator Dali.
Mitsubishi UFJ launches $100m Indonesia fund
MUFG Innovation Partners, a VC arm of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, has launched its third fund alongside Bank Danamon Indonesia with a corpus of USD 100m. The fund will focus on Indonesia.