Funds
TPG Growth names India, Southeast Asia head
Shailesh Rao (pictured), a former executive at Twitter and Google, has been named head of India and Southeast Asia for TPG Growth, the middle market investment platform of TPG Capital.
Australia's NAB commits $36m to VC fund
National Australia Bank (NAB), has committed an additional A$50 million ($36 million) to its venture capital unit for investments in financial technology companies through 2020.
LP interview: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has moved fast to forge a name for itself as a champion of often ignored developing markets. As private sector activity ramps up, long-term plans are coming into focus
Deal focus: Xponentia takes delivery of maiden deal
Xponentia Fund Partners, which was established by three former colleagues from CVCI, has teamed up with Samara to acquire Spoton with a view to creating a true national-level player in Indian logistics
Myanmar's Anthem reaches first close on SME fund
Myanmar private equity firm Anthem Asia has reached a first close of $34.5 million on its debut fund, which will invest locally in small to medium-sized enterprises (SME).
Aditya Birla, Värde launch India distressed asset JV
Aditya Birla Capital (ABCL), the financial services arm of the Aditya Birla Group, and Värde Partners will launch a joint venture to pursue investments in stressed and distressed assets in India.
New Zealand's Genesis launches $20m PE fund
New Zealand’s Genesis Private Equity has launched its second fund focused on local small to medium-sized companies with a target of NZ$30 million ($20 million).
Sequoia raises $2.5b for China funds
Sequoia Capital has closed its latest China funds with $2.5 billion in commitments across growth, venture, and seed strategies.
Korean project funds: Lines of sight
The prevalence of project funds in Korea is routinely linked to local institutional investors’ innate discomfort with blind pool vehicles. But is this dynamic holding back middle market managers?
Crescent raises $586m for sixth Australia, New Zealand fund
Crescent Capital Partners has closed its sixth Australia and New Zealand mid-market fund at A$800 million ($586 million) after less than three months in the market.
AVCJ Awards 2018 - Nominations have now closed
Nominations for the 2018 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards have now closed. The public voting stage of the process will begin around October 10.
Autonomous vehicles: Driving ambition
Asia’s driverless car space has become an increasingly popular investment destination in recent years, but a number of significant challenges must be resolved for the sector to gain widespread social acceptance
CDC Group backs India's Pi Ventures
CDC Group has committed $6 million to a fund managed by Pi Ventures, an Indian firm focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and internet-of-things (IoT).
Sequoia India closes sixth fund at $695m
Sequoia Capital India has closed its sixth fund at $695 million, surpassing a target range of $625-675 million.
Singapore's Qualgro reaches $60m first close on second fund
Qualgro, a Southeast Asia and Australasia-focused VC firm that spun out from Singapore asset manager Gordian Capital, has secured a first close of $60 million on its second fund.
Singapore's Tin Men targets $100m for debut fund
Tin Men Capital, a Southeast Asia-focused VC firm founded earlier this year, is targeting $100 million for its debut fund. The GP has committed $6.9 million to Overdrive IOT and Globaltix, marking its first two investments.
Matrix raises $300m for third India fund
Matrix Partners has raised $300 million for its third India-focused venture capital fund, which will back companies in sectors including consumer and enterprise technology and financial technology.
Y Combinator hires ex-Baidu COO to lead China business
Silicon Valley-based seed-stage accelerator Y Combinator (YC) has chosen Qi Lu, the former group president and COO of search giant Baidu, as the founding CEO of its China branch, YC China.
GGV seeks $1.9b for new venture funds
Sino-US venture capital firm GGV Capital is targeting $1.88 billion for its latest fund, which like its previous fund is grouped into four separate vehicles.
Openspace closes second SE Asia VC fund at $135m
Southeast Asia-focused VC firm Openspace Ventures – best known for being the first institutional investor in Indonesian ride-hailing and delivery platform Go-Jek – has closed its second fund at the hard cap of $135 million.
Crescendo hits $398m hard cap on second Korea fund
Crescendo Equity Partners, a mid-market Korean GP that concentrates on the industrial technology space, has closed its second fund at the hard cap of KRW450 billion ($398 million).
Golden Gate launches crypto, blockchain fund
Singapore’s Golden Gate Ventures has launched a cryptocurrency and blockchain fund in partnership with LuneX Ventures, a new firm established by Kenrick Drijkoningen (pictured), Golden Gate’s former head of growth.
China's GSR to invest $405m in US-based Overstock
Chinese private equity firm GSR Capital has agreed to invest up to $405 million in US-listed online retailer Overstock.com and its financial technology subsidiary tZero through three separate transactions.
Yunfeng records $2.5b final close on third China fund
Yunfeng Capital, a Chinese private equity firm established by Jack Ma and David Yu, founders of Alibaba Group and Target Media, respectively, has raised $2.5 billion for its third US dollar-denominated fund.

