Investments
Carlyle commits $439m to India's PNB Housing Finance
The Carlyle Group has agreed to invest up to INR31.8 billion ($439 million) in India-listed PNB Housing Finance, which would give it a majority interest in the company and trigger an open offer for an additional stake.
China SaaS provider Xforceplus raises $200m
Chinese software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider Xforceplus has raised a $200 million round led by Silicon Valley’s Dragoneer Investment Group and Beijing-based MSA Capital.
Deal focus: NiKang pursues hard-to-drug targets
With big pharma scaling back early-stage discovery, CBC Group is keen to incubate biotech start-ups developing drugs from scratch. NiKang Therapeutics is the first to secure wider investor attention
Deal focus: Hahn embarks on Korea dairy turnaround
Beleaguered by a string of scandals and unable to turn the tide of negative publicity, the family owner of Namyang Dairy Products opted to sell to private equity. His first call was to Hahn & Company
Sequoia, Yunfeng lead $228m round for Chinese rice brand
Shiyuedaotian, a Chinese rice brand, has raised RMB1.45 billion ($228 million) in Series B funding led by Sequoia Capital China and Yunfeng Capital. CMC Group and Taihe Capital also took part, as did existing investor GenBridge Capital.
PE-backed PropertyGuru buys Malaysia, Thailand assets from REA
PropertyGuru, a Singapore-based real estate portal backed by the likes of TPG Capital and KKR, has acquired REA Group’s property technology assets in Malaysia and Thailand.
Tata buys majority stake in India's BigBasket
Tata Group has acquired a majority stake in India’s BigBasket, an online grocer backed significantly by Alibaba Group and several private equity investors. It has been valued previously at around $2 billion.
CDIB, Firstred, Huatai buy China cosmetics packaging business
CDIB Capital has teamed up with Firstred Capital and Huatai International Private Equity Fund to acquire 100% of Chinese cosmetics packaging company Yuga Holdings for an undisclosed sum.
KKR bids for Australia conveyancing business
KKR is seeking to become the largest shareholder in Pexa, an Australia-based electronic settlement network for property deals, having offered to take out Link Administration Holdings at an enterprise valuation of A$3 billion ($2.3 billion).
Pakistan’s Habib Bank backs digital SME lender
Habib Bank, the largest bank in Pakistan, has joined a $10.1 million Series A round for Finja, a leading local financial technology start-up and small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) lender.
Vivo, Novo back Singapore's Esco Lifesciences
Vivo Capital and Novo Holdings have led a $200 million Series A round for Esco Lifesciences, a Singapore-based manufacturer of biopharma lab equipment and medical devices.
China shipping tech platform Yunquna raises $100m
Yunquna, a China-based online logistics platform for the shipping industry, has raised $100 million in the first tranche of a Series D round. Its valuation now surpasses $1 billion.
Vision Fund leads Series C for India-founded Zeta
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has led a $250 million round for Zeta, an Indian-founded and now US-headquartered banking software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider, at a valuation of $1.4 billion.
Australia fintech start-up raises $19m Series A
Australian payments technology platform mx51 has raised A$25 million ($19.4 million) in Series A funding led by Acorn Capital, Artesian, Commencer Capital, and Mastercard.
India's FarEye raises $100m Series E
US-based VCs TCV and Dragoneer Investment Group have led a $100 million Series E round for FarEye, an Indian logistics software-as-a-service platform focused on Western markets.
TR, Shenzhen Capital back renminbi continuation fund
TR Capital and Shenzhen Capital Group have backed the spin-out of six healthcare assets held by China focused GP Huagai Capital into a RMB800 million ($125 million) renminbi-denominated continuation fund.
Vision Fund invests $175m in Korea education start-up
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has invested $175 million in Korean education app Riiid to build out its artificial intelligence (AI) capacities and advance a global expansion.
China university start-ups: Campus creativity
From DJI to Ele.me, numerous successful start-ups have emerged from universities in Greater China. VC investors recognize the talent, but they are sometimes wary of the structures
Deal focus: Navis targets hospitals in the hinterlands
The Southeast Asian manager will commit up to $100 million to hospital roll-up strategy intended to address rising demand for private healthcare in Malaysia’s underserved territories
Deal focus: Novo spreads its wings in Southeast Asia
In Hummingbird Bioscience and Halodoc, Novo Holdings believes it has backed a potential global leader in hard-to-drug cancer and a likely domestic champion in telemedicine and disease management
Deal focus: New angle on logistics flourishes in China
China’s DST Car Rental has achieved a level of vertical integration unique among start-ups in electrified logistics. With the model proving itself at home, an overseas expansion awaits
Deal focus: NFT start-up declares war on the internet
Hong Kong’s Animoca Brands is at the forefront of securing digital property rights via cryptographic tokens. The concept is germinating in the games sector, but it is expected to change everything
Navis acquires Malaysia hospital developer
Navis Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in Malaysia-based hospital developer Aurelius Healthcare for an undisclosed sum.
China trucking player secures $200m Series E
For-U Smart Freight, a Chinese road freight logistics company, has raised a $200 million Series E round led by China Structural Reform Fund, China life Investment, and Greater Bay Area Homeland Investments.