Investments
China online radio platform raises $150m
Qingting FM, a Chinese online radio platform, has raised a RMB1 billion ($150 million) round of funding jointly led by We Capital – the VC arm of Chinese ticket booking site Beijing Weiying Times Technology – and Baidu.
Singapore's AdAsia closes Series A at $14.5m
Singapore-based advertising technology company AdAsia Holdings has closed its Series A funding round at $14.5 million after receiving a $2.5 million investment from angel investor Hisanori Watanabe and Japanese news app provider Gunosy.
Deal focus: Gogoro takes its scooters global
Taiwan-based Smartscooter wants to stimulate demand for its electric vehicles in Southeast Asia by rolling out a dedicated network of battery exchange stations. The company has raised $300 million in support of this plan
Japan carve-outs: Slow burn story
Toshiba Memory Corporation is set to become Asia'a largest-ever PE buyout, if the deal goes through in its current form. But this doesn't necessarily mean the path to corporate divestments in Japan will become smoother
KKR invests in Chinese fintech platform
KKR has committed an undisclosed amount of Series C funding to Chinese financial technology platform Shenzhen Suishou Technology.
Five V Capital invests $8m in Australia's RateSetter
Five V Capital, a private equity firm headed by CVC Capital Partners’ former Australasia lead Adrian MacKenzie, has led a A$10.5 million ($8.2 million) funding round for Sydney-based financial services provider RateSetter.
MBK to buy stake in Korean golf course business
MBK Partners, which completed its acquisition of Japanese golf course operator Accordia Golf earlier this year, has agreed to take a stake in the golf course management business of Korea-listed Golfzon.
Hony backs $1b COFCO Capital mixed ownership reform deal
Hony Capital has committed RMB1.8 billion ($271 million) to COFCO Capital Investment, a subsidiary of Chinese state-backed COFCO Group. It is the largest participant in a RMB6.9 billion mixed ownership reform deal.
Yao Capital leads $75m round for China sports school
Yao Capital has led a RMB500 million ($75 million) round of funding for Doing Now, a privately-held Chinese sports school for children.
China flexible display developer gets $800m in equity, debt funding
Royole Corporation, a China-based flexible display technology developer, has completed its Series D funding round with $240 million in commitments from a group of local investors and also raised $560 million in debt financing.
OrbiMed invests $42.5m in India's Vivimed Labs
Healthcare specialist investor OrbiMed has committed $42.5 million in Uquifa, the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) unit of India-listed pharmaceuticals business Vivimed Labs.
Dymon invests $15m in Malaysia bottled water company
Singapore-based Dymon Asia Private Equity has agreed to acquire a 13% stake in Malaysia-based and Myanmar-listed bottled water producer Spritzer for about MYR63 million ($15 million).
Deal focus: XW wins backing for better drugs
XW Laboratories identifies approved drugs with deficiencies and produces new versions that work better. The Chinese company has received $17.5 million in Series B funding to build out its pipeline
Qiming leads $52m round for China’s JingChi
Qiming Venture Partners has led a $54 million pre-Series A round for JingChi, a Chinese self-driving technology company, with participation from US-based strategic investor Nvidia GPU Ventures.
VCs invest $3.4m in Japan's Oneteam
Oneteam, a Japanese workplace chat app provider, has received a JPY380 million ($3.4 million) funding round from a group of venture investors, including existing backer Nissay Capital.
PE investors abandon Australia childcare merger
Outside school care providers Camp Australia and Junior Adventures Group (JAG), which are owned by Bain Capital Private Equity and Advent Partners, respectively, have abandoned plans to merge.
Australia agtech: Tending the seedlings
Agricultural technology investment in Australia is growing rapidly from a low base. Sustaining this momentum requires international capital channels and attention to local differentiators
Didi invests $200m in China's VC-backed Renrenche
Chinese ride-hailing app operator Didi Chuxing has invested $200 million in Renrenche, a local consumer-to-consumer used-car trading platform, which is backed by several VC investors.
China’s 51Job acquires majority stake in VC-backed Lagou
US-listed Chinese recruitment site 51Job has agreed to acquire a 60% stake in industry peer Beijing Lagou Network Technology, which is backed by Qiming Venture Partners and other VC investors, for $119 million.
China's XW Laboratories raises $17.5m Series B
Chinese biopharmaceuticals developer XW Laboratories has raised a $17.5 million Series B funding round led by WI Harper and Elements Capital.
India's Yatra raises $15m from InnoVen
Yatra Online, an Indian travel services provider listed on NASDAQ, has raised INR1 billion ($15.4 million) in debt funding from InnoVen Capital.
East Ventures launches $30m Southeast Asia VC fund
East Ventures has launched a $30 million Southeast Asia fund that will make seed to Series A investments in technology start-ups, with an emphasis on Indonesia.
Deal focus: TNG targets Asia’s unbanked
Hong Kong financial technology company TNG has secured a $115 million Series A to push its electronic payment solution
Tower Capital backs $204m Singapore logistics take-private
Tower Capital Asia is supporting a take-private bid for Poh Tiong Choon Logistics that values the Singapore-listed company at approximately S$275 million ($204 million).