Funds
Itochu, Mizuho back Japan restaurant finder app
Itochu Ventures and Mizuho Capital have led a JPY330 million ($3.2 million) Series B round of funding for Retty, the Japanese start-up behind the restaurant app of the same name.
Singapore's Coda Payments gets Series A round
Carrier billing provider Coda Payments has raised $2.3 million in Series A funding from GMO Global Payment Fund, Rakuten Ventures, CyberAgent Ventures, and return backers Golden Gate Ventures and Skype co-founder Toivo Annus.
Blackbird leads round for Australian bitcoin start-up
Blackbird Ventures has invested A$250,000 ($227,645) to lead a A$500,000 round of funding for Melbourne-based CoinJar, a bitcoin wallet and exchange provider. Angel investors in the round include RetailMeNot founders Guy King and Bevan Clark and game...
Highland leads Series A round in food ordering website
Highland Capital Partners has provided approximately $10 million in Series A funding to Etaoshi, a Chinese online food ordering and delivery platform. Several undisclosed domestic venture capital firms also participated in the round.
IvyCap leads $5m round for India's Aujas Networks
IvyCap Ventures has led a INR310 million ($5 million) round of funding for Aujas Networks, an information risk management (IRM) service provider. Existing investor IDG Ventures India, along with new entrant Rajasthan Venture Capital Fund (RVCF), also...
China’s CBC invests in travel website Breadtrip
China Broadband Capital (CBC) has provided a Series B round of funding for Breadtrip.com, an online travel platform. The company has now raised about $10 million across two rounds.
AMP buys Australia schools project from RBS
AMP Capital will acquire a 100% interest in a portfolio of school buildings in Melbourne from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). The purchase is being made via the AMP Capital Community Infrastructure Fund, which invests in public-private partnership-style...
More than 50 Chinese PE firms suspected of illegal fundraising
More than 50 Chinese private equity firms are suspected of illegal fundraising activity, according to the head of a taskforce charged with tracking down offenders. A total of RMB16 billion ($2.6 billion) and more than 100,000 people are thought to be...
India’s Girnar Software raises $15m from Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital has invested $15 million in a first round of funding for Girnar Software, which owns the automotive marketplace Cardekho.com. The funds will be used to support the marketplace's expansion plans.
INCJ commits $100m to Global Brain Fund V
The government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) will commit up to JPY10 billion ($98.7 million) to Global Brain No.5 Investment Limited Partnership, the latest vehicle launched by IT-focused VC Global Brain Corporation (GBC).
Sequoia leads $25m round for China online takeout service
Sequoia Capital China has led a $25 million Series C round of funding for ele.me, a Chinese food ordering service. This latest round - which also includes existing backer Matrix Partners - values the company approximately $100 million.
Blackstone Real Estate Partners to exit Synergy Property
The Blackstone Group’s Real Estate Partners unit is in the process of exiting its 35% stake in Bangalore-based project management consultancy Synergy Property Development Services in a deal valued at INR2.6 billion ($41.7 million)
Northern Light backs Chinese analytics provider TalkingData
Northern Light Venture Capital has provided $10 million in Series A funding to TalkingData, a Chinese mobile data analytics provider. The company plans to use the new capital to enhance its product offerings in mobile gaming, advertising, e-commerce and...
Q&A: Milestone Capital Advisors' Rubi Arya
The sudden death of Ved Prakash Arya in 2011 left Milestone Capital Advisors without a founder and figurehead. His widow, Rubi Arya, took up the reins. She tells AVCJ how the business is moving forward
India agritech: Green shoots
India’s agricultural sector is fast-growing but inefficient. Private equity is well positioned to capitalize on the need for better technology, information and distribution
India buyouts: Ceding control
India emerged as and remains a predominantly growth capital PE market, but economic and generational factors have conspired to make domestic companies more open to a buyout proposition
Kingsoft receives $50m from Morningside, GGV, Shunwei
Kingsoft Office Software, an office suite that competes with Microsoft Office, has received $50 million in commitments from Morningside Technologies, GGV Capital and Shunwei China Internet Fund.
China's 500.com jumps 54% on NYSE debut
Shares in VC-backed 500.com gained 54% as the Chinese online sports lottery provider made its US trading debut on Friday. The stock peaked at $21.85 before closing at $20.01, valuing the company at $700 million.
CBC, Sichuan Changhong to launch $41m internet fund
China Broadband Capital Partners (CBC) and Sichuan Changhong Electric, a Chinese electric goods maker, plan to launch a RMB250 million ($41 million) venture fund to invest in the cloud computing, big data, smart phone and internet industries.
KKR-owned Bis Industries acquires Powertrans for $27m
KKR-held Australian mining logistics company Bis Industries is to acquire mining haulage systems operator Powertrans for A$30 million ($27.46 million).
JAFCO-backed ZIGExN raises $58m in Tokyo IPO
ZIGExN, a JAFCO portfolio company that runs network of search engine websites, saw its stock more than double to JPY1750 on its first day of trading following a JPY5.8 billion ($58 million) Tokyo IPO.
Oaktree, China Cinda form distressed assets JV
Oaktree Capital Group has entered into a joint venture with China Cinda Asset Management Corp. that will see the two groups invest in distressed assets in China. Cinda was originally set up to absorb non-performing loans (NPLs) from China’s Big Four...
Sequoia backs China CRM platform Xiaoshouyi
Sequoia Capital has provided a Series A round of funding for Xiaoshouyi, a Chinese customer relationship management (CRM) platform.
Nissay, Globis, SMBC invest $3m in Japan's Itandi
Japanese VC investors Nissay Capital, Globis Capital and SMBC Ventures have committed JPY300 million ($2.9 million) to Itandi, an IT solutions provider to the real estate industry.