India's Kaizen reaches $44m first close on second fund

Five investors, including pension funds, family offices and high net worth individuals, have committed to the fund. The vehicle launched in 2014 with a target of $125 million and a hard cap of $150 million, and is targeting a final close by next March. Like Kaizen’s first vehicle it will support companies both in and supporting the education sector, with its geographical focus to expand to Southeast Asia as well as India.

Kaizen has also announced its first investment from the new fund, committing an undisclosed amount to the International School of Engineering (INSOFE), a professional skills training firm based in India. The company will use the new capital to support its global expansion, involving recruitment of international faculty members and opening new facilities both in India and overseas.

Founded in 2011, INSOFE aims to raise the standard of applied engineering education in India by incorporating new advances in technology and data science. In addition to training, INSOFE also provides consulting services to companies worldwide to help improve their approach to data analytics.

Kaizen’s recent investments include a INR930 million Series B round for Varthana, a non-banking finance company in India that provides loans and other forms of financial support to private schools and educational institutions. The firm sees the education sector in South and Southeast Asia as a compelling investment destination due to growing demand for higher quality schools among the region’s expanding middle class.

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• Topics
• South Asia
• Consumer
• Expansion
• Fundraising
• GPs
• Growth
• India
• Kaizen
• Education