Investments
China car wash business achieves unicorn status
1km, China’s largest car wash company, has achieved a valuation of more than $1 billion on closing a Series D funding round across two tranches. It did not specify the size of the round.
CVC buys into Chinese pharmacy chain
CVC Capital Partners has made an investment of undisclosed size in Xi’an Yikang Pharmacy, China’s eighth-largest pharmacy chain.
China-focused NFT marketplace Cybertino raises $10m
A group of Chinese investors including Sky9 Capital, Ince Capital, and Draper Dragon have joined a $10 million round for non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Cybertino Lab.
WestBridge leads Series B for India voice AI start-up
WestBridge Capital has led a $23 million Series B round for India’s Skit, a voice recognition artificial intelligence (AI) supplier for the call center industry.
Naspers-owned PayU to buy India's BillDesk for $4.7b
PayU, a payments provider owned by South African conglomerate Naspers, has agreed to acquire 100% of Indian payments app BillDesk for $4.7 billion, setting up several private equity exits.
Malaysia’s Carsome raises $200m at $1.3b valuation
Malaysia-headquartered used car trading platform Carsome has achieved a valuation of $1.3 billion with the close of an extended Series D funding round worth $170 million.
VIG buys Korea waste-to-energy business
Korean private equity firm VIG Partners has acquired a controlling stake in waste-to-energy (WTE) facility operator BioEnergyFarmAsan for about $100 million.
Thai bank joins $41m round for local crypto platform
Thailand’s Bank of Ayudhya has joined a $41 million Series B round for local cryptocurrency exchange operator Zipmex.
Australia insurance start-up raises $31m Series B
New Zealand venture capital firm Movac has led a $31 million Series B round for Australian insurance technology provider Open.
Hong Kong’s OrbusNeich raises $200m
Hong Kong-based medical devices maker OrbusNeich Medical Group has raised about $200 million across two rounds featuring Shenzhen Capital Group and its Red Earth Healthcare Investment Fund.
Deal focus: Ekuaibao’s PaaS plus SaaS proposition
China-based reimbursement platform Ekuaibao has ambitions to lead the digital transformation of corporate finance. Early investor Future Capital continues to re-up as the story unfolds
Deal focus: Singapore's Doctor Anywhere raises $65m Series C
Doctor Anywhere’s omnichannel approach to digitizing Southeast Asian healthcare is luring investors with eyes on the pandemic’s most logical trend. Preserving a first-mover advantage is the challenge
Deal focus: EmergeVest turns to Lucy for financial inclusion
EmergeVest has made a seed investment in Lucy, a Singapore-based neobank that focuses on home-based micro-entrepreneurs and Southeast Asia’s legions of foreign domestic workers
Secondaries: Straight outta Asia
The growing secondaries opportunity in Asia is attracting more global capital, but managers with strategies dedicated to the region are few. This is changing, albeit gradually
China's Geely raises $500m for Zeekr EV unit
Zeekr, the electric vehicle (EV) business of Chinese carmaker Geely, has raised $500 million in a pre-Series A round from Intel Capital, Boyu Capital, battery manufacturer CATL, Cathay Fortune Corporation, and online entertainment platform Bilibili.
Tata VC fund to exit India thermal energy business
Tata Capital Innovations Fund is set to exit Indian industrial materials developer Pluss Advanced Technologies to a local conglomerate in a deal worth INR1.1 billion ($15.7 million).
Japan's Shiseido sells US makeup brands to Advent
Japan’s Shiseido has extended a program of non-core divestments with the sale of three of its US makeup brands to Advent International for $700 million.
VCs commit $55m to China CRM player Xiaoke
Xiaoke, a China-based provider of customer relationship management (CRM) software, has raised $55 million in a Series A funding round from Hong Kong-listed Weimob, Sequoia Capital China, Welight Capital, and Creo Capital.
LAV leads $50m Series B for China's Lynk Pharma
Lilly Asia Ventures (LAV) has led a $50 million Series B round for Lynk Pharmaceuticals, a China-based drug developer that focuses on small-molecule treatments for autoimmune disease, inflammation, and cancer.
Affirma backs India's Belstar Microfinance
Affirma Capital has contributed INR3 billion ($40.8 million) to a INR3.5 billion funding round for India’s Belstar Microfinance, supported by existing investors Muthoot Finance and Maj Invest.
China GPU chip designer Metax raises $155m
Shanghai-based Metax Integrated Circuits has raised RMB1 billion ($155 million) in a Series A funding round led by China Structural Reform Fund and China Internet Investment Fund. Existing investors including Matrix Partners China, CTC Capital, Sequoia...
China EV battery maker raises $1.5b
Svolt Energy Technology, formerly the battery manufacturing unit of Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor, has raised RMB10.28 billion ($1.5 billion) in a Series B funding round led by Bank of China Investment.
AVCJ Awards 2021 - nominations have closed
Nominations for the 2021 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards have now closed. Many thanks for your participation.
China cancer treatment specialist Ionova raises $100m
Tsing Song Capital, a Chinese healthcare-focused private equity firm, has led a $100 million round for Ionova Life Science, a local biotech player specializing in cancer treatments.