Expansion
China parenting site Beibei raises further $100m
Beibei, a Chinese maternal and infant products e-commerce platform, has raised $100 million in a new round of funding led by existing investors Northern Light Venture Capital (NLVC) and New Horizon Capital.
China's Fenqile receives $235m in Series D funding
Fenqile, a Chinese installment payment platform, has received $235 million from investors including Huasheng Capital, CoBuilder Partners and an unnamed Chinese insurance company.
China's Didi Chuxing raises $7.3b in equity, debt financing
Didi Chuxing, China’s leading ride-hailing app operator, has raised $7.3 billion in new funding, comprising $4.5 billion in equity and $2.8 billion in debt. The round is said to value the company in excess of $25 billion.
China delivery service provider UC Express raises $46m
Chinese delivery service provider UC Express has raised about RMB300 million ($46 million) in a Series A round of funding from Eastern Bell Venture Capital and Kerry Logistics.
OPIC initiates $250m loan for Myanmar's Apollo Towers
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a development finance institution backed by the US government, has begun the initial disbursement of a $250 million loan to private equity-backed Apollo Towers Myanmar.
VinaCapital leads $30m round for Vietnam's An Cuong
VinaCapital Investment Management has led a $30 million funding round for Vietnamese wood-working and decorative materials manufacturer An Cuong.
Omidyar in $20m round for Indian venture debt player
Intellegrow Finance, a non-banking financial company (NBFC) and venture debt lender that targets small and growing businesses in India, has raised INR1.34 billion ($20 million) from investors including existing backer Omidyar Network.
US AR specialist Meta raises $50m for China expansion
US-based augmented reality (AR) start-up Meta has raised a $50 million Series B round of funding from Chinese investors Tencent Holdings, Lenovo and Banyan Capital. They will support the company's expansion in China.
China Life invests $600m in Didi Chuxing
China’s leading ride-hailing app operator Didi Chuxing has received about $600 million from China Life Insurance as part of its latest fundraising effort.
China Online Education slips on trading debut, VCs re-up
VC-backed China Online Education Group closed marginally below its offering price on the first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange, following an IPO worth $45.6 million. Existing backers Sequoia Capital and DCM concurrently committed an additional...
AGIC to buy Italian robotics manufacturer
China-Europe cross-border private equity firm AGIC Capital has acquired a large majority stake in Gimatic, an Italian robotics supplier planning an Asian expansion.
Japan's Midokura raises $20m Series B
Japan and US-based software network virtualization company Midokura has raised a $20.4 million Series B round from investors including the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ).
iSigma acquires Japan cybersecurity company
ISigma, a mid-size buyout firm controlled by Japanese trading and investment conglomerate Marubeni, has acquired domestic cybersecurity platform provider VarioSecure.
IFC to invest $50m in India's Janalakshmi
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, will invest up to $50 million in Indian microfinance institution (MFI) Janalakshmi Financial Services.
Edelweiss invests in India's Bridgei2i
Edelweiss Private Equity has invested an undisclosed amount of Series A growth capital in India’s Bridgei2i Analytics Solutions, an enterprise services company focused on big data.
Rabo invests $15m in India's Cremica
Rabo Equity Advisors has committed $15 million for a minority stake in Indian condiment and snack maker Cremica Food Industries.
Longreach acquires Wendy's Japan
Longreach Group has acquired a majority stake in Wendy’s Japan as part of a growth strategy that will see the hamburger restaurant chain combined with fellow domestic operator, First Kitchen.
China's Blued completes Series C round
Vision Knight Capital has led a Series C+ round for Chinese gay-oriented social network and community app Blued.
Japan's Whill closes $17.5m Series B
Eight Roads Ventures has led a $17.5 million Series B round for Japanese wheelchair and personal mobility device developer Whill.
Deal focus: Securing a nation's digital vaults
Data Republic has attracted Series A funding from some of Australia’s biggest companies, with a notable showing by the major banks demonstrating a growing focus on data security investment in the financial sector
Deal focus: VCs find inroad where giants prevail
A group of VCs are aiming to leverage an encouraging outlook for the autonomous vehicle industry by funding a Singapore-focused start-up that is offering significant competition to the major corporates that dominate this space
China mezzanine: Hybrid solutions
Investors see more opportunities in the growth mezzanine space as China’s economy slows, but deal structuring is a challenge due to the need for onshore and offshore components
Blackstone invests $134m in New Zealand's Partners Life
The Blackstone Group’s tactical opportunities division has made a NZ$200 million ($134.5 million) investment in New Zealand insurance provider Partners Life.
Tencent invests $40m in VC-backed Chinese education site
Tencent Holdings has committed $40 million for a minority stake in VC-backed Yuanfudao - the largest single investment made by the internet company in the K-12 online learning and teaching space.