Expansion
Baidu Capital leads $156m round for China’s Huochebang
Baidu Capital, a VC firm backed by Chinese search engine Baidu, has led the $156 million second tranche of a Series B round for Huochebang, a Chinese B2B-focused online truck logistics platform.
Clairvest commits $74m to India game developer
Canadian private equity firm Clairvest Group has invested $73.7 million in Indian online game developer Head InfoTech.
Alternative exits: Tricks of the trade
Trade sales can provide investors in underperforming companies with an opportunity to reshape their investments, but they must be willing to let go of previous expectations and show flexibility
China ride-hailing app operator Didi raises $5.5b
Chinese ride-hailing app operator Didi Chuxing, which is backed by an assortment of private equity and strategic investors, has raised $5.5 billion in a fresh round of funding.
CDIB invests in South Korean skincare company
CDIB Capital, the private equity arm of Taiwan’s China Development Financial, has invested an undisclosed sum in L&P Cosmetic, a skincare company based in South Korea.
South Korea's Ticket Monster raises $115m
Ticket Monster, a PE-backed e-commerce operator based in South Korea, has received a $115 million investment aimed at expanding its grocery shopping and travel services businesses.
China co-working space operators UrWork, New Space merge
UrWork, a Chinese VC-backed co-working office space provider, has agreed to merge with its industry peer New Space. The combined entity will be worth RMB9 billion ($1.3 billion).
China's sharing economy: The peer effect
Bicycle-sharing is following the lead of ride-hailing in China – with start-ups consuming large amounts of capital in a battle for market share. What does it say about the broader sharing economy opportunity?
IMM commits $266m to Korean shipbuilder
IMM Investment has agreed to invest KRW300 billion ($266 million) in Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI).
Ant Financial invests in VC-backed bike-sharing service Ofo
Ofo, a Chinese bike-sharing company that completed its $450 million Series D round of funding less than two months ago, has received a strategic investment of undisclosed size from Ant Financial, Alibaba Group’s financial services affiliate.
China AI specialist Sense Time gets $60m from Sailing
Sailing Capital has provided $60 million in Series C funding to artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning technology start-up Sense Time, less than six months after the Beijing-based company announced its previous round.
VCs commit $65m to China vaccine developer CanSino Biologics
SDIC Fund Management, a GP under China’s State Development & Investment Corporation, has led a $65 million round of funding for CanSino Biologics, a China-based vaccine developer.
Antony Leung's New Frontier backs Shenzhen medical group
New Frontier, a private equity firm co-founded by Antony Leung (pictured), formerly Hong Kong's financial secretary, has invested in Best Unimed Medical Group, a Shenzhen-based third-party physicians group.
IFC proposes $100m investment in China insurance firm
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, is considering an equity investment of up to RMB690 million ($100 million) in Chinese insurance firm Union Life Insurance.
VCs join $400m round for China, US-based EV player
CITIC Securities has led a $400 million funding round - with participation from CDH Investments and National Venture Capital - for China and US-based electric vehicle (EV) supplier Microvast Power Systems.
KWAP joins investor roster for SE Asia telecom spin-out
Malaysia’s public sector pension fund, KWAP, has joined Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Khazanah Nasional in backing the spin-out of an infrastructure unit of Southeast Asian telecom company Axiata.
Hony’s Best Food backs Vietnamese restaurant chain
Best Food Holding, a Hong Kong-listed food and beverage platform established by Hony Capital, has invested an undisclosed sum in Shenzhen Yuepin, a restaurant chain specializing in Vietnamese cuisine.
CMC forms partnership with Hollywood talent agency CAA
China media-focused private equity firm CMC Capital Partners has acquired a minority stake in Hollywood talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for an undisclosed sum.
India's Ola raises $250m down round
Indian ride-hailing app operator Ola has raised INR16.75 billion ($259 million) in funding at a pre-money valuation of approximately $3 billion – compared to $5 billion for the company’s previous round in 2015.
CICC joins $108m round for China music streaming business
China International Capital Corp. (CICC) and two strategic investors have provided RMB750 million ($108 million) in funding for Chinese internet company NetEase's online music platform. The investment values NetEase Cloud Music at approximately RMB8 billion.
Indonesia's GP landscape: Slim pickings
While the number of GPs active in Indonesian venture capital has mushroomed in recent years, there has been no change on the private equity side. The market suffers from talent and perception issues
1Q analysis: Whale watching
KKR’s first close dominates fundraising activity, but mid-market showing still impresses; Japan leads the way as Asia exits remain reasonably strong; investment slows, if China state-backed deals are ignored
NZ Super joins $172m investment in Kiwibank
New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZ Super) has participated in a NZ$247 million ($172 million) investment in Kiwibank, a banking and finance services provider controlled by New Zealand Post.
India’s Flipkart confirms $1.4b downround
Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart has confirmed an investment of $1.4 billion from Microsoft, eBay, and China’s Tencent Holdings at a post-deal valuation of $11.6 billion, down from $15 billion as of its previous round.