Articles by Andrew Woodman
Tiger Global leads $5m round for Indian services marketplace
Indian local services marketplace LocalOye has raised a $5 million Series A round of funding from Tiger Global Management and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Japan's KDDI buys majority stake in VC-backed Luxa
Japanese telecom giant KDDI has acquired a majority stake in VC-backed premium group-buying site Luxa.
Fund-of-funds: Creatures great and small
Global fund-of-funds are looking to scale up and become more diversified, while many of their smaller counterparts are pursuing niche strategies. Is the model in a state of decline or a state of revolution?
Templeton leads $15m Series C for Vietnam restaurant operator
Vietnamese restaurant operator Huy Vietnam has raised a $15 million Series C round of funding led by Templeton Asset Management. Hong Kong-based firms Welkin Capital and Prosperous Alliance also took part in the round.
SoftBank joins $13.3m Series B for Japan e-commerce app
Japanese tech giant SoftBank Group, credit card firm Credit Saison, and Makoto Takaono - editor-in-chief of Forbes Japan - have invested JPY 1.6 billion ($13.3 million) in Origami, a Tokyo-based mobile commerce platform.
Japanese biotech firm targets $42m venture fund
An investment unit of Japanese biotech company Euglena is looking to raise JPY5 billion ($41.5 million) for a VC vehicle it has launched alongside SMBC Nikko - which is controlled by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group - and science start-up incubator Leave...
DST leads $315m round for India taxi-booking service Ola
DST Global has led a $315 million investment in ANI Technologies, operator of India taxi-booking platform Ola, alongside existing investors Tiger Global Management and Steadview Capital.
Kinnevik re-ups in Rocket-backed emerging markets fashion group
Sweden's Investment AB Kinnevik has invested an additional EUR32 million ($34.4 million) in Global Fashion Group (GFG), an emerging markets fashion e-commerce group developed by Germany's Rocket Internet.
Blackstone spins out Asia corporate advisory business
The Blackstone Group has spun out its Hong Kong-based corporate advisory business to Comprador, a new outfit led by Anthony Steains, the former head of Blackstone Advisory Partners Asia (BAPA).
India classifieds site Quikr raises $150m
Indian classifieds site Quikr has raised a $150 million in a round of funding led by existing investor Tiger Global Management.
Johnson & Johnson commits $15m to Vivo's healthcare fund
Johnson & Johnson Innovation (JJDC) - the venture capital arm of the eponymous healthcare and consumer goods multinational - has committed to $15 million to Vivo Capital's latest US and China-focused healthcare fund.
Top Standard Chartered banker quits to raise PE fund
Viswanathan Shankar, Standard Chartered's group executive director and CEO for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Americas is leaving the firm to set up his own private equity fund.
Mandala backs Indian agriculture finance business
Mandala Capital has invested INR1.1 billion ($17.9 million) in Sustainable Agro-commercial Finance (SAFL), a agriculture-focused non-banking financial company (NBFC) controlled by India's Jain Irrigation Systems (JISL).
Japan news app raises another $10m from VCs
SmartNews, the Tokyo-based start-up behind the news curation app of the same name, has raised $10 million in another round of funding led by Japanese internet gaming firm Gree.
Japan's Beenos leads $2.5m Series A for flea market app
Japanese e-commerce incubator Beenos has led a $2.5 million Series A round of funding for Southeast Asian flea market app Duriana. Existing investors also took part in the round.
India microfinance: Acorns to oaks
Several large funding rounds – plus the birth of a new bank – have shown how far India’s microfinance institutions have come in just four years. But more is to come, and more VC backing will be required
Allegro Funds buys Australia's Great Southern Rail
Allegro Funds has agreed to buy a 100% stake in Australian railway company Great Southern Rail (GSR) from its UK parent Serco.
India's LimeRoad raises $30m Series C round
Tiger Global has led a $30 million Series C round of funding for India LimeRoad, an online social discovery platform aimed at women. Lightspeed Venture Partners and Matrix Partners India also took part in the round.
Peesh Venture Capital launches $50m fund, India accelerator
Early-stage investor Peesh Venture Capital (PVC) has launched a $50 million fund and accelerator targeting Indian start-ups.
Maybank, 1337 Ventures launch fintech accelerator
Malaysian financial group Maybank has set up a financial technology (fintech) accelerator with local early-stage investor 1337 Ventures.
L Capital-backed 2XU targets IPO in Australia or US
Australian sports apparel brand 2XU - which is 40%-owned by L Capital Asia, a PE firm backed by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH - is looking to go public in either Australia or New York with an IPO that could value the business north of A$600 million ($468...
Japan's Zozotown acquires VC-backed Aratana
Start Today - the Japanese start-up behind fashion site Zozotown - has acquired VC-backed e-commerce solution provider Aratana.
Greenoaks leads $25m investment in India hotel marketplace
US investment firm Greenoaks Capital has led a INR1.5 billion ($24 million) investment in Oravel Stays, the start-up behind India-focused online budget hotel marketplace OyoRooms.com.
Saratoga plans $100m Indonesia mining unit IPO
Saratoga Capital is planning to raise $100 million through an IPO for Indonesian copper and gold miner Merdeka Serasi Jaya (MSJ) in the second half of this year.