Expansion
India's Paytm raises $1b
Indian mobile payment and e-commerce platform Paytm has raised a $1 billion Series G round led by T Rowe Price.
Cento leads $52m round for SE Asia payments player
Cento Ventures has led a $52 million round for 2C2P, a Singapore and Bangkok-based payments platform that claims to serve some 620 million customers across Southeast Asia.
Taiwan's Appier gets $80m Series D
Appier, a Taiwan-headquartered start-up that develops artificial intelligence-enabled platforms intended to help corporates optimize advertising campaigns, has raised $80 million in Series D funding.
Singapore's Carousell merges with Asia assets of Telenor
Singapore-based online consumer-to-consumer marketplace Carousell has merged with the Southeast Asia subsidiary of Norwegian telecommunications giant Telenor Group.
Vietnam's Sendo raises $61m Series C
Vietnamese e-commerce company Sendo has received $61 million in Series C funding from a group of investors including SBI Group and SoftBank Ventures Asia.
Japan's SmartNews secures $92m Series E
Japan-based news app SmartNews has closed its Series E round at $92 million with contributions from Japan Post Capital and Globis Capital Partners.
MBK, Mirae buy stake in Asia assets of Korea's CJ CGV
MBK Partners and Mirae Asset Daewoo Private Equity have agreed to pay KRW333.6 billion ($286 million) for a minority position in the China and Southeast Asia assets of Korean cinema chain operator CJ CGV.
GPs see more cross-border M&A within Asia – AVCJ Forum
The Asian M&A market, typically characterized by cross-border deals with Western entities, is seeing more intra-regional activity, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
India's Sanaka Capital invests $44m in Edelweiss
Sanaka Capital, an Indian private equity firm established by Shankar Narayanan, formerly co-head of The Carlyle Group's Asia growth team, has agreed to invest $44 million in local financial conglomerate Edelweiss.
China electric car maker Xpeng closes $400m Series C
Xpeng Motors, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer established by Xiaopeng He, previously founder of web browser UCWeb and a senior executive at Alibaba Group, has raised $400 million in Series C funding.
PAG, Centurium win firm of the year prizes at AVCJ Awards
PAG Asia Capital and Centurium Capital secured the two firm of the year prizes at the 2019 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards, while Renuka Ramnath of India’s Multiples Alternative Asset Management won the AVCJ Special Achievement Award.
Chinese medical device start-up receives $100m
Chinese medical instrument provider Peijia Medical has raised a RMB700 million ($100 million) Series C round from a group including Matrix Partners China and Lilly Asia Ventures.
Alibaba invests $3.3b in logistics affiliate Cainiao
Alibaba Group has enlarged a controlling stake in its PE-backed shipping affiliate Cainiao Smart Logistics Network with a $3.3 billion investment.
TPG leads $32m round for India bank
TPG Capital has led a INR2.2 billion ($32 million) funding round for India's Jana Small Finance Bank, which focuses on financial inclusion through digital services.
Vietnam media platform Pops gets $30m
Korean investors Mirae Asset Capital, EastBridge Partners, and Naver have provided $30 million in growth capital to Vietnamese online entertainment broadcaster Pops.
SoftBank founder admits to lapses on WeWork
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son admitted to a lapse in judgment on WeWork while disclosing that SoftBank Vision Fund and SoftBank Group have written down their positions in the beleaguered co-working space provider by a combined $7.7 billion.
PE & QSR: Going greenfield in India
Localization was the key for Everstone Group when rolling out Burger King in an India market that is both price-sensitive and not known for its appreciation of beef
Chinese fresh produce retailer raises $14m
Maison Capital has invested RMB100 million ($14 million) in Sungiven Foods, a Chinese fresh produce retailer looking to replicate the model of US-based Trader Joe's.
Japan's Paidy secures $143m in funding
Paidy, one of Japan’s largest financial technology start-ups, has confirmed $143 million in new funding, comprising an extended Series C round and debt financing.
Blackstone backs India's Aakash Educational
The Blackstone Group has invested an undisclosed sum in New Delhi-based Aakash Educational Services with a view to building India’s largest digital omnichannel test preparation company.
TDM Growth leads $48m Series C for Australia's Rokt
TDM Growth Partners, an Australian GP that invests across public and private companies, has led a $48 million Series C round for local marketing technology supplier Rokt.
Chinese auto parts platform Casstime raises $80m
Sequoia Capital China and Source Code Capital have co-led a $80 million funding round – described as the first tranche of a Series C – for Chinese aftermarket car parts supplier Casstime.
Kirwood leads Series C for New Zealand fintech player
Kirwood Capital, a private equity firm that makes growth investments in Australia and New Zealand-based companies with global expansion prospects, has joined a NZ$25 million ($16 million) Series C round or digital lending platform Harmoney.
Naspers VC unit backs India's ElasticRun
Prosus Ventures, a VC unit of South African internet conglomerate Naspers, has led a $40 million investment in Indian logistics technology developer ElasticRun.