Investments
Unitus joins Series B for India's Leaf
US-based venture capital fund Unitus Impact has joined a Series B round for Indian produce logistics firm Lawrencedale Agro Processing, operator of the fruit and vegetable brand Leaf.
Malaysian pension fund KWAP invests in Uber
Malaysia’s public sector pension fund, KWAP, has invested in US-based ride hailing app operator Uber Technologies. This is its first direct investment in a foreign company.
Sino-US shopping app Operator raises $15m Series B
Operator, a US-based conversational shopping app, has closed a $15 million Series B round led by GGV Capital, which is intended to help accelerate its expansion in China.
Deal focus: Yao takes the fight to China
Yao Ming-backed PE firm will grow the reach of kickboxing by emphasizing similarities to Chinese fighting styles
Hony invests another $193m in Lee & Man Handbags
Hony Capital has agreed to invest HK$1.5 billion ($193 million) in convertible bonds issued by Lee & Man Handbags, a Hong Kong-listed handbag manufacturer, potentially taking its interest in the company past 80%.
India's Pepperfry gets $31m Series E round
Indian online furniture marketplace Pepperfry has raised a $31 million Series E round from a group of investors including Norwest Venture Partners, Bertelsmann India Investments, Zodius Technology Fund and Goldman Sachs.
H&Q backs US, China-based EV player
H&Q Asia Pacific has led a $7.8 million investment in Efficient Drivetrains (EDI), a US and China-based developer of electric vehicle (EV) systems and technologies.
WestBridge leads $40m round for India's Aptus
WestBridge Capital Partners has led a INR2.7 billion ($40.4 million) funding round for Indian home lender Aptus Housing Finance India.
Deal focus: Allegro gets GSR back on track
Turnaround specialist Allegro sees opportunity in luxury tourist transportation venture
Taiwan regulator postpones decision on CNS deal
The Taiwan government has declined to approve the acquisition of cable television provider China Network Systems (CNS) by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) and Far EasTone Telecommunications, asking the National Communications Commission (NCC)...
PE-led consortium pays $7.3b for Port of Melbourne lease
A consortium including QIC, Future Fund and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) has paid A$9.7 billion ($7.3 billion) for a 50-year lease at the Port of Melbourne, Australia’s largest container and cargo facility.
Chinese credit card management app raises $310m Series C
U51.com, a Chinese credit card management mobile app, has raised a $310 million Series C round led by A-share listed property developer Xinhu Zhongbao and domestic VC firm Tiantu Capital.
Portfolio: L Capital Asia and Seafolly
Beachwear maker Seafolly was already a leader in Australia when L Capital Asia acquired it in 2014. Now the founding family and the GP plan to build it into a global lifestyle brand
Chinese online lender FirstP2P secures $70m
FirstP2P, a Chinese online peer-to-peer (P2P) financing site, has raised a $70 million Series C round led by existing investor CCB International.
Lindeman Asia backs China's Cogobuy – update
Lindeman Asia Investment has joined China Reinsurance and People's Insurance Company of China in a HK$2 billion ($258 million) investment in Hong Kong-listed e-commerce company Cogobuy.
Singapore's Grab raises $750m round led by SoftBank
Singapore-based taxi-hailing app provider Grab has raised a $750 million round of funding led by Japanese technology giant and long-term strategic partner SoftBank.
Northern Light leads Series B for China’s TenNor Therapeutics
Northern Light Venture Capital (NLVC) has led a $25 million Series B funding round for TenNor Therapeutics, a Chinese drug developer specializing in infectious diseases.
China LeEco’s smart car unit raises $1b
Leshi Internet Information and Technology, also known as LeEco, has raised $1.08 billion for its self-driving electric car project.
ChrysCapital leads $149m round for India's Hero FinCorp
Indian non-banking financial company (NBFC) Hero FinCorp has raised more than INR10 billion ($149 million) from investors including ChrysCapital, Credit Suisse and its parent, the Hero Group.
Linear Venture closes $70m China early-stage VC fund
Linear Venture, a Chinese early-stage VC firm founded by former Facebook and JD.com employees, has closed its second fund – which comprises US dollar and renminbi-denominated tranches – with approximately $70 million in aggregate commitments.
Qiming backs China rehabilitation services provider
Qiming Venture Partners has invested an undisclosed sum in LIH Investment & Management, a Beijing-based healthcare company that specializes in providing rehabilitation services.
Singapore’s ViSenze raises $10.5m Series B
ViSenze, an e-commerce-focused artificial intelligence (AI) company based in Singapore, India and the US, has completed a $10.5 million Series B funding round led by Rakuten Ventures, WI Harper and Enspire Capital.
Quadrant buys Australia-based Jetts Fitness
Australia’s Quadrant Private Equity has made its fifth new investment within four weeks – and its second in the fitness club space – with the purchase of gym operator Jetts Fitness.
Careful targeting key to Philippines M&A – AVCJ Forum
Efforts to increase foreign M&A activity in the Philippines at later investment stages depend on targeting the right kinds of companies and understanding their needs, industry participants told the AVCJ Philippines Forum.