Funds
Sequoia leads $12.5m round for China app tech developer
Sequoia Capital has led a $12.5 million Series B round for Easemob.com, a Chinese provider of mobile communication services, with participation from SIG China and Matrix Partners China.
Chinese celebrities in VC: Profile booster
Chinese celebrities are entering the venture capital space, offering start-ups endorsement as well as financial support. But can a pop star’s cachet translate into long-term sustainable growth?
Fund focus: GSR fuels its global ambition
Bringing overseas technology to China is a popular investment thesis among GPs. However, while the likes of Fosun International and Hony Capital have completed several cross-border deals, this is not their sole proficiency. GSR Capital is therefore an...
Deal focus: MedGenome aims to fill the sequencing gap
India's vast assortment of ethnic groups represents a golden opportunity for MedGenome. The 2,000 groups that inhabit the subcontinent are a treasure trove of information waiting to be harvested and put to work.
Deal focus: NSI Ventures in robot kitchen play
The old proverb is that necessity is the mother of invention, but in an age of robotics it seems that simple inconvenience is enough to give birth to the next great innovation. Such is the case with the Rotimatic, a “robot” invented specifically to...
Worst case scenarios: How GPs recover value
There are various ways for PE investors to seek legal recourse against portfolio companies that have behaved improperly – provided they have structured deals properly and don’t mind getting their hands dirty
New Zealand’s Booktrack receives $5m Series B round
Booktrack, a New Zealand-based company that provides movie-style soundtracks and ambient audio for eBooks, has raised $5 million in Series B funding led by Coent Venture Partners and Sparkbox Ventures.
India's furniture retailer Pepperfry raises $100m
Online furniture retailer Pepperfry has raised $100 million in Series D funding from a group of investors including Goldman Sachs and Zodius Technology Fund.
VCs invest $4.4m in Japanese filter technology start-up
The state-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), shipping conglomerate investment arm Tsuneishi Partners and Future Venture Capital (FVC) have together invested JPY550 million ($4.4 million) in NanoMist Technologies, creator of a filtering...
Allegro buys controlling stake in New Zealand’s Carpet Court
Australasia distress specialist Allegro Funds has announced the third investment from its second fund with the acquisition of a controlling stake in Carpet Court, a New Zealand-based flooring retailer.
Japan's VC-backed Metaps files for IPO
Metaps, a Japanese mobile software developer and IT services start-up backed by a slew of VC investors, has filed for its Tokyo IPO and is expected to raise as much as JPY3.8 billion ($30.6 million).
China P2P lending site Firstp2p raises $41m
Firstp2p, a Chinese online peer-to-peer (P2P) financing site, has raised a $41 million Series B round of funding from San Shan Capital, CITIC Capital and China Equity.
China after-school tutoring app raises $24m
Entstudy.com, a Chinese after-school tutoring mobile app, has raised $24 billion in an extended Series B round from two domestic VC firms: Kun Ling Capital and Sharing Capital.
Orios launches $150m India early-stage fund
Indian VC firm Orios Venture Partners has launched a new $150 million fund to support start-ups in various branches of the technology sector.
GGV leads round for China B2B drug retail platform
GGV Capital has led an extended Series A round of funding for Ypzdw.com, a Chinese online B2B drug retail platform. Existing investor Matrix Partners China also participated.
Sequoia commits $20m to Indian gene researcher MedGenome
Sequoia Capital has committed $20 million in Series B funding to Indian genomic diagnostic and research service provider MedGenome.
NLVC leads Series A for China online car retailer
Northern Light Venture Capital (NLVC) has led a Series A round of funding for Maihaoche.com, a Chinese automotive e-commerce platform that specializes in parallel imports.
Ex-TPG Growth executive joins Singapore’s Jungle Ventures
Singapore-based Jungle Ventures has appointed David Gowdey, previously of TPG Capital’s growth investment unit, as a managing partner.
VC-backed China parenting site Babytree raises $300m
Chinese online beauty products retailer Jumei International has led a $300 million round of funding for Babytree, a Chinese parent-focused social platform backed by several VC investors.
DCM closes second Android fund at $100m
DCM has raised $100 million for its second Android-focused fund, which will target start-ups building apps for Google’s mobile operating system.
China angels: Divine intervention
Angel investors, both unsophisticated amateurs and industry-savvy professionals, are flooding into China’s tech sector in search of stellar returns. Everything looks great as long as the market keeps on going up.
Fund focus: Shunwei raises $1b, eyes growth deals
The line between venture and growth capital in China has always been blurred, and in recent years it has become more so as start-ups raise ever larger private rounds. Nevertheless, based on AVCJ Research’s records, with $1 billion at its disposal across...
Deal focus: Blume re-ups with RoadRunnr
With the mega-rounds raised by the likes of Snapdeal and Flipkart grabbing headlines over the past 18 months, the e-commerce space has been at the vanguard of India’s venture capital boom. But as well as offering a platform for a new generation tech...
Vivo Capital leads Series B for China’s cosmetic surgery app
Healthcare specialist Vivo Capital has led a Series B round of funding for Gengmei, a Chinese cosmetic surgery social networking app, with participation from Sequoia Capital.