Early-stage
India taxi-booking service Ola closes Series E round at $400m
Indian taxi-booking service Ola - operated by ANI Technologies - has closed its latest Series E round of funding at $400 million, valuing the company at $2.4 billion. The round was led by DST Global.
DCM invests $3m in China's Udesk
DCM has committed $3 million in a Series A round of funding to Udesk, a China-based customer service outsourcing business.
NEA closes giant $2.8b global VC fund
New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has reached a final close on its 15th global flagship fund at $2.8 billion, and raised an additional $350 for a new co-investment vehicle - NEA 15 Opportunity Fund.
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.
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.
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.
Intel launches accelerator to support Chinese entrepreneurs
Intel Corporation has committed RMB120 million ($19.3 million) to a China accelerator program that will help local entrepreneurs develop their business ideas.
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.
China's JD.com to launch equity crowdfunding platform
Chinese online retailer JD.com has launched an equity crowdfunding platform through which local entrepreneurs can raise capital from potential early-stage investors.
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'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.
IDG commits $24m to Kingsoft's cloud computing unit
IDG Capital Partners has agreed to invest $24.06 million in Kingsoft Cloud Group as part of a funding round led by the cloud computing venture’s parent company, Kingsoft.
Tiger Global leads Series A for Indian social network Roposo
Indian fashion-centric social network Roposo has raised $5 million in Series A funding led by Tiger Global.
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.
China travel social media site raises C round
Mafengwo, a Chinese travel social media platform, has raised a Series C round of funding from Hillhouse Capital Management, Qiming Venture Partners, hedge fund Coatue Management and technology firm Cobuilder.
GGV boosts China internet of things exposure
GGV Capital has added three Chinese firms to its internet of things (IoT) portfolio, increasing its total holdings in the sector to eight companies.
Taiwan's 91App raises $9m from AppWorks, CID
91App, a Taiwan-based start-up that helps e-commerce companies set up mobile apps, has secured a Series A round of funding worth $9 million led by local incubator AppWorks.
Indian online tea seller raises $6m
Indian tea retailer Teabox has raised $6 million in a Series A round led by JAFCO Asia, with participation from Keystone Group and Dragoneer Investment Group, and existing investor Accel.
Smart cars: Picking up speed
Internet-capable cars are a novelty now, but as they gain acceptance they could remake the way we drive. What are the most important factors for investors to watch down the road?
Accel raises $305m for India fund
Venture capital firm Accel Partners has raised $305 million for its fourth country-focused fund to invest in Indian start-ups.
Chinese smart bicycle maker raises $15m
700Bike, a Chinese smart bicycle manufacturer, has raised a Series A round of funding worth $15 million from Banyan Capital, China Growth Capital and IDG Capital Partners.