Funds
PE firms call for limit on Japan's government-backed funds
KKR, The Carlyle Croup and Bain Capital are part of a group of private equity firms urging the Japanese government to rein in its state-backed funds.
Affinity reaches $1.5b first close on Fund IV
Affinity Equity Partners has reached a first close of $1.5 billion on its fourth fund, having spent only about five months in the market. The vehicle has a hard cap of $3.5 billion.
MGPA acquires Shanghai office building
MGPA has acquired J-Tower, a newly completed Grade A office building in Shanghai's Jiading district for RMB263.5 million ($42 million).
Fidelity Growth Japan leads Metaps series B round
Fidelity Growth Partners Japan has led a JPY1 billion ($10 million) Series B round of investment in Metaps, a Tokyo-based mobile software developer. Existing investors have also taken part in the round.
WestBridge renews commitment to Pathlabs
WestBridge Capital'S involvement with India's Dr. Lal Pathlabs goes back to 2005, when the private equity firm invested around $10 million through its debut vehicle, WestBridge Venture Fund I.
AID Partners makes bet on HMV
The rise of services like iTunes and Spotify are enough to make any record store business shudder. Factor in the proliferation of file-sharing services and online piracy, and it is inevitable former giants like the UK's HMV seem to be going the way of...
China secondaries: When push comes to shove
China GPs are under pressure to return cash to investors but IPO exits are challenging. Secondary sales are emerging as an option. Who best placed to deliver on the US dollar and renminbi sides?
India's Grameen Koota raises $9.6m from VCs
Indian's Grameen Financial Serivces (GFS), also known as Grameen Koota, has raised INR532 million ($9.6 million) from Creation Investments, Incofin Investment Management and MicroVentures in its third round of funding.
PE-backed Blue Star entities pick up assets from Geon
Blue Star’s Australia and New Zealand entities, which are now run by two separate private equity-backed management groups, have agreed to buy assets from struggling rival printing company Geon.
KPCB, IDG-Accel invest $10m in China's EntreMed
KPCB China and IDG-Accel China have agreed to invest $10.7 million in EntreMed, a clinical-stage pharma company that develops drugs in the US and China for global release.
Aditya Birla-backed Tree House to acquire Brainworks
Pre-school management company Tree House Education, backed by Aditya Birla Capital Advisors, is to acquire 100% of Brainworks Learning Systems, a national chain of pre-schools. Brainworks is part of Better Value Brands.
JAFCO invests $5 million in HiringBoss
Japanese venture capital firm JAFCO has put $5 million into HR software provider HiringBoss in a Series A round of funding.
Archer-owned Australian Aged Care buys Lend Lease's care unit
Australian Aged Care Partners, an Archer Capital portfolio company, has agreed to buy property group Lend Lease's aged care unit for A$270 million ($276 million). The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of March 2013.
IAN, Sequoia swap Jigsee holding for Vuclip stake
Indian Angel Network (IAN) and Sequoia Capital have become shareholders in VC-backed XinLab, which operates under the brand Vuclip, following its acquisition of mobile video start-up Jigsee in an all-stock deal.
NZVIF receives $49m underwrite for new fund investments
New Zealand Venture Investment Fund (NZVIF), a venture capital fund-of-funds, will receive a NZ$60 million ($49 million) underwrite facility from the New Zealand government.
China’s Beisen gets Series B funding from Matrix, Sequoia
Beisen, a Chinese supplier of HR evaluation and testing tools and services, has received $10 million in Series B funding from Matrix Partners and Sequoia Capital. It comes three years after the company’s first-round of financing, which saw Shenzhen...
Temasek unit completes Singapore’s biggest IPO in two years
Mapletree Greater China Commerical Trust (MGCCT), a unit of Temasek Holding's real estate arm, has raised $1.3 billion in Singapore's biggest IPO in two years.
Korea's AmorePacific leads pharma firm's Series B round
AmorePacific Ventures, the VC arm of Korea's largest cosmetics group, has led a $7 million Series B round of investment in Miami-based Brickell Biotech, a pharma firm specializing in skin conditions. Further details of the deal were not disclosed.
Washington State to invest $300m in Affinity Fund IV
Affinity Equity Partners has secured a $300 million commitment for its fourth pan-Asia fund from Washington State Investment Board. It is three times the size of the US pension system’s investment in the GP’s previous vehicle.
Going walkabout: Australian outbound investment
Taking portfolio companies from Australia into Asia represents a major opportunity for private equity. Pan-regional funds see it as a key part of their strategy, but can domestic players join the party?
Indonesian incubator Grupara invests in fashion site
Indonesian venture capital firm Grupara has invested in men's fashion e-commerce site Maskool.in for an undisclosed amount.
IvyCap takes lead role in Thomson Reuters’ India farming platform
IvyCap Ventures has agreed to become the lead investor in Thomson Reuters’ information platform for Indian farmers. Terms and conditions of the transaction were not disclosed.
Carlyle upbeat on Japan, expects to launch new fund in 2013
The Carlyle Group says it has already begun preliminary talks with investors for a third Japan fund, and remains upbeat about opportunities in the country's buyout space.
Ireo to invest $700m in hotel chain
India real estate investor Ireo will pump $700 million into luxury residences and hotel development in Gurgoan. The fund has tied up with the global hotel chain Hyatt to manage the project.