Early-stage
PayU acquires VC-backed Indian payments start-up
Online payment solutions provider PayU India has acquired Cobboc, the VC-backed start-up behind mobile payments app Eashmart.
Gree Ventures backs Japan marketing start-up
Japanese online marketing firm Somewrite has raised JPY100 million (about $1 million) from corporate venture capital arm Gree Ventures and other undisclosed investors.
Bertelsmann Asia launches angel fund in China
Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), the Beijing-based investment arm of German media giant Bertelsmann, has launched a new angel fund to focus on seed-stage investments in China.
China's Xiaomi commits $14m to GPS firm Careland
Chinese VC-backed smart phone maker Xiaomi has invested RMB84 million ($14 million) in Careland Information System, a Shenzhen-based GPS mapping technology developer.
Japan's BrainWars app raises $2.8m in VC funding
East Ventures, Skyland Ventures, Genuine Startups and Line Ventures, the VC unit of messaging app firm Line Corp, have together invested JPY300 million ($2.8 million) in TransLimit, the Tokyo-based start-up behind social quiz app BrainWars.
Sun Hung Kai invests in China P2P lending site Dianrong
Sun Hung Kai & Co.(SHK), a leading Hong Kong financial institution, has invested in a Series B round of funding for Chinese peer-to-peer (P2P) lending service Dianrong.
Japan's Mercari raises $22m Series C round
Mercari, the Japanese start-up behind the mobile flea market app of the same name, has raised JPY2.36 billion ($21.8 million) in Series C funding from World Innovation Lab (WiL) and existing investors Global Brain, Globis Capital Partners, GMO Venture...
Singtel Innov8's Bao Bean joins SOS Ventures
William Bao Bean, formerly managing director with corporate venture unit Singtel Innov8, has joined SOS Ventures as its investment partner in China.
GIC leads $150m round for US e-commerce start-up Square - report
Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Private is said to have led a $150 million Series E round investment in US e-payments start-up Square.
Matrix India backs recruitment service GrownOut
Matrix Partners India has provided a first institutional round of funding for GrownOut, an online platform that helps companies identify potential recruits on the basis of referrals sourced via employees’ professional networks.
Ayannah banks on the unbanked
Explaining why cross-border remittances into the Philippines are not his core business, Mikko Perez points to Hong Kong’s Central district on a Sunday, when the domestic helpers are out in force. “It’s so cut throat – we are talking basis points of spread...
Jafco commits $4.6m in Japan footwear site Locondo
Jafco has invested JPY500 million ($4.6 million) in Japanese footwear e-commerce start-up Locondo in a Series C round of funding.
GGV, Tencent invest $13m in US tracking device maker
Tile, a US start-up that makes devices used to track lost items, has raised $13 million in funding from China-based investors.
Matrix India backs online food-ordering platform LimeTray
Matrix Partners India has provided a Series A round of funding for Alchemy Web Private, operator of online food-ordering platform LimeTray. The size of the commitment was not disclosed.
Gree Ventures backs Philippines payments business
Gree Ventures has participated in a Series C round of funding for Philippines-based digital payments business Ayannah. Wavemaker Labs, Golden Gate Ventures, IMJ Investment Partners and Beenos Asia also participated.
Jungle Ventures commits $1.6m to Thailand fashion site
Jungle Ventures has led a $1.6 million pre-Series A round for Pomelo, a Thailand-based online fashion retailer.
Shunwei invests $10m in Chinese female social networking site
Shunwei Capital Partners has committed $10 million in Series B funding to 520guimi.com, a female-focused social networking site in China.
Pavilion, Recruit provide Series B2 for Japan's Freee
Temasek Holdings-owned Pavilion Capital and Recruit Strategic Partners, the VC arm of Recruit Holdings, have led a Series B2 round of funding worth $6 million for Freee, a Tokyo-based provider of automated online accounting software.
Singapore supports med-tech accelerator program
Spring Seeds Capital, an investment arm of government-backed Spring Singapore, has launched an initiative that could channel up to S$60 million ($47 million) into local medical technology start-ups.
Accel, Ribbit lead $35m round for Australian invoice app
Australia-based invoicing app Invoice2go has received $35 million in a Series A round of funding led by Accel Partners and Ribbit Capital. The company was founded in 2002 but this is its first external funding.
Canaan's Khanna to launch India venture debt fund
Canaan Partners Managing Director Rahul Khanna is to launch a INR3 billion ($49 million) debt fund aimed at supporting early-stage and established technology ventures in India.
China food-ordering platforms: Stand and deliver
Competition is increasing in China's online food delivery market as VC investors back start-ups looking to achieve scale ahead of expected consolidation. How asset-heavy should the business model be?
Southeast Asia e-commerce: Logistics logjam
Southeast Asia is expected to see rapid growth in e-commerce over the next five years. But are there enough competent logistics providers to deliver the goods in a timely and cost-effective fashion?
What now, Alibaba?
Chinese online furniture retailer Meilele started out life as a store within Taobao, Alibaba Group's C2C e-commerce platform in 2008. The company's transactions ran through the Taobao platform, with online payment service Alipay collecting monies owed....