Early-stage
Hong Kong pledges to foster local start-up ecosystem
Hong Kong plans to increase funding to two local incubation programs – Cyberport and Hong Kong Science & Technology Park (HKSTP) – in the expectation they will play a leading role in the drive to turn the territory into an innovation hub.
Singapore, Australia VCs team up for $125m fund
Singapore-based VC firm Hatcher and Australian accelerator BlueChilli will jointly invest a $125 million exchange-traded fund that will back 240 start-ups globally over the next three years.
VCs in $47m round for Chinese AI medical imaging firm
Beijing Infervision, a Chinese company that develops medical imaging technology empowered by artificial intelligence (AI), has raised RMB300 million ($47 million) in funding from investors including Xianghe Capital.
SBI backs Japan autonomous driving start-up Ascent
SBI Investment has made the first investment from its artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology fund, leading a JPY1.1 billion ($10.3 million) round for Japan’s Ascent Robotics.
Deal focus: Qutoutiao finds its own news angle
With a market focus and a user acquisition mechanism that differentiate it from other Chinese news and video apps, Qutoutiao impressed Tencent Holdings enough to secure a $200 million Series B round
Redpoint China closes debut RMB fund at $110m
Redpoint China Ventures has closed its debut renminbi-denominated VC fund at RMB700 million ($110 million).
Tencent leads $200m round for China's Qutoutiao
Tencent Holdings has led a Series B round worth more than $200 million for Qutoutiao, a Chinese mobile news reading app. The round gives the company a post-money valuation of $1.6 billion.
Australia invests $12m in domestic agtech ecosystem
The state government of Victoria in Australia has confirmed a plan to invest A$15 million ($12 million) in the local agricultural technology sector.
Singapore's GTR Ventures invests five fintech companies
GTR Ventures, a Singapore-headquartered VC firm launched last September, has made its debut investments in five financial technology companies.
MDI leads $10m round for Australia's Whispir
MDI Ventures, the corporate VC arm of state-controlled telecommunications firm Telkom Indonesia, has led a $10 million funding round for Australian communications platform Whispir.
China's JW Therapeutics gets $90m Series A round
JW Therapeutics, a China-based clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, has raised $90 million in a Series A round of funding led by Temasek Holdings, Sequoia Capital China, and Yuan Ming Capital.
Singtel Innov8 launches Singapore cybersecurity incubator
Singtel Innov8, the venture arm of Singapore telecom giant SingTel has teamed up with NUS Enterprise, a start-up program under National University of Singapore, to launch a cybersecurity incubator.
Burda leads $19m round for Malaysia's Carsome
Burda Principal Investments, the investment arm of European technology and media company Hubert Burda Media, has led a $19 million Series B round for Malaysian online used car marketplace Carsome.
Tencent joins $462m Series B for China's Huya
Tencent Holdings has participated in a $461.6 million Series B funding round for Huya, a VC-backed Chinese game broadcasting subsidiary of US-listed social networking platform YY.
Global Brain backs $30m investment in Singapore's Electrify
Japan’s Global Brain has participated in a token sale that raised $30 million for Electrify, a Singaporean electricity marketplace using blockchain technology. The company claims the sale received offers in excess of $1.3 billion.
China-India tech investments: A running start
The past 12 months has seen a long-expected surge of investments into India’s technology sector by Chinese financial and strategic investors. They are providing a significant boost to the local market
Matrix backs China consumer-focused genetic testing player
Matrix Partners China has led a RMB100 million ($15.8 million) round for 23Mofang, a Chinese genetic testing services provider.
Demonetization drives surge in Indian fintech investment
India’s demonetization policy has been the principal driver for a surge in financial technology investment in the country, according to research by Accenture and CB Insights.
Corporate VC funds foreshadow auto sector M&A wave
A raft of specialist fundraising activity by technology and automotive corporates suggests start-ups in nascent areas of the mobility industry could benefit from a near-term uptick in M&A activity.
Deal focus: Lightspeed boosts Udaan's B2B drive
Lightspeed India Partners renews its commitment to B2B online marketplace Udaan and its emphasis on data-derived trustworthiness
VCs back Chinese mapping technology developer
Kuandeng Technology, a Chinese start-up developing precision mapping technology for self-driving cars, has completed a Series A round of funding led by IDG Capital.
NAB Ventures backs $7m round for Australia's BrickX
NAB Ventures, a unit of National Australia Bank (NAB), has joined a A$9 million ($7 million) Series A funding round for BrickX, a domestic financial technology start-up focused on the real estate sector.
China's Danke Gongyu raises $100m Series B
CMC Capital Partners and Banyan Capital have jointly led a $100 million Series B round of funding for Danke Gongyu, a China-based start-up that provides apartment rental services.
Taiwan's KKday secures $10.5m Series B
KKday, a Taiwan-based start-up that helps tourists find local activities, has secured $10.5 million Series B round of funding led by Japanese travel agent HIS, with participation from existing backer MindWorks Ventures.