Investments
Longreach agrees Japan BPO carve-out from Olympus
The Longreach Group has agreed to Nippon Outsourcing Corporation, a business process outsourcing (BPO) subsidiary of Olympus Corporation. The transaction size was not disclosed.
J-Star buys Japan aged care services provider
J-Star will take control of Japanese aged care provider Live Cross through a bolt-on acquisition by the firm’s existing portfolio company Kairos Tokyo.
VIG invests in Korean funeral services provider
VIG Partners – formerly known as Vogo Investment – has secured the first investment from its third fund with an agreement to buy a controlling stake in Good Sangjo, a Korean funeral services provider, for KRW65 billion ($58.6 million).
SBCVC invests in listed visual effects business Digital Domain - update
SBCVC and the Hong Kong-listed unit of Chinese conglomerate CITIC Group have agreed to invest as much as HK$368 million ($47 million) investment in Digital Domain, which has interests in media and entertainment.
Eight Roads leads $12m round for Japan's Toreta
Eight Roads Ventures Japan has led a JPY1.2 billion ($11.8 million) investment in Toreta, a Tokyo-based reservation and customer management platform aimed at restaurants.
Ant Capital buys Japanese cosmetics business
Ant Capital Partners has acquired Japan-based Sojitz Cosmetics for an undisclosed sum. The business will be renamed Kagayaku Cosmetics.
Korea's Viva Republica gets $23.7m Series B
Goodwater Capital and Qualcomm Ventures have led a $23.7 million Series B funding round for South Korean financial technology provider Viva Republica.
Denmark's NKT sells China cables business to local GP
CAC Capital Management, a China-based private equity firm, has agreed to buy the local power cables business of Denmark-headquartered industrial conglomerate NKT for an enterprise value of EUR14.3 million ($16 million).
OneVentures commits $6.1m to Australia's MCRI
Australian life sciences and technology-oriented venture capital firm OneVentures has committed A$8 million ($6.1 million) to Melbourne-based Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI).
EDBI in $40m round for US-based Shape
EDBI, the corporate VCs arm of Singapore's Economic Development Board, has joined a $40 million Series D round for Shape Security, a US-based provider of online security technology.
Quadrant continues roll-up strategy with Fitness First acquisition
Quadrant Private Equity has announced its third fitness club acquisition in Australia, with an agreement to buy market leader Fitness First from Oaktree Capital Management.
PE roll-ups: Consolidation game
Quadrant Private Equity's foray into the fitness club space represents the latest in a string of roll-up investments pursued by middle market Australian GPs. This strategy is a proven winner but execution risk should not be underestimated
Deal focus: H&Q backs flexible EV player
Efficient Drivetrains produces powertrain systems suitable for electric vehicles and hybrids, leveraging automakers desire to meet emissions requirements without building costly in-house operations. H&A Asia Pacific is financing a wider geographic roll-out...
Hong Kong hospitality technology firm Tink Labs raises $125m
Tink Labs, a Hong Kong-based start-up that provides hotel guests with free smart phones, has raised $125 million in a new round of funding led by existing investor FIH Mobile, a Hong Kong-listed unit of Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology Group.
Sequoia leads $51m round for Indian data security firm Druva
Sequoia Capital has led a $51 million funding round for Indian cloud data security and information management solutions provider Druva.
Huasheng leads round for China education site Zmlearn
Huasheng Capital, a private equity firm established by financial advisor China Renaissance, has led a Series C round of funding for Zmlearn.com, a Chinese K-12 online learning and teaching platform.
Thailand e-commerce platform secures Series B
German internet conglomerate Hubert Burda Media (HBM) has acquired a $24.9% stake in Thailand e-commerce company Priceza from Japan's CyberAgent Ventures as part of a Series B funding round.
Deal focus: Taking truckers to the cloud
CHAMP Private Equity is supporting the development of Containerchain's software-as-a-service proposition as a means of improving supply chain communications between truckers, depots and warehouses
China O2O retail: It's good to touch
The rise of e-commerce in China has placed traditional retailers under pressure, but private equity investors are still finding opportunities with concepts that integrate online and offline
PE-backed Go-Jek acquires India home healthcare start-up
Go-Jek, an Indonesian mobile ride-hailing and delivery platform backed by several PE investors, has bought Bangalore-based online home healthcare services platform Pianta, its third acquisition in India.
Deal focus: Vertex sees silver lining for CloudCherry
Venture capital investors back CloudCherry's comprehensive, technology-enabled approach to helping corporates better understand their customers in India
India logistics: Wheels within wheels
A confluence of macro influences is driving demand for modernized logistics in India. Private equity is likely to benefit in a number of areas, but informed targeting and value-add approaches will be key
Sino-US bio-pharma firm raises $55m Series C
MicuRx Pharmaceuticals, a Sino-US bio-pharmaceutical company, has raised a $55 million Series C round of funding led by Shanghai-based GP Healthcare Capital.
CDC commits $50m to India's RBL Bank
UK development finance institution CDC Group has invested INR3.3 billion ($49.7 million) in Indian private lender RBL Bank.