Expansion
Cathay invests in Chinese architecture consulting firm
Sino-French PE firm Cathay Capital has invested an undisclosed sum in China Construction Design International (CDDI), a private architecture and engineering consulting firm.
Times Internet backs Coursera, supports India expansion
Times Internet, an Indian internet and mobile service provider that has backed several local start-ups, has joined a $49.5 million first close of a Series C round for US-based online education provider Coursera.
Nominations open for the 15th AVCJ Awards
Following a significant change in format last year, the 2015 - and 15th - AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards features just one new prize. The venture capital deal of the year category has been split in two: early stage technology and late stage...
Deal focus: Standard Chartered PE backs exceptional Dianrong
Regulators are catching up with China’s booming online peer-to-peer (P2P) lending industry. Last month the People Bank of China (PBoC), in conjunction with nine other government agencies, issued the first guidelines for policing internet finance. P2P...
Loan or own? Chinese strategics offer debt to start-ups
As Chinese start-ups raise larger, later-stage rounds, strategic investors are looking to participate through structured debt products rather than through equity. This approach presents its own risks
Deal focus: Tata Capital bets on Uber in India
Tata Opportunities Fund (TOF) has deployed $400 million of its $600 million corpus over the last two years, with two thirds of that capital going to India-based companies that have global operations. The recent investment in ride-hailing app Uber Technologies...
I Squared backs India rooftop solar player
Global infrastructure investor I Squared Capital has invested an undisclosed sum in Amplus Energy Solutions, an India-based owner and operator of distributed rooftop solar power.
China drone start-up EHang gets $42m Series B round
GP Capital, a China-focused PE fund backed by Shanghai International Group, has led a $42 million Series B round of funding for EHang, a Chinese commercial drone manufacturer.
China online campus convenience store secures $31m
Shenzhen Capital Group has led a RMB200 million ($31 million) pre-Series B round of funding for 59store.com, a Chinese online convenience store focused on serving students.
Chinese second-hand car platform Youche raises $18m
Youche.com, a Chinese online trading platform for second-hand cars, has raised an $18.2 million Series B round led by Galaxy Capital, followed by IDG Capital Partners, ZhenFund and China Growth Capital.
Standard Chartered, CFF lead $207m round for China’s Dianrong
A consortium co-led by Standard Chartered Bank and China Fintech Fund (CFF) has invested $207 million in a Series C round of funding for Dianrong.com, a Chinese VC-backed peer-to-peer (P2P) online lending service platform.
NEA, Orios commit $4m to India's IntelligenceNODE
IntelligenceNODE, a retail-oriented big data analytics start-up based in India, has raised a $4 million Series A round led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Orios Venture Partners.
Didi Kuaidi, CIC join $350m round for Southeast Asia’s GrabTaxi
Didi Kuaidi, China’s largest mobile ride-hailing app operator, and China Investment Corporation (CIC) have participated in a $350 million funding round for Southeast Asia-focused mobile taxi-booking app GrabTaxi.
Tata Opportunities Fund invests in Uber
Tata Capital will make a significant investment in ride-hailing service Uber through its Tata Opportunities Fund (TOF).
Singapore online grocer RedMart raises $26.7m
Singapore-based online grocery marketplace RedMart has raised $26.7 million in a bridge round from existing investors Garena Online, Softbank Ventures Korea and US-based Visionnaire Ventures.
Kerogen to invest $100m in North Sea gas developer
Kerogen Capital, a Hong Kong-headquartered energy investor, has committed up to $100 million to Zennor Petroleum, an exploration and production (E&P) company that focuses on the UK’s North Sea area.
China agriculture: Seeds of hope
Fragmentation and inefficiency have hampered Chinese agriculture for years, but a combination of policy reform and consumer demand may allow the sector to unlock its potential. Does private equity have the key?
Deal focus: Blume targets e-commerce’s back-end
Asian e-commerce companies are having a hard time living up to their billing. Orders may come in at the speed of light, but deliveries come from warehouses that largely still dependent on relatively slow human labor.
Softbank, Foxconn, Alibaba lead $500m round for Snapdeal
SoftBank Group, Foxconn Technology Group and Alibaba Group have led a $500 million investment in Indian online marketplace Snapdeal.
IDG, JD in $174m round for Shanghai Pharma’s e-commerce unit
Chinese online retailer JD.com and IDG Capital Partners have participated in a RMB1.11 billion ($174 million) Series A round of funding for Shanghai Pharmaceuticals’ online drug distribution platform.
Tiger invests $15m in Indian fashion site Roposo
Tiger Global has invested $15 million in Indian fashion-oriented social network Roposo.
Sequoia, CBC back Airbnb to expand in China
Airbnb, an online vacation home rental marketplace based in San Francisco, has forged a partnership with China Broadband Capital (CBC) and Sequoia China to expand into the Chinese market.
Chinese event venues search portal raises $20m
HotelGG.com, a Chinese online booking platform for event venues, has raised $20 million in a Series B round of funding from existing investors including Matrix China Partners, Chengwei Ventures and SIG China.
Goldman Sachs invests $150m in India's Piramal Realty
Goldman Sachs has invested $150 million in the Piramal Group's real estate development arm, Piramal Realty, less than a month after Warburg Pincus committed INR18 billion ($284 million) to the company.