Funds
Singapore VC: Silicon dreams
Buoyed by government support and increasing private sector interest, Singapore has created a legion of tech start-ups that now require further investment. Can it become Southeast Asia’s answer to Silicon Valley?
A Capital targets $1.38b for Sino-European tech fund
Sino-European PE firm A Capital has launched a EUR1 billion ($1.38 billion) technology fund to invest in European innovative firms. It will help them expand into emerging markets, in particular China.
Jafco invests $2m in Japan leisure booking site
Globis Capital Partners and Jafco Ventures have invested JPY200 million ($1.95 million) in Catarizm, the Japanese start-up behind online leisure booking site Asoview.
IDG leads round for Chinese restaurant review app Ricebook
IDG Capital Partners has led a $7 million Series B round of funding for Ricebook, a Chinese restaurant review mobile app operator.
China gaming firm Ourpalm commits $16m to Huatai M&A fund
Ourpalm, a Shenzhen-listed mobile games developer, has committed RMB100 million ($16 million) to Beijing Huatia Ruilian M&A Fund, a new investment vehicle managed by Huatai United Securities, an investment banking arm of Huatai Securities.
Kalaari provides Series A for India big data start-up
Kalaari Capital has committed $3 million in Series A funding to Germin8, a Mumbai-headquartered big data analytics company.
China Aier Eye Hospital invests in Huatai Securities' M&A fund
Shenzhen-listed Aier Eye Hospital Group plans to commit RMB100 million ($16 million) to an M&A fund managed by Huatai United Securities, an investment banking arm of Huatai Securities.
CHAMP PE gets GE financing for Accolade Wines expansion
CHAMP Private Equity has secured $300 million in cross-border financing from GE Capital International for Accolade Wines, the firm behind mass-market brands such as Hardys and Banrock Station.
Sequoia-backed Baioo Family launches HK IPO
Baioo Family Interactive, a children's online game developer backed by Sequoia, has launched its Hong Kong IPO, seeking to raise between $200 million and $250 million.
Baring Asia-backed Nord Anglia raises $304m, jumps on debut
Nord Anglia Education, a school operator controlled by Baring Private Equity Asia, saw its shares close up 12.5% on the first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. This followed an IPO that raised $304 million.
Profile: Intel Capital's Richard Hsu
Richard Hsu, managing director at Intel Capital, has spent 14 years as a VC investor, mostly in China. For all the change he has witnessed in entrepreneurs and ideas, some market features remain steadfastly the same
The soft middle
What has become of the mid-market GP in Asia? If there is one area of the fundraising landscape that has hollowed out in the last year or so, this is it, giving credence to the notion of bifurcation.
Valar, SquarePeg lead $20m round for New Zealand's Vend
Vend, a New Zealand-based point-of-sale software provider, has received NZ$25 million ($20 million) in Series B funding. The round was co-led by Valar Ventures, an investment vehicle run by PayPal co-founder and early Facebook investor Peter Thiel, and...
Northstar enters Southeast Asia VC space
The Northstar Group, a Singapore-headquartered private equity firm with significant interests in Indonesia, is expanding its franchise to include venture capital. The VC unit is called Silicon Island, in reference to Singapore’s ambition to become a regional...
ClearVue leads new round for China online fruit store
ClearVue Partners has led a round of funding for Fruitday, a Chinese fresh fruit online store, followed by SIG Asia Investments.
Shenzhen Capital launches retail fund arm
Shenzhen Capital Group, a Chinese VC investor, has diversified its investment platform into mutual funds.
EQT confirms acquisition of Australia's I-Med
EQT Partners has confirmed its acquisition of Australian radiology provider I-Med Network Radiology alongside Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec of Canada and Singapore's GIC Private.
China mobile app platform Wandouja gets Goldman funding
Wandougjia, a Chinese mobile app platform, has received an undisclosed sum in follow-on funding from Goldman Sachs to complete a Series B round of funding that saw new and existing investors commit $120 million in January.
DCM leads $8m round for Chinese property portal
Meiaoju, a Chinese online platform for buyers seeking property overseas, has received a RMB50 million ($8 million) Series A round of funding led by DCM.
India's Persistent backs hand hygiene wearables start-up
Persistent Venture Fund, a VC fund controlled by listed Indian software and technology company Persistent Systems, has invested in Hyginex, a US-based wearable technology manufacturer specializing in healthcare applications.
GSR Ventures to invest $580m in China new energy play
GSR Ventures has agreed to invest a total of RMB3.6 billion ($580 million) in Wuhan Kaidi Electric Power, a Shenzhen-listed clean energy technology provider.
Japanese banks commit to CVC's fourth Asia fund
CVC Capital Partners has received $100 million in commitments from Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank (SMTB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for its fourth Asia fund, which is expected to close above its $3.5 billion hard cap.
Altius, Castling team up to target Korean institutional investors
Castling Investment Group has formed a strategic alliance with Altius Associates to jointly distribute private equity, real assets and infrastructure products to South Korean investors.
China's Alibaba invests $215m in US messaging app Tango
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group has invested $215 million in California-based mobile messaging app maker Tango. The deal values the start-up at a reported $1 billion.