Articles by Justin Niessner
Uncertainty prompts deal financing discipline – AVCJ Forum
Large-cap buyout investors told the AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum they are hesitating to underwrite higher returns as debt terms tighten in cloudier market conditions.
Australia cultured meat start-up gets $49m Series A
Blackbird and Prosperity7 Ventures, a unit of Saudi Arabian oil company Aramco, have led a USD 49.2m Series A round for Australian cell-cultured meat company Vow.
Crypto's hyped transparency remains muddy – AVCJ Forum
Centralised finance (cefi) manifestations of decentralised finance (defi) technologies are becoming problematic for mainstream investors, the AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum heard.
India fintech player Lentra gets $60m Series B
India’s Lentra, a financial technology provider focused on cloud-based lending, has raised USD 60m in Series B funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners and SIG Venture Capital.
LPs' ESG checklists get ever more intricate – AVCJ Forum
LPs want more nuanced emissions measurement from their portfolio managers, the AVCJ ESG Forum heard.
KKR leads $48m Series C for Indonesia's Privy
KKR has led a USD 48m Series C round for Privy, an Indonesia-based company that specialises in technology for providing legally binding digital signatures.
Wavemaker hits first close on SE Asia climate fund
Singapore’s Wavemaker Partners has hit a first close of USD 13m on its debut impact fund, which focuses on climate themes in Southeast Asia. The target is USD 25m.
Deal focus: NSSK builds out drugstore empire
NSSK found a rare succession-driven special situations deal in Japan’s prosperous healthcare space with pharmacy operator Kraft. It is the eight-year-old private equity firm’s largest deal to date
Investcorp, Fung Capital launch $500m GBA fund
Bahrain-headquartered Investcorp and Fung Capital, the PE investment arm of Hong Kong’s Fung Investments, have established a USD 500m Greater Bay Area (GBA) fund.
Roc leads Series B for Australia carbon credits specialist
Australia’s Roc Partners has led a AUD 55m (USD 35.6m) Series B round for local carbon credits platform and sustainability advisory Viridios Group.
India's Jashvik Capital reaches first close on debut PE fund
India’s Jashvik Capital, a private equity firm set up by Naresh Patawari, formerly a partner at TA Associates, has achieved a first close of undisclosed size on its debut fund. The target is USD 350m.
Australia's Square Peg raises $550m across two VC funds
Australian venture capital firm Square Peg Capital has raised USD 550m across two vehicles, including its fourth flagship early-stage fund and a follow-on fund.
65 Equity invests $107m in Singapore's Cityneon
Temasek Holdings-backed 65 Equity Partners has invested SGD 150m (USD 107m) in Singapore’s Cityneon, a company that markets entertainment brands by staging elaborate events, displays, and exhibitions.
China's Welkin Capital puts IPO on hold
China’s Welkin Capital has paused a planned USD 300m London IPO for an entity seeded with assets from its debut private equity fund, citing macro uncertainty and market volatility.
US GP buys India's Acqueon from Everstone
US-based Long Ridge Equity Partners has acquired a majority stake in Indian customer engagement software provider Acqueon from Everstone Capital for an undisclosed sum.
CDPQ invests $474m in Japan energy programme
Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) has committed JPY 70bn (USD 474m) to a Japanese energy transition programme led by local renewables developer Shizen Energy.
Taking PE in-house: Less limited partners
Institutional investors continue to pursue more active roles in private equity, even as a souring macro backdrop makes the game harder to play. Talent is always the key variable
Philippines fintech start-up gets $16m Series A
Abu Dhabi’s ADQ has backed a USD 16m Series A round for a Philippines-based financial technology start-up founded by former executives of Russian digital banking leader Tinkoff Bank.
VC-backed Singapore biotech start-up agrees SPAC merger
Singapore’s AUM Biosciences, a VC-backed oncology treatments developer, has agreed to a NASDAQ listing via special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) at a pre-money equity valuation of USD 400m.
Pavilion backs Singapore influencer platform
Temasek Holdings-owned Pavilion Capital has joined a USD 7m round for Singapore’s Partipost, which claims to be Asia’s fastest-growing crowd influencer marketing and commerce platform.
Indonesia solar start-up raises $33m Series A
Indonesia’s Xurya, a solar power rental and installation start-up, has lifted its Series A round to USD 33m with new commitments from Mitsui & Co and local property conglomerate Surya Semesta Internusa.
Warburg Pincus commits $350m to SE Asia insurance platform
Warburg Pincus has seeded a digital insurance platform for Southeast Asia with a USD 350m equity commitment and two recent acquisitions from Spain-headquartered insurance giant Mapfre.
Globis leads $22m Series C for Japan's Trend Express
Globis Capital Partners has led JPY 3.3bn (USD 22.1m) Series C round for Japan’s Trend Express, a cross-border marketing and data analysis platform focused on Japan-China tourism.
India's Ather Energy adds $50m to Series E
India’s Ather Energy, a two-wheel electric vehicle (EV) brand, has raised about USD 50m from existing investors, extending its Series E round to around USD 178m.