Investments
Ardian buys Australia's Study Group from Providence
Study Group, an Australia-headquartered group that prepares international students for university degree programs, will have its third consecutive private equity owner after Ardian agreed to buy the business from Providence Equity Partners.
China coffee shops: Out of Luckin?
Luckin Coffee has won substantial private equity funding for an expansion strategy that involves taking the fight to Starbucks. But is the Chinese coffee shop chain’s business model sustainable?
Chinese gym operator SuperMonkey raises $53.5m
Chinese gym operator SuperMonkey has raised RMB360 million ($53.5 million) in a Series D round led by Starquest Capital and Yao Capital, a sport-focused PE firm co-founded by former NBA star Yao Ming.
TPG-backed Pathology Asia invests Australia's Safe Work
TPG Capital Asia’s Pathology Asia platform has continued a regional roll-up strategy with an investment of undisclosed size in a minority stake in Australian drug testing specialist Safe Work Laboratories.
MBK to buy Asia retail assets from chocolate maker Godiva
MBK Partners has agreed to buy Belgian chocolate maker Godiva’s distribution operations in Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand in a deal reportedly worth more than $1 billion.
Flipkart co-founder invests $91m in India’s Ola
Sachin Bansal, a co-founder of Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart, has invested INR6.5 billion ($91 million) in ride-hailing platform Ola.
Hong Kong’s Lalamove secures $300m Series D
Hong Kong-based delivery start-up Lalamove - known as Huolala in mainland China - has raised $300 million across two tranches in a Series D round led by Hillhouse Capital and Sequoia Capital China.
Deal focus: EQT bets on bank cards
China leads the world in mobile payments, but bank and credit card transactions still surpassed $5 trillion last year. EQT wants to help VBill expand its presence in the space, at home and overseas
Coatue leads investment in logistics platform YunQuNa
China-based YunQuNa, which provides digital logistics services for shipping companies, has raised the second tranche of a Series B round led by Coatue Management.
TPG-SoftBank fund backs Chinese restaurant services platform
Shiheng Technology, a Chinese company that helps restaurants manage their online food delivery businesses, has completed the second tranche of a Series B round led by a TPG Capital and SoftBank Ventures Korea fund.
Singapore AI start-up raises $20m
ViSenze, a Singaporean artificial intelligence (AI) provider focused on e-commerce has received a $20 million Series C round led by China’s Gobi Ventures and the VC arm of Portuguese retail and technology group Sonae.
Q&A: Tata Group's Mukund Rajan
Tata Group ethics and sustainability veteran Mukund Rajan has helped pair some former colleagues with Quantum Advisors to tackle a messy environmental, social, and governance (ESG) situation in India
Alliance backs China EV player PowerShare
Alliance Ventures, a VC firm created by Renault, Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors, has confirmed an investment of undisclosed size in Chinese electric vehicle (EV) technology supplier PowerShare.
Chinese online K12 education provider raises $350m
Zhangmen, a Chinese online tutoring platform aimed at elementary through high school students, has raised $350 million in the first tranche of a Series E funding round.
Novo Tellus buys stake in data center equipment supplier
Novo Tellus Capital Partners has invested S$12 million ($8.8 million) in Procurri, a Singapore-listed provider of IT services and data center equipment.
Bain buys Chinese data center services business
Bain Capital has acquired a majority interest in the data center construction and maintenance division of Shenzhen-listed NetScience Technology for RMB990 million ($147 million).
CCV leads Series B for Chinese AI player Shukun
Shukun, a Chinese company that provides artificial intelligence (AI) technology used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, has raised RMB200 million ($29 million) in a Series B round led by China Creation Ventures.
Deal focus: Legend backs Mancando’s offline network
Legend Capital sees Mancando's extensive network of brick-and-mortar outlets as the key to bringing greater supply chain efficiency to the Chinese auto parts industry
Advantage buys Vietnam's Elise Fashion
Advantage Partners has made its first acquisition in Vietnam, buying women’s fashion brand Elise Fashion for an undisclosed amount.
GIC leads $125m round for China cancer diagnostics business
GIC Private has led a RMB850 million ($125.5 million) Series C round for Burning Rock, a Chinese cancer diagnostics start-up that is already working with hospitals on products based on DNA sequencing analysis.
Thailand's Beacon leads $6.5m round for local fintech player
Beacon Venture Capital, the VC unit of Thailand’s Kasikornbank, has led a $6.5 million investment in Jitta, a local financial technology provider and stock analysis platform operator.
Didi invests $100m in India's Oyo to close Series E round
Chinese ride-hailing app operator Didi Chuxing has invested $100 million in India-based online hospitality platform Oyo to close its $1 billion Series E round announced last year.
Legend leads $29m round for Chinese biotech player
Sciwind Biosciences, a Chinese drug developer focused on treating metabolic disorders, has raised RMB200 million ($29 million) in Series A funding led by Legend Capital, with participation from existing investors Shiyu Capital and Beijing-based biotech...
New Zealand’s Direct Capital invests retirement village operator
New Zealand’s Direct Capital has acquired a minority stake in local retirement village operator Qestral Corporation for an undisclosed sum.