Expansion
India's ShareChat gets $40m pre-Series E round
ShareChat, a social networking platform that focuses on Indian vernacular languages, has raised $40 million in a pre-Series E funding round.
Ascendent invests $500m in Chinese supermarket retailer
Ascendent Capital Partners has made by far its largest investment to date, committing $500 million to Chinese supermarket retailer Wumart ahead of a planned Hong Kong IPO.
Iron Pillar leads Series C for Indian after-sales service player
Iron Pillar has led a $23 million Series C round of funding for Servify, an India-headquartered start-up that integrates parties involved in smart device retail with a view to improving customer service experience.
China AI: A rude awakening
Two years ago, artificial intelligence start-ups were the bright young things of China’s technology sector. Now these companies are struggling to justify their lofty valuations
China mobile recycling platform Aihuishou raises $100m
JD.com and Guotai Junan Securities have co-led an extended Series E round of $100 million for Aihuishou, a China-based electronic products recycling platform.
KKR to invest $755m in India's Reliance Retail
KKR has followed up its investment in Jio Platforms, the holding company for a variety of digital assets owned by Reliance Industries, with a INR55.5 billion ($755 million) commitment to the Indian conglomerate’s retail unit.
India gaming platform secures $90m Series C
SIG Asia, RTP Global, MDI Ventures and Pegasus Tech Ventures have led a $90 million Series C round for Mobile Premier League (MPL), an India-based mobile gaming platform.
China EV maker WM Motor raises $1.5b
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer WM Motor has raised RMB10 billion ($1.47 billion) in funding led by SAIC Motor and several government investment platforms. It said to be the largest single round in China's EV industry.
CDH, SDIC lead $62m Series C for Virogin Biotech
Virogin Biotech, a drug developer based in China and Canada, has received $62 million in Series C funding led by CDH Invesmtents and a subsidiary of State Development and Investment Corporation (SDIC).
Tencent backs Chinese healthcare cloud services platform
Kyee Technology, a Chinese digital medical platform has raised RMB430 million ($64 million) in a Series D round led by Tencent Holdings. Other investors include Longmen Capital, Dyee Capital and Royal Sea Capital.
Chinese mouse-based drug testing specialist raises $143m
Biocytogen, a Chinese contract research organization (CRO) that provides genetically-modified mice for drug testing, has raised RMB970 million ($143 million) in an extended tranche of Series D funding.
India insurance tech provider raises $60m
Acko, an Indian financial technology start-up touted as the country’s only digital-native insurer, has secured a $60 million investment featuring Amazon and two global insurance providers.
Chinese educational platform Lele Ketang raises $40m
Lele Ketang, a Chinese K12 education platform, has raised a $40 million Series C round led by Owl Ventures, the largest education-focused VC in the US.
Naver leads $80m round for Singapore's Carousell
Korean internet conglomerate Naver has led an $80 million round for Singapore’s Carousell, a mobile classifieds marketplace, at a valuation of $900 million.
Investcorp increases focus on China healthcare
Investcorp has acquired minority stakes in two Chinese healthcare companies – hospital operator Lu Daopei Medical Group and telemedicine platform WeDoctor – paying undisclosed sums.
India fantasy sports platform raises $225m
TPG – acting through its tech adjacencies strategy – Tiger Global Management, ChrysCapital Partners, and Footpath Ventures have led a $225 million round for Dream Sports, operator of India’s largest fantasy sports platform.
Sequoia joins $30m Series C for India's Groww
Groww, a financial technology start-up considered the largest retail brokerage in India, has closed a $30 million Series C round with support from Sequoia Capital India.
China fresh produce retail: Changing channels
From online grocers to group buying platforms, capital is pouring into China’s fresh produce space as e-commerce finally makes it mark. Which business model will prevail?
Tiger, Temasek commit $160m to India's Zomato
Tiger Global Management and Temasek Holdings have contributed $160 million to an ongoing Series J round for India-based food delivery company Zomato.
China autonomous driving: Dimension jump
There are no arguments about the transformational potential of autonomous driving in China, but investors have different ideas about where to find value
China's LandSpace raises $175m Series C
Chinese commercial rocket developer LandSpace has raised RMB1.2 billion ($175 million) in a Series C extension co-led by Sequoia Capital China, the VC arm of property developer Country Garden, Matrix Partners China and Co-Stone Capital.
Cool Japan leads $40m Series C for Taiwan’s Vpon
Cool Japan Fund has led a $40 million Series C round for Vpon, a Taiwan-based big data and advertising services provider.
Silver Lake invests $1b in India's Reliance Retail
Silver Lake has made its second big bet on India in a week – and its third in four months – with a $1 billion commitment to the retail unit of Reliance Industries.
China due diligence: Nightmare scenarios
Luckin Coffee’s precipitous rise and fall is a reminder of longstanding issues around corporate fraud in China. Failing to spot problems before they emerge remains a key concern for PE investors