Funds
Golden Gate leads $3.3m Series A for Singapore's HipVan
Golden Gate Ventures has led a S$4.7 million ($3.3 million) Series A round for HipVan, a Singapore-based online store for designer furniture.
Australian design platform Canva raises $15m in Series A
Canva, an Australian online design platform, has raised $15 million in a Series A round of funding led by Felicis Ventures alongside existing investors Blackbird Ventures and Matrix Partners.
Convergence, Golden Gate in Series A for Singapore's MoneySmart
Singapore-based personal finance portal MoneySmart has raised S$2.8 million ($2 million) in a Series A round led by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Media Fund, with participation by Convergence Ventures, OPT SEA and Golden Gate Ventures.
Q&A: OCBC's Daniel Kwan
The $392 million Lion-OCBC Capital Asia Fund I represents the first time OCBC has tapped third-party investors for a PE vehicle. Daniel Kwan, head of the mezzanine capital unit, explains the investment strategy
Fund focus: Vertex strengthens its global foothold
Vertex Venture Holdings will use its new $600 million allocation from Temasek Holdings to invest in Vertex family funds across the US, Israel and China
Deal focus: H&Q’s reinvigoration factor
H&Q Asia Pacific's Silicon Valley-based innovation hub is intended to help established Asian companies find new avenues of growth in an increasingly challenging commercial landscape
Peepul Capital commits $15m to Indian online jeweler Voylla
Peepul Capital has committed $15 million to Indian online jewelry and accessory retailer Voylla.
ChinaEquity Group to list on New Third Board
ChinaEquity Group, a Beijing-based private equity firm, has won regulatory approval to list its renminbi investment business on China’s National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), also known as the New Third Board.
Vertex raises $600m for China, US, Israel investments
Vertex Ventures, the VC arm of Singapore's Temasek Holdings, has received $600 million from its parent to invest in start-ups in China, the US and Israel.
SoftBank leads $1b round for Renren-backed US online lender
Japanese technology giant SoftBank Group has led a $1 billion Series E round of funding for Social Finance (SoFi), a Silicon Valley online lending marketplace also backed by China social networking site Renren.
Japan virtual currency player gets $2.3m from VC backers
Orb, a Japanese start-up that has developed an authentication technology to facilitate the use of virtual currencies, has raised JPY274 million ($2.28 million) from a group of investors.
Philippines telecom giant PLDT launches VC unit
Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) has created an investment arm that will back start-ups in Silicon Valley and around the world.
Singapore's MediaCorp in media-for-equity deal with VC-backed skincare brand
Singapore media conglomerate MediaCorp will take an equity stake in VC-backed French skincare brand Crème Simon in return for providing the company with advertising services.
Alibaba re-ups in India’s Paytm
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and its online finance affiliate Ant Financial Services Group have made a further investment in Paytm, India's largest mobile payment and commerce platform.
H&Q Asia Pacific to develop Silicon Valley technology hub
H&Q Asia Pacific will invest $100 million to acquire land and develop a technology hub in Silicon Valley.
Sequoia, SAIF in $36m Series B for India's PepperTap
PepperTap, an India-based hyperlocal online grocery delivery start-up, has raised a $36 million Series B round led by online marketplace Snapdeal, with participation from existing investors Sequoia Capital and SAIF Partners.
China bus service start-up gets $31m from VCs
Dada Bus, a mobile-enabled provider of bus services in China, has raised RMB200 million ($31 million) from Northern Light Venture Capital (NLVC) and newly-established VC firm Jingqiao Capital.
Deal focus: Portea takes healthcare to the home
Accel leads a $37.5 million round for Portea Medical, an India-based home healthcare business set up by the founders of TutorVista
Singapore VC: Redressing the balance
Singapore wants local companies to set up VC funds as a means of cultivating start-ups in a wider variety of areas. Can the right balance be struck between innovation and corporate agendas?
Tiantu leads Series B for China home renovation platform
Consumer-focused GP Tiantu Capital has led a Series B round of funding for Mei Jia Bang, a Chinese start-up that provides online interior design solutions.
China’s Didi Kuaidi invests in Indian peer Ola
China-based ride-hailing app operator Didi Kuaidi has invested an undisclosed sum in Indian counterpart Ola, as part of its latest round of funding.
Qualcomm launches $150m India venture fund
Qualcomm Ventures, the VC arm of US semiconductor producer Qualcomm, has formed a $150 million fund to invest in Indian mobile and internet start-ups.
Hillhouse, Goldman lead $394m round for China healthcare portal
Guahao.com, a Chinese healthcare information portal, has completed a Series B round of funding worth $394 million led by Hillhouse Capital and Goldman Sachs.
Fosun, Zhejiang government launch RMB fund-of-funds
Fosun Group and the Zhejiang provincial government will launch a RMB10 billion ($1.6 billion) renminbi-denominated fund-of-funds (FoF), with a view to restructuring and transforming different industries.