Expansion
Deal focus: Carro prioritizes car financing as ecosystem enabler
Southeast Asia’s Carro has achieved critical mass as a used car trading platform, but the start-up regards financial services as the key growth area. It is now backed by SoftBank Vision Fund’s considerable heft
Deal focus: TR Capital doubles down on China tech
Secondaries specialist TR Capital has established a base in Shenzhen with a view to sourcing more deals in China’s red-hot technology sector. Online used car trading platform Bochewang is the latest example
China industrial robotics start-up raises $61m
Youshan Capital and China Merchants Capital have led a RMB395 million ($61 million) Series B round for Han's Robot, a China-based manufacturer of industrial robots.
Investcorp leads Series D for China healthcare SaaS player
Linkedcare, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) and supply chain provider to China's healthcare sector, has closed a Series D funding round. Including an earlier Series C extension, the company claims to have raised $100 million in the past six months.
Philippines-based fintech player Voyager raises $167m
Voyager Innovations, a Philippines financial technology company, has raised $167 million in funding from new and existing investors that will support the development of its PayMaya payments service.
Tiger Global leads $35m Series C for India's Classplus
Tiger Global Management has led a $65 million Series C round for Classplus, an India-based education technology platform through which teachers can distribute, track, and monetize content.
Redbird Capital buys stake in Indian cricket team
RedBird Capital Partners, a US investment firm that has backed numerous sports franchises globally, has made its first foray into cricket by picking up a 15% stake in Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals.
Australia carbon neutral courier raises $35m Series C
Sendle, an Australia-based package delivery provider for small businesses that claims to be 100% carbon neutral, has raised a $35 million Series C round led by local investor AP Ventures.
OTPP leads $154m round for Chinese microfinance player
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) has led a RMB1 billion ($153 million) funding round for CD Finance, a China-based provider of loans and other financial services to small businesses in rural areas.
Korea's Viva Republica raises $405m at $7.2b valuation
Viva Republica, operator of the Korean money transfer app Toss, has raised a KRW460 billion ($404 million) round led by US-based Alkeon Capital, at a valuation of around $7.2 billion.
Warburg Pincus leads Series C for China AI drug developer
Insilico Medicine, which leverages artificial intelligence (AI) technology to speed up the drug development process, has closed a $255 million Series C funding round led by Warburg Pincus.
Deal focus: Content to the masses
Xiaoe Tong gained traction during the pandemic in China as channel for educational content providers, big and small, to reach their customers. It is also a SaaS player that stands firm on product standardization
Apis leads $45m Series C for India's RenewBuy
Apis Partners has led a $45 million Series C round for RenewBuy, an India insurance comparison platform specializing in motor insurance.
Fidelity backs $131m Series A for China citytech platform Venturous
Venturous Group, a Chinese smart city platform, has received $131 million in Series A funding from Fidelity, several family offices, and Benson Tan, founder of Venturous.
China secondhand goods platform Zhuanzhuan raises $100m
Zhuanzhuan, a used goods trading platform and subsidiary of 58.com, China’s largest online classifieds marketplace, has raised a $100 million round led by electronics giant Xiaomi.
India-founded SaaS start-up BrowserStack raises $200m
KPCB growth-stage spinout Bond has led a $200 million Series B round for BrowserStack, a software testing platform established by two Indian entrepreneurs.
IDG leads $120m round for China SaaS player Xiaoe Tong
Xiaoe Tong, a Chinese software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider that integrates its products with WeChat, has raised $120 million in Series D funding led by IDG Capital.
India's Byju's raises $340m at $16.5b valuation
Indian education platform Byju’s has raised about $340 million at a post-money valuation of $16.5 billion from investors including The Blackstone Group.
Chinese pharmaceutical platform Yaoshibang raises $270m
Chinese B2B pharmaceutical trading platform Yaoshibang has raised $270 million from Guangdong Pearl River Investment, Baidu, Sunshine Insurance, Green Pine Capital Partners, Guangzhou government-backed S Fund, and an undisclosed sovereign wealth fund....
Vision Fund leads $360m Series C for Southeast Asia's Carro
Carro claims to have become Southeast Asia’s first automotive marketplace unicorn with the completion of a S$477 million ($360 million) Series C round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
Korea delivery platform Barogo gets $72m Series C
Korean delivery platform Barogo has raised KRW80 billion ($72 million) in Series C funding featuring several local private equity investors, including LB Investment and STIC Ventures.
Deal focus: A very modern Masan
Baring Private Equity Asia backed Masan Group’s bold plan to transform grocery in Vietnam because it believes the company can create an integrated consumer-retail business that is unique by Asian standards
Deal focus: Malaysia's Tealive taps PE scaling expertise
Tealive, a teashop brand that has exploded across Malaysia in recent years, is ready for a concerted international expansion. Creador has been brought in to guide the process
Deal focus: Chubby Bear thinks beyond marketplaces
B2B trading platform Chubby Bear not only wants to drive consolidation in China’s renovation materials space, but also provide exclusive products and supply chain services to contractors