Investments
Deal focus: China SaaS gets specific
Investors are gradually returning to China’s software-as-a-service space with an appetite for industry specialists rather than generalists. The CDH Investments-led Series B for 1Data is a case in point
Asia GPs must get smarter on target selection, costs - Bain & Co
Careful target selection – based on geography and sector – and increased emphasis on cost controls during ownership will be critical factors for Asian private equity investors as the industry braces for a downturn, according to Bain & Company.
Longreach buys Japan healthcare SaaS player
North Asia buyout specialist The Longreach Group has invested an undisclosed sum in Wellness Communications Corporation (WCC), a Japanese healthcare software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider.
Asia-Europe investor AGIC supports Danish electronics buyout
AGIC Capital, a specialist in Europe-China cross-border deals, has backed the acquisition of PR Electronics, a Danish manufacturer of signal processing equipment with an existing base in China.
TII, Premji to acquire India medical devices player
Tube Investments of India (TII) and Premji Invest have agreed to acquire medical instruments maker Lotus Surgicals for up to INR 3.5bn (USD 42.3m), providing an exit for Samara Capital.
Bain pursues buyout of Australia's Estia Health
Bain Capital has offered to acquire Australia-listed aged care provider Estia Health for AUD 775.1m (USD 517.4m).
China’s JD Industrials completes $300m Series B
JD Industrials, a one-stop industrial products e-commerce platform under China’s JD.com has completed a USD 300m Series B round led by Abu Dhabi investors Mubadala and 42XFund.
JIP wins board approval for $15b Toshiba buyout
The board of Toshiba Corporation has approved a tender offer from Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) that values the company at approximately JPY 2trn (USD 15.3bn).
CDH leads Series B for China RPA player 1data
1Data, a China-based robotic process automation (RPA) company, has raised close to CNY 200m (USD 29.2m) in Series B funding led by CDH Investments.
Polaris picks up Japan advertising, recruitment assets
Polaris Capital Group has acquired Sendenkaigi, which claims to be Japan’s leading publisher of marketing and communications-related content, as well as its recruitment-focused subsidiary.
Indonesia’s Kredivo raises $270m Series D
Indonesian consumer credit company Kredivo, formerly known as FinAccel, has completed a USD 270m Series D round led by Mizuho Bank, which provided USD 125m.
Samsung backs Korea autonomous delivery start-up
Samsung Venture Investment has invested in Korea’s Neubility, a robot maker aiming to “automate urban sidewalks” via autonomous rolling boxes capable of on-demand deliveries.
China pool cleaning robot start-up gets $29m angel round
GL Ventures, Shunwei Capital, and Source Code Capital have participated in a CNY 200m (USD 29m) angel round for Xingmai Innovation, a China-based developer of robots that clean swimming pools.
Altos, Mirae Asset re-up Korea's Kream in $39m round
Altos Ventures and Mirae Asset Capital have each made their third investment in the past 18 months in Korean e-commerce player Kream, with the latest round amounting to KRW 50.6bn (USD 38.8m).
BPEA EQT seeks financing for Vistra, Tricor merger
BPEA EQT is pushing ahead with the merger of Asia-headquartered corporate services providers Vistra Group and Tricor Group, having initiated discussions on pricing a USD 1.66bn financing package.
Deal focus: WorldLink reaches into Nepal’s hinterlands
British International Investment and Dolma Fund Management are supporting WorldLink’s rollout of internet services in Nepal, having been impressed how the company handled COVID-19
Deal focus: India’s IIFL plans hospital expansion
India’s IIFL Asset Management is taking its private equity business deeper into healthcare with Kauvery Hospitals. The plan is to double patient capacity and IPO within three years
Deal focus: GL Capital plots careful China carve-out
GL Capital worked quietly but industriously to secure a leveraged buyout of China-based contract manufacturer Foryou Medical Devices – even using renminbi financing to avoid US dollar interest rate exposure
Q&A: 17Capital’s Pierre-Antoine de Selancy
17Capital is a credit provider to the private equity industry, lending against fee streams at the GP level and the fund level. Pierre-Antoine de Selancy, the firm’s managing partner, assesses the market
DEG leads round for Indonesian mRNA vaccine developer
German development finance organisation DEG has contributed USD 8m as the lead investor in a new funding round for Etana Biotechnologies Indonesia, supported by Yunfeng Capital, HighLight Capital, and East Ventures.
China energy storage player Weview raises $87m
Weview, a China-based battery manufacturer, has raised a Series A of CNY 600m (USD 87m) led by two state-backed investors - Guohe Xinli, which is a fund under the State Development & Investment Corporation (SDIC) and Zhuhai-based Da Heng Qin Group.
Singapore electronics marketplace Reebelo extends Series A to $50m
Singapore electronics marketplace Reebelo has lifted its Series A round to USD 50m with a USD 29m commitment led by Cathay Innovation.
Malaysia's Khazanah launches start-up programme
Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional has launched a VC collaboration and start-up investment programme with an initial MYR 180m (USD 40m).
Asia PE compensation set for downward adjustment in 2023
Compensation for private equity professionals at most levels of seniority in Asia Pacific continued its upward trend in 2022 despite a weaker economic outlook and a slowdown in deal flow, but executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles expects some kind...