Investments
Baring Asia exits Cath Kidston to UK turnaround investor
Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) has exited Cath Kidston, a UK lifestyle retailer that underwent a restructuring during the initial phase of COVID-19, to turnaround investor Hilco Capital.
Tough funding terms can hinder start-up growth - forum
Imposing punitive terms on founders in response to governance concerns can prove counterproductive to long-term growth as start-ups move through funding rounds and stipulations intensify, a Singapore Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (SVCA)...
India affordable housing player raises $112m
Indian lower-income mortgage lender Shubham has raised USD 112m led by British International Investment (BII). It facilitates exits for Elevar Equity and Motilal Oswal Private Equity (MOPE).
China biotech: End of the boom
PE investment in China biotech has collapsed amid failed IPO processes and disputed valuations. Pockets of activity remain, though questions around commercialisation have yet to be answered
Tiger Global, Google join $40m round for India's Progcap
Tiger Global Management, Google, and Creation Investments have led a USD 40m investment in India’s Progcap, a financing services provider for small businesses.
India's Pine Labs buys VC-backed Setu
Indian financial technology company Pine Labs, which has raised more than USD 1.5bn in private funding, has acquired VC-backed counterpart Setu.
Portfolio: Welkin Capital and Shawya
Shawya is a fast-rising Chinese direct-to-consumer brand that takes a technology-driven approach to skincare. Welkin Capital is helping it address growing pains around talent and omnichannel capabilities
Carlyle makes growth investment in India's Varmora Granito
The Carlyle Group has acquired a significant minority stake in Varmora Granito, an India-based manufacturer of tiles, bathware, and sanitaryware products, for an undisclosed sum.
Deal focus: Confidence unwavering in SE Asia e-commerce
Singapore online shopping platform ShopBack hopes to extend a fledgling theme of Southeast Asian IPOs in the US amid threats to discretionary spending in its core markets
SeaTown invests $50m in Vietnam e-commerce enabler
SeaTown Holdings International, an alternatives manager owned by Temasek Holdings, has provided a USD 50m Series B round for Vietnamese e-commerce enabler OnPoint.
Southeast Asia logistics player Deliveree raises $80m
Gobi Partners and SPIL Ventures – the corporate venture capital arm of shipping business Salam Pacific Indonesia Lines – have led a USD 70m Series C round for Southeast Asia-focused logistics marketplace Deliveree.
Asia Partners leads $80m round for Singapore's ShopBack
Singapore’s Asia Partners has led a USD 80m growth round for local e-commerce and retail rewards platform ShopBack.
China RNA vaccine developer raises $42m
Therorna, a China-based biotech company specializing in vaccines and drugs based on circular RNA technology, has raised USD 42m in Series A funding.
AstraZeneca-CICC fund backs China gene sequencer
Axbio, a China-based provider of gene sequencing and diagnostic systems, has raised nearly USD 100m in Series B funding led by AstraZeneca-CICC Healthcare Industrial Fund and Yunfeng Capital.
China bio-manufacturing start-up Mojia raises $80m
Temasek Holdings has led a USD 80m Series B round for Shanghai-based bio-manufacturing start-up Mojia Biotech.
NewQuest, Prosus lead $90m Series E for India’s Cashify
NewQuest Capital Partners and Prosus Ventures have led a USD 90m Series E round for India’s Cashify, a marketplace for used smart phones and gadgets.
5Y leads $74m round for China AI drug developer
Beijing-based HeliXon, an artificial intelligence-enabled developer of protein-based drugs, has raised CNY 500m (USD 75m) in Series A funding led by 5Y Capital. Other investors include Gaorong Capital and Neumann Capital.
Openspace, VI Group lead $25m round for Vietnam's Finhay
Openspace Ventures and VI Group have led a USD 25m Series B round for Vietnamese digital investment platform Finhay.
Platinum Equity buys Hong Kong lingerie business Hop Lun
US-based private equity firm Platinum Equity has agreed to acquire Hop Lun, a Hong Kong-headquartered producer of fashion lingerie and swimwear that serves a global client base.
Malaysia's RPG Commerce raises $29m Series B
East Ventures has led a USD 29m Series B round for Malaysia-based direct-to-consumer (DTC) social e-commerce company RPG Commerce.
India-focused neobank Stashfin raises $270m
Stashfin, a Singapore-based neobank that primarily operates in India, has raised USD 70m in equity funding – and secured a further USD 200m in debt – as part of a Series C round.
L Catterton seals $360m Asia strip sale
A Hamilton Lane-led consortium has agreed to support a USD 360m continuation fund comprising structured minority interests in investments held by consumer sector specialist L Catterton’s third Asian fund.
China fashion software platform Linctex raises $100m
Linctex Digital, a Shanghai-based design services platform for the fashion industry, has raised an extended pre-Series B round of nearly USD 100m from GL Ventures and CDH Investments.
India's LeadSquared raises $153m Series C
Indian customer relationship management software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider LeadSquared has raised a USD 153m Series C round led by WestBridge Capital at a post-money valuation of USD 1bn.