Investments
China smart projector brand JMGO raises $158m
IDG Capital and Chinese smartphone brand Oppo have invested CNY 1bn (USD 158m) in JMGO, a local manufacturer of smart projection equipment developer JMGO that also goes by the name Holatek.
Japan mobile banking player Kyash gets $41m Series C
Altos Ventures, Goodwater Capital, Greyhound Capital, and StepStone Group are part of an investor group that has committed JPY 4.9bn (USD 41m) in Series D funding to Tokyo-based mobile banking start-up Kyash.
Index, Coatue lead $110m round for Australia's Linktree
Index Ventures and Coatue Management have led a USD 110m round for Linktree, an Australian social media platform that drives audience engagement, at a valuation of USD 1.3bn.
India media tech supplier Amagi secures $95m
Amagi, an India-based broadcasting industry technology provider that claims an audience of more than 2bn people, has raised a USD 95m round led by Accel Partners at a valuation of at least USD 1bn.
Livingbridge gets ESG-linked credit facility in Australia from Ares
Livingbridge has secured AUD 280m (USD 206m) in sustainability-linked credit facilities from Ares Management to support its acquisition of Australia-based waste management services provider Waste Services Group (WSG).
Genesis leads Series A extension for China's Nutshell Therapeutics
Nutshell Therapeutics, a China-based specialist in protein-focused drugs, has raised USD 40m in an extended Series A led by Genesis Capital.
India gaming, e-sports player Loco raises $43m
Indian game streaming and e-sports start-up Loco has raised INR 3.3bn (USD 43.3m) in Series A funding led by Korean blockchain specialist Hashed Ventures.
Baring Asia to merge with EQT
EQT has agreed a EUR 6.8bn (USD 7.5bn) acquisition of Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA), having decided that organic expansion would unlikely deliver the Asia platform it desires to create a truly global business.
Lyfe, Qiming lead Series B for China ADC player Medilink
Suzhou Medilink Therapeutics, a Chinese biotech company specializing in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) commonly used as targeted therapies for treating cancer, has raised a USD 70m Series B led by Lyfe Capital and Qiming Venture Partners.
India’s Licious raises $150m at $1.6bn valuation
India’s Licious, a direct-to-consumer fresh meat and seafood delivery company, has raised a USD 150m round led by Amansa Capital at a valuation of USD 1.6bn.
Pakistan's Bazaar gets $70m Series B
Pakistani B2B e-commerce and financial technology platform Bazaar has raised a USD 70m Series B round led by Dragoneer Investment Group and Tiger Global Management.
Deal focus: Mighty Jaxx revels in 'phygital' bridge role
In collectables maker Mighty Jaxx, East Ventures saw not only an effective traditional retail brand, but a company capable of elevating the user experience by straddling the digital and physical worlds
Deal focus: Financial crime pays for Silent Eight
Singapore’s Silent Eight is tackling the toughest cybersecurity subsegment and securing global clients in its early stages. Wavemaker Partners predicts a near-term explosion in growth
Deal focus: Chatbots position for cross-border expansion
Cathay Innovation, an affiliate of Cathay Capital, sees voice recognition services as a key area of B2B growth. Singapore’s AI Rudder is hoped to prove this idea on a global scale
Profile: Foundation Private Equity’s Jeremy Foo
Moving from direct investment to secondaries with Foundation Private Equity took Jeremy Foo outside his comfort zone, but past experiences of liquidity crunches have proved instructive
Flexibility first: Investing in the future of work
Investment in work-tech has soared as start-ups devise solutions for workforces that are increasingly distributed in terms of location, structure, and practice. Data, and knowing what to do with it, is key
China 3D content platform Xverse raises $120m
Xverse, a Shenzhen-based 3D user-generated content platform has raised USD 120m across a Series A and a Series A extension, led by GL Ventures and Sequoia Capital China, respectively.
Korean metaverse player closes Series A, hits $807m valuation
VA Corporation, a Korean virtual content provider that is positioning itself as a metaverse platform, has achieved a valuation of KRW 1trn (USD 807m) on closing a KRW 100bn Series A round.
Tiger Global leads Series A for New Zealand's ArchiPro
Tiger Global Management has led a NZD 35m (USD 24m) Series A round for New Zealand’s ArchiPro, a platform that connects homeowners with interior design and construction professionals.
J-Star exits Japan nursing care provider
J-Star has exited dementia-focused nursing care provider Platia to Bain Capital-owned counterpart Nichii Gakkan for an undisclosed sum.
India's Byju's raises $800m at $22b valuation
Indian education platform Byju’s has raised USD 800m at an estimated valuation of USD 22bn, with the company’s founder Byju Raveendran providing USD 400m.
Source Code leads Series B for China's Fair Robotics
Fair Robotics, a China-based collaborative robot developer, has raised a USD 50m Series B round led by Source Code Capital.
Singapore financial crime AI start-up gets $40m
Singapore’s Silent Eight, a compliance and financial crime risk investigation platform, has raised a USD 40m Series B round led by US-based TYH Ventures.
Farallon calls on Toshiba to reconsider PE buyout
Farallon Capital Management, a minority shareholder in Toshiba Corporation, has called on the company to reconsider bringing in a private equity investor amid mounting opposition to a two-way spinoff.