Investments
Fidelity backs $131m Series A for China citytech platform Venturous
Venturous Group, a Chinese smart city platform, has received $131 million in Series A funding from Fidelity, several family offices, and Benson Tan, founder of Venturous.
China's Nutshell Therapeutics raises $20m
Nutshell Therapeutics, a Chinese drug developer, has raised a $20 million Series A round led by Matrix Partners China.
China secondhand goods platform Zhuanzhuan raises $100m
Zhuanzhuan, a used goods trading platform and subsidiary of 58.com, China’s largest online classifieds marketplace, has raised a $100 million round led by electronics giant Xiaomi.
India-founded SaaS start-up BrowserStack raises $200m
KPCB growth-stage spinout Bond has led a $200 million Series B round for BrowserStack, a software testing platform established by two Indian entrepreneurs.
India's FamPay gets $38m Series A
FamPay, an Indian start-up aiming to launch the country’s first digital bank for teenagers, has raised a $38 million Series A round led by Elevation Capital.
Insight, Tiger lead Series B for India jobs platform
Insight Partners and Tiger Global Management have led a $70 million Series B round for Apna, an Indian professional networking and jobs platform.
Australia COVID-19 nasal spray maker raises $25m
ENA Respiratory, an Australian biotech company developing a nasal spray for the prevention of COVID-19, has raised A$32 million ($25 million) with support from local venture capital investor Brandon Capital.
Joy, Nio Capital invest $315m in China online used car dealer
Joy Capital and Nio Capital will invest $315 million in China-based online used car dealer Uxin, throwing their support behind the company’s pivot from a marketplace to an inventory-holding retailer.
IDG leads $120m round for China SaaS player Xiaoe Tong
Xiaoe Tong, a Chinese software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider that integrates its products with WeChat, has raised $120 million in Series D funding led by IDG Capital.
India's Byju's raises $340m at $16.5b valuation
Indian education platform Byju’s has raised about $340 million at a post-money valuation of $16.5 billion from investors including The Blackstone Group.
Chinese pharmaceutical platform Yaoshibang raises $270m
Chinese B2B pharmaceutical trading platform Yaoshibang has raised $270 million from Guangdong Pearl River Investment, Baidu, Sunshine Insurance, Green Pine Capital Partners, Guangzhou government-backed S Fund, and an undisclosed sovereign wealth fund.
Vision Fund leads $360m Series C for Southeast Asia's Carro
Carro claims to have become Southeast Asia’s first automotive marketplace unicorn with the completion of a S$477 million ($360 million) Series C round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
Korea delivery platform Barogo gets $72m Series C
Korean delivery platform Barogo has raised KRW80 billion ($72 million) in Series C funding featuring several local private equity investors, including LB Investment and STIC Ventures.
Deal focus: A very modern Masan
Baring Private Equity Asia backed Masan Group’s bold plan to transform grocery in Vietnam because it believes the company can create an integrated consumer-retail business that is unique by Asian standards
Deal focus: Malaysia’s Tealive taps PE scaling expertise
Tealive, a teashop brand that has exploded across Malaysia in recent years, is ready for a concerted international expansion. Creador has been brought in to guide the process
Asia secondaries: Continuation conundrum
The rapid ascent of single-asset continuation vehicles in the US and Europe might be emulated in Asia, but investors are approaching the market with measured optimism
ChrysCapital exits US-based Infogain to Apax
ChrysCapital has exited Silicon Valley-based Infogain – an IT services provider that helped solidify the US-India cross-border opportunity set – to Apax Partners.
Q&A: Yunqi Partners’ Yipin Ng
Pre-pandemic, it was unclear whether China’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry could achieve monetization. Much has changed since then, says Yipin Ng, co-founder and managing partner of Yunqi Partners
Deal focus: Chubby Bear thinks beyond marketplaces
B2B trading platform Chubby Bear not only wants to drive consolidation in China’s renovation materials space, but also provide exclusive products and supply chain services to contractors
Vision Fund backs Sinovation's AI consulting business
AInnovation, an artificial intelligence (AI) consulting business established by Sinovation Ventures, has completed Series D funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund II. The size of the deal was not disclosed.
Lucian Wu leaves HQ Capital
Secondaries specialist Lucian Wu has left his role as a managing director with HQ Capital in Hong Kong.
Creador takes 30% stake in Malaysia tea brand Tealive
Malaysia-based middle-market private equity firm Creador has paid an undisclosed sum for a 30% stake in local tea shop operator Tealive.
H Capital leads $300m round for China car trading platform
Chehaoduo, operator of China auto trading platforms Guazi and Maodou, which specialize in used and new cars, respectively, has raised $300 million in funding led by H Capital at a valuation of more than $10 billion.
Singapore fintech start-up MatchMove raises $100m
Singapore’s MatchMove, a financial technology start-up with several VC backers, has raised $100 million from US-based IT services provider Nityo Infotech.