Early-stage
Singapore fintech start-up LXA gets $10m seed round
New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has led a USD 10m seed round for Singapore’s LXA, a financial technology start-up launched by a former Asia senior executive at The Blackstone Group.
Japan's LayerX extends Series A to $67.5m
Japanese enterprise billing and invoicing software provider LayerX has raised JPY 2bn (USD 13.2m) from Hong Kong’s Keyrock Capital Management, lifting its Series A round to around USD 67.5m
Energy transition: Getting comfortable
Private equity investors are leaning into energy transition with new funds, strategies, and attitudes about risk as more emerging categories go mainstream. Regulation remains the perennial spoiler
Sinovation-developed LLM platform hits $1b valuation
01.AI, a large language model (LLM) launched less than eight months ago by Chinese venture capital firm Sinovation Ventures, has achieved a USD 1bn-plus valuation, according to Kai-Fu Lee, the firm’s founder.
MassMutual Ventures leads Series A for India's Sugarfit
Sugarfit, an India-based health technology start-up that helps people manage type-two diabetes with a view to reversing the condition, has raised USD 11m in Series A funding.
Japanese digital alternatives platform gets pre-Series A
Luca, a Japan-based fundraising platform that aims to give local high net worth investors access to alternatives, has received seed-stage funding from VC investors.
Polaris leads $27m round for Singapore's Engine Biosciences
US healthcare and life sciences growth investor Polaris Partners has led a USD 27m Series A round for Singapore-based cancer medicine developer Engine Biosciences.
Deal focus: Algae-based bio-plastics come to Asia
US-based Algenesis has figured out how to make plastic from algae. Singapore’s Circulate Capital is helping the company bring the technology to Asian manufacturers
Hidden Hill leads $137m round for China's CS Smart
Hidden Hill Capital, a private equity firm backed by warehouse operator turned logistics and infrastructure investment manager GLP, has led a CNY 1bn (USD 137m) Series B round for China-based logistics vehicle manufacturer CS Smart.
Aramaco backs Singapore clean energy certificates player
Aramaco Ventures, a VC unit of Saudi oil giant Aramaco, has led a USD 10m Series A round for Singapore’s Redex, an early mover regionally in renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Temasek leads $27.5m round for India space tech player
Temasek Holdings has led a INR 2.25bn (USD 27.5m) pre-Series C round for Indian rocket developer and launch services start-up Skyroot Aerospace.
Lightspeed leads $50m round for Singapore's YouTrip
Lightspeed Venture Partners has led a USD 50m Series B investment in Singapore-based travel wallet and currency exchange app YouTrip.
Deal focus: isBIM targets real estate’s digitisation catch-up
A renewed focus on safety and sustainability has prompted property developers to consider technology-enabled fixes. IsBIM is riding the wave from Greater China through Asia and the Middle East
Deal focus: Bolt.Earth looks to close India’s EV infrastructure gap
Bolt.Earth turned its electric vehicle operating system into the foundation stone for India’s largest charging network aimed at two- and three-wheelers overlooked by mainstream operators
Indonesia sustainable construction start-up raises $10m
Stilt Studios, a sustainable construction start-up founded by the former co-CEO of Lazada Indonesia, has secured USD 10m in Series A funding – comprising debt and equity tranches – which will be used to support expansion into Australia, Europe, and...
Blackbird, Airtree back $18m round for Australia's Darwinium
Blackbird Ventures and Airtree Ventures have participated in a USD 18m Series A round for Darwinium, an Australian digital security start-up that moved its headquarters to the US in April.
China's Baichuan AI raises $300m
China-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Baichuan AI has raised USD 300m in a first tranche of Series A funding from an investor group featuring Alibaba Group, Tencent Holdings, and Xiaomi.
Deal focus: Minnow finds favour in crowded Indonesia vertical
Indonesia’s Luna, a seed-stage contender in a competitive retail digitalisation landscape, continues to collect VC backers as a patient, diversified gameplan comes into focus
Deal focus: Entering the Snoop ecosystem
As the streetwear thesis matures, East Ventures is helping bring Singapore’s Novelship, a brand-agnostic, rap star-approved marketplace, to a larger, more diverse audience
Australia's Skykraft raises $75m
Australian deep tech VC firm Main Sequence has joined a AUD 120m (USD 75m) round for Skykraft, a local space tech provider focused on in-orbit air traffic control systems.
Quest backs Vietnam robotic prosthetics start-up
Singapore’s Quest Ventures has confirmed an investment of undisclosed size in Vietnam-based robotic prosthetics start-up Vulcan Augmetics.
China's Atom Bioscience raises $83m
Chinese inflammatory and metabolic disease drug developer Atom Bioscience has raised USD 83m in Series D funding led by local biotech specialist Kaitai Capital.
Eight Roads leads $22m round for Meitu's AI design unit
Pixocial, an artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) design tool spun out from China-based photo editing app provider Meitu, has raised USD 22m in funding led by Eight Roads.
AVCJ Awards 2023 - voting has closed
Voting for the 2023 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards has now closed. Many thanks to all those who participated.