Funds
Tempting offers: Australian IPOs
Following a prolonged drought, Australia has seen a recent spike in private equity-backed IPOs. Is this a flash in the pan or are public market exits on the cusp of a sustained comeback?
Strategic imperative: Chinese corporates embrace PE
Corporate private equity arms are catching on in China as companies beyond the tech space develop an appetite for investment. What does it mean for the industry’s independent incumbents?
TAL Education invests $25m in VC-backed Babytree
TAL Education, a China-based after-school tutoring services provider, has acquired a minority stake in childcare website Babytree for RMB150 million ($25 million). The online baby nursing information provider secured previous investments from Matrix Partners,...
India's National Innovation Council launches $792m fund
India's National Innovation Council (NIC) and the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MMSME) have together launched a new venture fund targeting INR50 billion ($792 million).
Suning acquires VC-backed group buying site Manzuo
Suning Commerce, a Chinese home appliance retailer, has acquired group buying site Manzuo.com. Transaction terms were not disclosed but the investment was said to facilitate a full exit for VC backer KPCB China.
Hong Kong-listed A8 commits to tech-focused Qingsong Fund
A8 Digital Music Holdings, a Hong Kong-listed media corporation, has committed RMB20 million ($3 million) to acquire an approximately 6% interest in Qingsong Fund II.
Legend re-ups in US sports tech manufacturer Zepp
Legend Capital has re-upped in athlete training technology developer Zepp Labs, participating in a $15 million Series B round of funding led by GGV Capital. Bertelsmann and Cherubic Ventures also committed capital.
CICC, Qianhai Financial Holdings launch $3.3b PE fund
China International Capital Corporation (CICC) has teamed up with Qianhai Financial Holdings, a wholly-owned unit of the Administrative Bureau of Qianhai, to launch a private equity fund, targeting RMB20 billion ($3.3 billion).
ASA calls for Billabong delay over Oaktree, Centerbridge deal
The Australian Shareholders Association (ASA) has called on Australian surf wear company Billabong International to delay a shareholder vote on a decision that could give PE creditors Oaktree Capital Management and Centerbridge Partners as much as 40.8%...
Blume Ventures leads seed round for India's Turtle Yogi
Blume Ventures has led a seed round of funding for Bangalore-based Turtle Yogi Technologies, which runs cloud-based video calling service 1Click.io. Chennai Angels member R. Narayanan and Shead Holdings are also investors in the round.
CyberAgent Ventures backs Japan language learning site
CyberAgent Ventures, the corporate VC arm of the company behind Japanese blogging site Ameba, has invested an undisclosed amount in language learning platform Lang-8.
Nexus backs digital security firm Uniken
Nexus Venture Partners has invested a reported INR300 million ($4.8 million) in US enterprise security firm Uniken, which has its innovation center in India.
Singapore online grocer RedMart raises $5.4m funding round
RedMart, an online grocery service based in Singapore, has raised a $5.4 million round of funding led by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. Other investors in the bridge round included JFDI.Asia co-founder Meng Weng Wong, The Lo & Behold Group founder...
Japanese VCs invest $4m in social retail app developer
Mitsubishi UFJ Capital and DBJ Capital have joined existing investors DCM Japan, Itochu Technology Ventures and Jafco Ventures, in a JPY400 million ($3.8 million) round of funding for Tokyo-based Tab, the start-up behind the location-based retail recommendation...
Profile: Globis Capital Partners' Yoshito Hori
From bust to boom, Yoshito Hori, CEO and founder of Globis Capital Management, has spent 20 years investing in Japanese VC - a story that is as much about education as it is capital
Unitas completes Edwards reorientation
When Unitas Capital and CCMP Capital came across specialist vacuum products developer Edwards Group, the business was hamstrung by geography. Asia was responsible for 60% of revenues but only 30% of manufacturing activity; in Europe these figures were...
Bitcoin: VC firms eye Asia opportunities
Bitcoin’s emergence as a currency in Asia has attracted mixed reactions from regulators. For VC investors there is a chance to disrupt the exisitng payment hierarchy, but they must also work with it
Everstone-Realterm JV closes second IndoSpace Logistics fund at $330m
Indian industrial real estate and warehousing facilities developer IndoSpace, has closed its second fund at $330 million, exceeding its target size at $300 million. IndoSpace is a joint venture between the Everstone Group and Canada-based Realterm Global....
Saif invests $30m in China fashion platform
Saif Partners China has committed $30 million in a Series C round of funding for Yoho, an online fashion magazine and e-commerce platform.
Japanese VCs invest $1.5m in ad platform Logly
Voyage Ventures, Mizuho Capital, SMBC Venture Capital and strategic investor CA Mobile have together invested JPY120 million ($1.15 million) in Logly, a Japan-based start-up running an internet ad platform.
China's WestSummit raises $325m across two tech funds
Beijing-based growth capital firm WestSummit Capital has raised $325 million across two funds, comprising $225 million for West Summit’s Fund II and $100 million for its China Ireland Technology Growth Capital Fund.
Carlyle completes partial exit from HK-listed Haier Electronics
The Carlyle Group has raised around $285 million after selling part of its stake in Hong Kong-listed appliance maker Haier Electronics Group.
China game developer Linekong secures $80m Series C round
China online gaming developer Linekong has raised $80 million Series C round of funding led by Fosun International. Other investors include Orchid Asia, Starwish Global, SAIF Partners and Profitable Century International.
Hamilton Lane adds two senior Asia professionals
Hamilton Lane has added two senior professionals to its Asia team, appointing Mingchen Xia as principal on the fund investment team and Yen Li Chew as vice president within its business development group - both will be based in Hong Kong.