Expansion
AVCJ Awards: Deal of the Year - Mid Cap: IMAX China
FoutainVest Partners and CMC Capital Partners are helping IMAX negotiate obstacles to expansion in China with the ultimate aim of taking the local unit public
Cool Japan funds invest $16.7m in ramen chain
The Japanese government-backed Cool Japan Fund has agreed to invest JPY2 billion ($16.7 million) in Chikaranomoto Holdings, the restaurant operator behind international ramen noodle chain Hakata Ippudo.
KKR backs desert-farming solution
Tough climatic challenges are in store for South Australia, already the nation's driest state. Agriculture, which is worth more than $5 billion each year to the state, will increasingly be affected by rising temperatures and reduced rainfall.
KKR backs Australian agribusiness specialist
KKR has committed at least $100 million to Sundrop Farms Holdings, an Australian agribusiness company that has developed technology for growing crops in arid climates.
China healthcare: Technology transfer
Healthcare-focused private equity firms want to take technologies from developed markets into China, leveraging rising domestic demand. It is a lucrative strategy, but not necessarily a straightforward one
Southeast Asia's Lazada rockets past $700m mark
“We go in with a certain hypothesis of growth and revenue. Sometimes you’re not able to guess how the market will react. If the hypothesis is not confirmed within 3-6 months then we decide to pull out.”
India to remain a growth capital market, despite rise in buyouts - AVCJ Forum
Buyout deals are becoming more common in India but the country will continue to be a market for minority transactions, industry participants told the AVCJ India Forum.
Temasek leads $249m round for SE Asia-focused Lazada
Temasek Holdings has led a EUR200 million ($249 million) round of funding for Lazada, a Southeast Asia-focused online retailer set up by Germany’s Rocket Internet.
WestBridge invests $16m in Indian housing finance company Aptus
WestBridge Capital Partners has invested INR980 million ($16 million) in India Aptus Value Housing Finance, an affordable housing finance company.
Nippon Life raises stake in India's Reliance Capital
Japanese insurer Nippon Life has agreed to increase its stake in India's Reliance Capital Asset Management and could end up owning 49% of the company.
Goldman leads $36m round for Korean food-ordering platform
A Goldman Sachs-led consortium has invested KRW40 billion ($36 million) in Woowa Brothers Corp, owner and operator of Baedal Minjok, South Korea’s leading digital food-ordering platform.
India exits: Cashing out
Exits have been the bane of Indian private equity, with many GPs struggling to monetize investments made before the global financial crisis. Optimism has returned to the country; so have exits. But will it last?
Blackstone invests $150m in Australia retirement village developer
The Blackstone Group has invested $150 million in Australian retirement village developer National Lifestyle Villages (NLV).
Xiaomi, Shunwei to invest $300m in Baidu-controlled iQiyi
Chinese smart phone maker Xiaomi and Shunwei Capital – a VC firm set up by Xiaomi co-founder and super angel investor Lei Jun – will invest $300 million in iQiyi, a video platform owned by Baidu.
Australia's Bigcommerce gets $50m growth equity round
SoftBank Capital, Telstra Ventures and American Express have led a Series D round of funding worth $50 million for Bigcommerce, an Australian e-commerce platform with a strong presence in the US. Existing investors General Catalyst and Revolution Growth...
Goodman, CPPIB boost investment in China logistics joint venture
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and Goodman Group have invested a further $500 million in their China logistics joint venture, taking the total equity commitment to $2 billion.
Sailing to the Maldives
China has become the primary source of tourists to the Maldives. In the first six months of 2014, more than 170,000 Chinese travelers flocked to the islands, up 20% year-on-year. They accounted for nearly one in three visitors, according to the Maldives...
IFC leads $45m round for India's Tikona Digital
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank's investment arm, has led a $45 million round of investment in Indian broadband service provider Tikona Digital Networks.
China's Sailing Capital backs Maldives resort developer
Chinese private equity firm Sailing Capital has agreed to invest in luxury resort developer Soneva Group. It will support the expansion of a portfolio of properties in the Maldives.
Being global is about being good, not big - AVCJ Forum
The priority when building a global company is creating quality, not necessarily expanding outside your local market, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
Lombard invests in Vietnam seafood producer
Lombard has invested an undisclosed sum in Viet Uc Seafood, Vietnam’s leading shrimp seed producer. It will help the company optimize operations as it seeks to become a fully-integrated shrimp producer.
Mandala Capital commits $24m to India cold chain business
Mandala Capital has acquired a 30% stake in the cold chain unit of Indian express distribution and supply chain solutions provider Gati for INR1.5 billion ($24.4 million).
Warburg Pincus invests $90m in India's Laurus Labs, Fidelity part exits
Warburg Pincus has paid INR5.5 billion ($89.6 million) for a minority stake in Indian drug maker Laurus Labs, triggering a partial exit for Fidelity Growth Partners India.
EIG invests $125m in Indian renewables player Greenko
EIG Global Energy Partners has invested $125 million in Greenko, an India-focused renewable energy developer that has previously received funding from the likes of GIC Private and TPG Capital.