Investments
Deal focus: Minnow finds favour in crowded Indonesia vertical
Indonesia’s Luna, a seed-stage contender in a competitive retail digitalisation landscape, continues to collect VC backers as a patient, diversified gameplan comes into focus
Deal focus: Entering the Snoop ecosystem
As the streetwear thesis matures, East Ventures is helping bring Singapore’s Novelship, a brand-agnostic, rap star-approved marketplace, to a larger, more diverse audience
LPACs: Conflicts and complexity
The combination of a maturing Asian private equity landscape and a fast-emerging continuation fund opportunity is placing greater emphasis on the role of the LP advisory committee
3Q analysis: Dividing lines
China fundraising stays strong, across US dollar and renminbi, despite regulatory concerns; Australia confounds general slowdown in Asia PE investment; exits demonstrate promise if not results
Australia's Skykraft raises $75m
Australian deep tech VC firm Main Sequence has joined a AUD 120m (USD 75m) round for Skykraft, a local space tech provider focused on in-orbit air traffic control systems.
Quest backs Vietnam robotic prosthetics start-up
Singapore’s Quest Ventures has confirmed an investment of undisclosed size in Vietnam-based robotic prosthetics start-up Vulcan Augmetics.
China's Atom Bioscience raises $83m
Chinese inflammatory and metabolic disease drug developer Atom Bioscience has raised USD 83m in Series D funding led by local biotech specialist Kaitai Capital.
TPG Rise Climate invests $176m in Tata Motors
TPG Rise Climate, a dedicated climate fund under TPG’s global impact platform, has invested about INR 14.7bn (USD 176m) in an engineering and digital services division of India’s Tata Motors.
Eight Roads leads $22m round for Meitu's AI design unit
Pixocial, an artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) design tool spun out from China-based photo editing app provider Meitu, has raised USD 22m in funding led by Eight Roads.
AVCJ Awards 2023 - voting has closed
Voting for the 2023 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards has now closed. Many thanks to all those who participated.
Jungle launches Southeast Asia, India seed programme
Singapore-based Jungle Ventures has launched a Southeast Asia-India seed programme, claiming a first-of-its-kind investment structure to limit dilution for founders.
China's Didi gets backing from state-owned carmaker
China ride-hailing platform Didi, which delisted from the New York Stock Exchange last year following a scandal-hit post-IPO period, has raised USD 149m in funding from state-backed carmaker GAC Group.
Japan plant-based meat player raises $47m
Japanese plant-based meat company Daiz has raised JPY 7.1bn (USD47.4m) in Series C funding that features Mitsubishi UFJ Capital.
India's InsuranceDekho raises $60m
Indian online insurance policy comparison and brokerage service InsuranceDekho has raised USD 60m in a Series B round featuring Goldman Sachs.
BPEA EQT acquires Australia's VetPartners
BPEA EQT has agreed to acquire VetPartners, operator of Australia and New Zealand’s largest network of pet clinics and hospitals, from National Veterinary Associates (NVA).
IFC leads $24m Series B for India's Onsurity
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has led a USD 24m Series B round for Indian employee healthcare insurance start-up Onsurity.
State-linked investors back Series D for China's DataCanvas
DataCanvas, a China-based artificial intelligence-driven (AI) big data solutions provider, has raised CNY 300m (USD 41m) in a first tranche of Series D funding with strong support from investors with ties to national-level state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
LP interview: Koda Capital
Australian wealth management platform Koda Capital eschews mainstream private equity in favour of more obscure alternatives, but what the firm really wants are managers that understand its needs
Trustar, Bain, BPEA EQT target Tyson Foods' China poultry business
US-based meat and processed food maker Tyson Foods has received preliminary bids from private equity firms including Trustar Capital, Bain Capital and BPEA EQT for its China poultry business, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
India's Mensa Brands secures $40m in debt, equity funding
Mensa Brands, an India-based platform that agglomerates emerging consumer brands, has received USD 40m in funding from EvolutionX Debt Capital structured as a debt facility and a convertible investment.
China's Leadrive raises $81m Series D
Legend Capital and Oriza FoFs have led a CNY 600m (USD 81m) Series D round for Leadrive, a Shanghai-headquartered manufacturer of semiconductor power modules and motor control units used in electric vehicles (EVs).
MTR Lab, Gobi back Hong Kong construction tech start-up
MTR Lab, a technology and innovation arm of Hong Kong transport operator MTR, has teamed up with Gobi Partners to invest HKD 46.8m (USD 5.9m) in local sustainable construction start-up isBIM.
ADIA re-ups in India's Reliance Retail
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has agreed to invest INR 49.7m (USD 597m) in India’s Reliance Retail within two months of USD 1.25m worth of investments from KKR and Qatar Investment Authority (QIA).
China-US consumer brand accelerator raises $58m
SuperOrdinary, a global consumer brands accelerator that operates out of Shanghai, New York, and Los Angeles, has raised USD 58m in Series B funding at a valuation of more than USD 800m.