Investments
China direct lending: Creative credit
A combination of improved collateral, rising yields and robust demand is drawing investors to China’s direct lending space. Opportunities abound, but local execution remains critical
Q&A: OMERS' Ani Deshmukh
Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) recently backed a spinout of Olympus Capital Asia’s credit team as Orion Capital Asia. Ani Deshmukh, a director with the Canadian pension fund, explains its regional strategy
Bain backs China gas station platform Newlink
Bain Capital Private Equity led a $200 million investment in Newlink Group, operator of a platform that helps drivers in China locate the best value gas stations and charging piles. Joy Capital re-upped in the round.
Quadria backs Indonesia's Hermina Hospitals
Singapore’s Quadria Capital has paid an undisclosed sum for a minority stake in Hermina Hospitals, one of the largest hospital chains in Indonesia.
China autonomous driving developer Momenta raises $500m
SAIC Motor, Toyota Motor Corporation, Robert Bosch, Yunfeng Capital, and Temasek Holdings are among the investors in a $500 million Series C funding round for Chinese autonomous driving technology developer Momenta.
China cybersecurity player ThreatBook raises $77m
Beijing-based cybersecurity solutions provider ThreatBook has completed a RMB500 million ($77 million) Series E round led by CPE and featuring existing investor V Fund.
Sojitz backs Malaysia's PE-owned Qualitas Medical
Japanese conglomerate Sojitz has taken an equity interest in Qualitas Medical, a diversified Malaysia-based healthcare services provider owned by Southern Capital Group.
Australia's Adamantem acquires carbon offset company
Australia’s Adamantem Capital has acquired a controlling stake in Climate Friendly, a local carbon offset consultancy, for an undisclosed sum.
Temasek leads round for China marketing content start-up
Tezign, a Chinese start-up that serves as a content-focused one-stop marketing solutions platform, has closed a second tranche of Series C funding that takes the overall total for the round to $100 million.
China biotech makes Asia global healthcare PE leader
A more than 100% year-on-year increase in deal volume saw Asia Pacific overtake North America to become the most active global private equity healthcare market for the first time in 2020.
China's B2B trading platform Ichunt raises $100m
Ichunt.com, a Chinese B2B trading platform for electronic components, has raised nearly $100 million in Series C funding from JD MRO, the industrial supplies business of local e-commerce giant JD.com.
India's PolicyBazaar raises $75m for Middle East expansion
PolicyBazaar, India’s largest insurance comparison portal, has raised $75 million from US-based Falcon Edge Capital for a Middle East expansion.
CMB, Tiantu lead $300m Series D for China's Guoquan
Guoquan, a Chinese hot pot ingredients supplier, has raised a $300 million Series D round led by CMB International and Tiantu Capital.
Singapore's PatSnap raises $300m Series E
Singapore and UK-based market intelligence and analytics provider PatSnap has raised a $300 million Series E round led by SoftBank Vision Fund II and Tencent Holdings.
Jungle leads $17m round for India edtech, fintech player
Singapore’s Jungle Ventures has led a $17 million Series B round for Leap Finance, a financial technology provider targeting the Indian education space.
China agricultural drone maker XAG raises $46m
XAG, a Chinese manufacturer of agricultural drones, has raised RMB300 million ($46 million) in funding from GL Ventures.
CITIC Capital rebrands as Trustar, backs Swiss medtech business
CITIC Capital Partners, a private equity firm part-owned by Chinese conglomerate CITIC Group, has rebranded as Trustar Capital.
Deal focus: Temasek supports impact's giant leap
Impact specialist LeapFrog Investments will use Temasek’s financial backing to broaden its reach, in terms of sectors and geographies, as well as to anchor future funds
Deal focus: MetaApp's supply-demand solution
China-based MetaApp has created an online platform that connects games with relevant gamers. Community building and social interaction are its watchwords
Fund focus: See Fund backs university talent
Having launched his own start-up on campus, Song Yao of See Fund is returning to China’s academic institutions to look for the next generation of hard technology unicorns
Novo Tellus seeks control of Singapore-listed Procurri
Novo Tellus Capital Partners has moved to take control of Procurri, a Singapore-listed provider of IT services and data center equipment in which it acquired a minority position two years ago.
Sequoia leads Series A for China software start-up Terminus
Hangzhou-based enterprise software company Terminus has raised RMB400 million ($61 million) in Series A funding led by Sequoia Capital China. Existing investors Alibaba Cloud and Glory Ventures re-upped.
Quadrant backs Australia's TSA, Livingbridge exits
Quadrant Private Equity has invested an undisclosed sum in TSA Management, an Australia-based project consultancy business, taking out existing backer Livingbridge in the process.
Deal focus: Gitai turns robot economics on its head
Japanese start-up Gitai eschews conventional wisdom that industrial-use robots must be specialized. Its Series B round will be used to build general-purpose robots for use in space