Venture
IDG, CreditEase to launch financial innovation fund
IDG Capital Partners and CreditEase, a Chinese peer-to-peer (P2P) microcredit lender, have set up a financial innovation fund, targeting a first close of $100 million. The vehicle - IDG CreditEase Financial Innovation Fund – will support online financial...
500 Startups raises $44.1m second fund
Silicon Valley-based incubator 500 Startups has held a final close of $44.1 million second fund that will back seed and accelerator companies. The vehicle – 500 Startup Fund II - is larger than its predecessor but below the $50 million target.
Tech IPOs: An issue of control
Alibaba Group wants the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to permit a bespoke IPO structure that would allow management to retain board control. By refusing, is the bourse going to forgo more China tech business?
KPCB, IPV back Singapore stock market app Series A round
Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers (KPCB) and IPV Capital have together led a $10 million Series A round for MyHero, the Singapore-based start-up behind the stock market simulation app TradeHero.
Alibaba acquires VC-backed cloud computing Kanbox
Alibaba Group has agreed to buy Kanbox, a Chinese cloud storage service provider backed by Susquehanna Asia Investment and DCM. The value of the deal was not disclosed.
Japan's KDDI, Cisco lead $10m Series A for Moxtra
Japanese telecom firm KDDI Corp and US tech giant Cisco Systems have led a $10 million Series A round of investment for Silicon Valley-based app developer Moxtra. Other investors include China's Innovation Works and Starwood Capital's Barry Sternlicht....
Horizons Ventures backs Zoom Video Series B round
Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing’s Horizons Ventures, which is known for investments in Facebook and Skype, has led a $6.5 million Series B funding round for Zoom Video Communication, a California-based cloud conferencing operator.
Malaysia launches $100m clean tech fund
Malaysia has teamed up with Japan-based Asian Energy Investments to form a $100 million venture capital fund to invest in clean technology in South East Asia.
IDG invests in Chinese personal finance app developer
IDG Capital Partners has provided a Series A round of funding for Hangzhou Wacai Science, a Chinese personal finance management mobile app developer. Terms of transaction was undisclosed but the investment was said to be more than $10 million.
NTT Docomo Ventures, Livesense lead $5.5m investment in Japan's Aratana
NTT Docomo Ventures, the corporate VC arm of the Japanese mobile giant, and internet media firm Livesense have together led a JPY550 million ($5.5 million) investment round for Aratana, a social e-commerce platform developer. Existing VC backers JAFCO,...
Sequoia Capital leads $15m Series C in App Annie
Sequoia Capital has led a $15 million investment in app analytics platform App Annie, with participation from existing investors IDG Capital Partners, Greycroft Partners, e.ventures and Infinity Venture Partners. Tim Lee, partner at Sequoia Capital and...
Helion, Kalaari lead $10m Series B for Simplilearn.com
Helion Venture Partners and existing backer Kalaari Capital have led a $10 million Series B round for professional certification exam preparation provider Simplilearn Solutions.
Investors book passage with Tuniu
Most Travel e-commerce companies in China are essentially search engines that provide information on hotel and flight bookings plus a payment mechanism. The team at Tuniu opted for a different tack, focusing specifically on packaged tourism, and they...
ClearVue Partners backs $5m round for China online grocery store
ClearVue Partners has led a $5 million Series A round of funding in Shanghai-based online grocery store Fields.
Hong Kong start-ups: The Silicon Harbour
Hong Kong is touting itself as Asia's next great tech start-up hub. It must first address expensive real estate, the role of government as facilitator, and strategic positioning vis-à-vis mainland China
VC-backed Forgame targets $222m Hong Kong IPO
Forgame Holdings, a Guangzhou-based mobile game developer backed by several VC firms, plans to raise at least $222 million through an IPO in Hong Kong.
GGV invests in China LED producer's pre-IPO round
GGV Capital has made a pre-IPO investment in Sichuan Sunfor Light, a Chinese light emitting diode (LED) manufacturer. Terms of transaction were not disclosed.
Chinese authorities detain ex-CDH executive Gongquan Wang
Gongquan Wang, founder of CDH Venture Capital, has been detained by Chinese authorities for alleged involvement of New Citizen’s Movement, a civil rights group advocating greater transparency in government. Wang left CDH two years ago.
WuXi PharmaTech-backed Foundation Medicine sets terms for $75m IPO
US cancer diagnostics firm Foundation Medicine, which counts the corporate venture fund of Shanghai-headquarted WuXi PharmaTech among its backers, has announced the terms for its US IPO.
Hong Kong investors contemplate "Silicon Harbour"
Hong Kong has the potential to become an innovation center for Asia, say industry participants, but not quite in the mold of Silicon Valley.
Intel Capital, AsiaVest to make partial exits from China's Montage via US IPO
Intel Capital and AsiaVest Partners will make partial exits from Montage Technology Group when the China-based semiconductor manufacturer completes its NASDAQ IPO.
Sequoia leads Series B round in China menstruation-tracking app
Sequoia Capital China has led a Series B round of founding for Dayima.com, a menstruation cycle-tracking mobile app. Existing backer Bertelsmann Asia Investments also participated in the round.
Affordable healthcare chain Glocal gets $4m from SIDBI VC
SIDBI Venture Capital has invested INR250 million ($3.93 million) in Glocal Healthcare Systems, which operates multi-specialty hospitals in semi-rural parts of East India.
Shunwei backs China child education app
Beijing Shunwei Venture Capital, founded by super angel investor Lei Jun, has committed a Series A round of funding for Babybus.com, which develops educational apps for children. Details of transaction were not disclosed but the investment size is said...