Articles by Andrew Woodman
Korean restaurant site MangoPlate raises $6.1m
South Korean restaurant discovery platform MangoPlate has raised $6.1 million from a group of corporate VC backers including Qualcomm Ventures, SoftBank Ventures Korea, and Yahoo Japan's YJ Capital.
VC-backed Housing.com fires controversial CEO
Rahul Yadav, the controversial CEO of VC-backed Indian property portal Housing.com, has been ousted from the company.
Late-stage tech: Hedging bets in India
Everyone is trying to get of the piece of tech story in India and US hedge funds are not different, but what will their entry into the early stage rounds mean for the broader venture capital industry
NSI Ventures, F&H lead $8m round for Singapore's Chope
NSI Ventures, the VC unit of Northstar Group, and consumer and technology sector-focused investor F&H Fund Management have led an $8 million round for Singapore online restaurant platform Chope.
SAIF, Accel commit $10m to Indian services marketplace
SAIF Partners and Accel Partners have together invested $10 million in India services marketplace UrbanClap.
Formation 8 to raise Asia VC fund
US venture capital firm Formation 8 is looking to raise a $400 million Asia fund to connect start-ups in the region with Silicon Valley.
Bespoke solutions offer path into Japan's local private debt space - AVCJ Forum
Low interest rates have restricted the scope for foreign private debt and mezzanine funds in Japan, though offering bespoke solutions to local businesses is an attractive opportunity, say industry participants.
Japan pension funds have out-dated view on PE risk - AVCJ Forum
Japan's pension fund industry needs to reevaluate its perception of private equity as a risky alternative asset, domestic LPs told the AVCJ Japan Forum.
MBO no longer a 'dirty word' in Japan - AVCJ Forum
The term management buyout (MBO) is no longer considered a "dirty word" among Japanese company founders, according to local GPs who are eyeing more succession deals.
Portfolio: Advantage Partners and Riraku
By undercutting its competition, massage salon Riraku was able access a broader segment of the domestic market. But achieving growth on a national scale required support from Advantage Partners
Australia's Crescent to buy Healthscope pathology business
Crescent Capital Partners has agreed to acquire the Australian pathology operations of Healthscope for A$105 million ($80.8 million).
Tech in Asia secures $4m funding round
Tech in Asia, a Singapore-based digital media company that focuses on Asian start-ups, has raised a $4 million round led by SB ISAT Fund, a $50 million vehicle backed by Japan's SoftBank and Indonesia's Indosat.
Apollo exits 4.4% stake in India's Dish TV
Apollo Global Management has exited a 4.4% stake in India-based direct-to-home (DTH) service provider Dish TV, selling about INR4.86 billion ($76.6 million) worth of shares via the open market.
India's Aavishkaar reaches $45m first close on $75m fund
India-based impact investor Aavishkaar has reached a $45 million first close on its South and Southeast Asia-focused fund, which has a full target of $75 million.
India's Hansa Customer Equity gets $4.7m round
Indian GP ASK Pravi has invested INR300 million ($4.7 million) in Hansa Customer Equity (Hansa Cequity), a Mumbai-based company that provides consulting services covering marketing, customer strategy, data management, and customer relationship management...
Australia's Anacacia takes majority stake in LED business
Anacacia Capital has acquired a majority stake in Australian lighting business LEDified Lighting Corporation for an undisclosed sum.
Japan to lead boom in Asia restructuring activity - survey
Corporate restructuring activity in Japan should lead to a broader rise in the number of distress opportunities in Asia, as a result of both regulatory change and added pressure from investors.
CLSA closes third Asia real estate fund at $1b
CLSA Capital Partners has closed its third Asian real estate fund - Fudo Capital III - at the hard cap of $1 billion, exceeding its initial target of $850 million.
India's Edelweiss reaches $205m first close on credit fund
India's Edelwiess Alternative Asset Advisors has reached a $205 million first close on its second credit vehicle, EW Special Opportunities Fund II (ESOF II).
China Everbright mezz fund leads precision casting investment
China Everbright has invested an undisclosed sum in AVIC Precision Casting Science and Technology, an affiliate of Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense company Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), via its RMB Mezzanine Fund.
VC in Japan's universities: Getting schooled
For the past decade, Japan’s universities have been working with venture capital to commercialize their research. Recent developments in the public and private sectors suggest this relationship is evolving
Japan consumer: Big spenders
Japan’s gradual economic recovery could deliver a wealth of new opportunities in the consumer space. But to realize true value, private equity firms must look deeper, or in certain cases, further
Japan's Advantage to launch $400m Asia fund
Japanese mid-market GP Advantage Partners is looking to raise a $400 million fund targeting investments opportunities in Asia ex-Japan.
LPs assume control of Exhilway's emerging markets fund
LPs have assumed control of Exhilway Global Opportunities Fund - a vehicle set up by US-based hedge fund and emerging markets private equity GP Exhilway Global - apparently following difficulty sourcing deals.