Expansion
China's Biocytogen gets $78m Series D
Chinese contract research organization (CRO) Biocytogen has raised a RMB543 million ($78 million) Series D round led by China Life Insurance and SDIC Venture Capital, a VC arm of the State Development & Investment Corporation (SDIC).
Carbon recycling specialist raises $72m Series E
Novo Holdings, a Danish venture and growth equity investor focused on life sciences, has provided $72 million in Series E funding to LanzaTech, a US carbon recycling specialist with a significant Asia presence.
GIC to invest $621m in Indian toll road assets
Singapore’s GIC Private has agreed to invest up to INR44 billion ($621 million) in nine toll road assets controlled by Indian private road and highway firm IRB Infrastructure Developers.
ChrysCapital joins $30m round for Indian co-working space Awfis
Indian private equity firm ChrysCapital has led a $30 million Series D round for local co-working player Awfis Space Solutions.
EDBI joins $89m round for US agtech player Inari
EDBI, the investment arm of Singapore’s Economic Development Board, has joined an $89 million Series C round for US agricultural technology developer Inari.
Japan Post Capital leads $29m Series E for SmartNews
Tokyo-based news app operator SmartNews is said to have achieved unicorn status following a JPY3.1 billion ($29.2 million) Series E round led by Japan Post Capital.
Australia's SpeeDx raises $15m from US-based Northpond
SpeeDx, an Australian developer of molecular diagnostics solutions, has raised $15 million from US-based VC firm Northpond Ventures across two tranches.
Tiger Global leads $75m Series E for India's UrbanClap
India-based local services marketplace UrbanClap has raised a $75 million Series E round led by Tiger Global Management that will provide an exit for some unnamed investors.
Cross-border e-commerce player Wish gets Series H
Wish, a US-based cross-border e-commerce app backed by several Asian investors, has achieved a valuation of $11.2 billion following a Series H round led by General Atlantic.
SCPE spinout Affirma completes first deal as an independent
Affirma Capital, a PE firm launched last year as a spin-out of Standard Chartered’s private equity business, has completed its first transaction as an independent firm with a $50 million investment in Indian supplements maker Tirupati Medicare.
Kaizen commits $10m to Vietnam's Yola
Indian education-focused GP Kaizen Private Equity has made its first investment in Vietnam, committing $10 million to English training company Yola.
Norwest leads $40m Series C for India's MindTickle
Norwest Venture Partners has led a $40 million Series C round for MindTickle, an online sales enablement platform based in India and the US.
Deal focus: Allegro secures stake in Australia radiology business
The doctors who own and operate Perth Radiologic Clinic know Allegro Funds from their time as a subsidiary of I-Med Networks. This familiarity helped the Australian GP secure one of its largest-ever deals
Toyota invests $600m in China’s Didi
Japan’s Toyota Motor Corporation has agreed to invest $600 million in Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing and to expand their joint venture focused on services for Didi’s drivers.
Deal focus: Olympus backs big plans for Thailand's smallest bank
Olympus Capital has paid $91 million for a 25% stake in microfinance and micro-SME lending specialist Thai Credit Retail Bank. It wants to double the loan book and support digitization of services
Sequoia, Lightspeed make partial exits from India’s Oyo
Sequoia Capital India and Lightspeed India Partners have made a partial exit from India-based online hospitality platform Oyo through a $2 billion round comprising primary and secondary shares. The round brings the company’s valuation to around $10...
India's Five Star raises $50m round led by TPG
TPG Capital has led a $50 million funding round for Five Star Business Finance, an Indian non-banking finance company (NBFC) focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
CDC makes first direct equity investment in Myanmar
UK government-backed CDC Group has made its first direct equity investment in Myanmar with a $30 million commitment to internet service provider Frontiir.
Hopu leads $100m Series D for Singapore’s Trax
Singaporean retail industry technology provider Trax has raised $100 million in Series D funding led by Hopu Investments.
Fidelity leads funding round for Malaysia's Iflix
Malaysia-based video streaming service Iflix has raised a funding round of more than $50 million led by Fidelity International.
Brookfield to lead $3.7b investment in Reliance India telecom unit
A consortium led by Brookfield Asset Management has agreed to invest INR252 billion ($3.66 billion) in the telecommunication tower unit of India’s Reliance Industries. It is said to be the largest foreign investment in an Indian infrastructure asset...
Alibaba leads Series D for China education start-up
Alibaba Group has led a $150 million Series D round of funding for Knowbox, a Chinese education start-up that develops a range of mobile apps aimed at students and teachers.
EBay buys 5.5% stake in India's Paytm Mall
EBay has acquired a 5.5% stake in Paytm Mall, the e-commerce arm of Indian online payments platform Paytm.
European investors back India's MyMoneyMantra
Switzerland-based private equity firm Vaalon Capital and Netherlands investor IFSD BV have provided a combined $15 million to Indian financial and enterprise services provider MyMoneyMantra (MMM).