Investments
Q&A: Blackbird Ventures’ Rick Baker
Rick Baker, co-founder of Australia’s Blackbird Ventures, on pricing adjustments in the tech space, fundraising and secondaries, valuing unicorns, and the rise of ChatGPT
Deal focus: Indian drone maker takes flight
Recently launched Indian VC firm SphitiCap is making a high-conviction investment in local industrial drone maker Garuda Aerospace. It hopes a sizeable debut fund will help carry the start-up to IPO
China edtech player Nowcoder raises $50m
Beijing-based Nowcoder Technology, a Chinese campus recruitment platform also known as Niuke, has raised USD 50m in Series B funding from Sequoia Capital China, Shunwei Capital, 5Y Capital, Tiger Global Management, and Pegasus Capital.
Japan's Astroscale raises $76m Series G
Japan’s Astroscale, a start-up specialising in on-orbit space debris removal, has raised USD 76m in Series G funding featuring Mitsubishi Corporation.
Cenova leads $40m Series B for China's Eluminex
China-based healthcare investor Cenova Capital has led a USD 40m Series B round for Eluminex Biosciences, which is developing drugs and regenerative tissue used to treat eye disease and other vision-threatening medical conditions.
Allegro agrees take-private of Australian law firm
Allegro Funds has agreed to acquire Slater & Gordon, a Melbourne-headquartered law firm that trades on the Australian Securities Exchange, at a price that equates to a market capitalisation of around AUD 77.6m (USD 52.3m).
AVCJ Awards 2022: Deal of the Year – Mid Cap: Honour Line Shipping
Nexus Point Capital secured the acquisition of Honour Line Shipping despite higher offers from rival bidders because it did its homework on the industry and established good relations with the founders
Advent backs China pest control company
Advent international has invested an undisclosed sum in China’s LBS Group, a regionally active pest control and hygiene company.
DCP backs China expansion by Canadian vitamins brand
DCP Capital has agreed to invest approximately USD 175m to support the China expansion of Jamieson Wellness, a listed Canadian producer of health and wellness products.
Fengyuan leads Series A for China battery components maker
Fengyuang Capital has led a CNY 150m (USD 22m) Series A round for Haodyne Technology, a China-based battery materials supplier.
Kotak fund invests $129m in India's Biocon
Kotak Mahindra Advisors (KIA), the alternative assets arm of Kotak Mahindra Group, has committed INR 10.7bn (USD 129.4m) to Indian pharmaceuticals manufacturer Biocon to support the latter’s acquisition of a biosimilar business from global healthcare...
Potentia makes improved buyout offer for Australia's Nitro
Potentia Capital has submitted a new bid for Nitro Software that values the listed Australian business at approximately AUD 532.3m and eclipses a competing offer from a strategic investor.
Anchorage agrees carve-out from New Zealand's Green Cross Health
Anchorage Capital Partners has agreed to buy New Zealand-based Green Cross Health’s community healthcare business – which provides in-home nursing, personal care, rehabilitation, social support, and household assistance services – for an enterprise...
L Catterton re-ups in Australian kombucha brand
Remedy Drinks, an Australia-based healthy beverage brand, has raised a Series B round from existing investors L Catterton and Kin Group.
Greater Pacific Capital leads round for India's NxtWave
Greater Pacific Capital has led a USD 33m round for NxtWave, an India-based online training platform that looks to develop skilled professionals suitable for employment in the technology sector.
Hong Kong pledges more capital for local start-ups
The Hong Kong government is stepping up its investments in technology start-ups, pledging additional funding to programmes run by HKSTPC, an incubator under Hong Kong Science & Technology Park, and Cyberport.
Capital Square secures post-merger India IT services deal
Capital Square Partners (CSP) has announced its first deal since merging with Basil Technology Partners (BTP) with an investment in Relevance Lab, an IT services provider that has a sizeable operation in India.
China distributed power specialist PCG raises $73m
PCG Power, a Chinese energy management services provider incubated by property developers China Poly Group and Country Garden, has raised CNY 500m (USD 73m) in Series A funding.
Amazon leads Series D for India's FreshToHome
Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund, a USD 250m India-focused vehicle established by the US technology giant, has led a USD 104m Series D round for direct-to-consumer fresh fish and meat delivery platform FreshToHome.
Deal focus: Affine builds software for an office beyond Office
Affine is one of many start-ups working on a set of collaborative tools to replace Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Its open-source model struck a chord with investors at a time when capital is scarce
Data sovereignty: Compliance complex
Deglobalisation is broadening the concept of cyber risk management from simply preventing attacks to navigating a minefield of data regulations. The pressure on PE spans investment, operations, and exits
Deal focus: Small is beautiful at Quantum Brilliance
Australia-based Quantum Brilliance has raised USD 18m in pre-Series A funding on the back of technological breakthrough that delivers quantum computing without large-scale cooling infrastructure
Deal focus: Loam Bio’s agri-climate offering resonates with investors
Soil carbon sequestration specialist Loam Bio’s Series B is the largest ever seen in Australian agricultural technology. The company’s backers expect it to go big and go global
AVCJ Awards 2022: Operational Value Add: Sona Comstar
The Blackstone Group built a leader in India’s electric vehicle components space by combining – and then re-orienting – two traditional automotive players. Not even COVID-19 could stymie its progress