Venture
Spiral raises $64m for debut Japan VC fund
Japan-focused Spiral Ventures – known as IMJ Investment Partners until spinning out from its corporate parent last year – has closed its debut fund at JPY7 billion ($64 million).
India's 3one4 closes second fund at $39m
Indian VC firm 3one4 Capital has closed its second early stage fund at INR2.5 billion ($39 million), exceeding its target of INR1.5 billion.
Japan's UTEC raises fourth early-stage fund
University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC) has raised JPY15.5 billion ($142 million) for its fourth fund intended to support the development of research conducted at the university into start-ups.
Japan's SBI sets up $450m AI-blockchain fund
SBI Investment, the VC arm of Japan’s SBI Holdings, has launched a JPY50 billion ($450 million) fund that will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology.
India's Pi Ventures reaches $25m second close on AI fund
Indian early-stage investor Pi Ventures has announced a second close of $25 million on its debut artificial intelligence (AI)-focused fund.
Nissan, Mitsubishi, Renault set up $1b auto VC fund
Automotive giants Renault, Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors have launched a venture capital fund that will invest $1 billion in advanced car technologies with a strong presence in Asia.
Baidu, Singapore's AMI launch $200m auto tech fund
Chinese internet giant Baidu has launched a $200 million fund with Singapore technology conglomerate Asia Mobility Industries (AMI) that will focus on autonomous driving and intelligent transportation.
AVCJ Awards 2017: VC Professionals of the Year: JP Gan & Nisa Leung
J.P. Gan and Nisa Leung, managing partners at Qiming Venture Partners, discuss the latest trends they are seeing in China’s consumer internet and healthcare spaces
AVCJ Awards: Fundraising of the Year - Venture Capital: Lilly Asia Ventures
Lilly Asia Ventures’ rapid-fire $450 million fundraise reflects increasing LP interest in the opportunities offered by the Chinese healthcare sector
Profile: KPCB China's James Huang
James Huang, a managing partner at KPCB China, has launched his own healthcare-focused investment firm to put his incubation and operational skills to work with a new generation of Chinese start-ups
NSI hits first close on Fund II, backs Singapore healthcare start-up
NSI Ventures has reached a first close of approximately $60 million on its second Southeast Asia venture capital fund and also participated in a $5 million Series A round for Singapore-based digital healthcare company Biofourmis.
China’s 6 Dimensions raises $844m for debut healthcare fund
China’s 6 Dimensions Capital, which was formed through the merger of WuXi Healthcare Ventures and Frontline BioVentures, has raised approximately $844 million for its debut healthcare fund.
Indian entrepreneurs drawn to corporate VC – AVCJ Forum
Indian technology start-ups are seeing corporate venture capital arms as attractive partners, but investors must be prepared to show what differentiates them from their parent companies, industry participants told the AVCJ India Forum.
China investors launch $77m cross-border AI fund
Chinese start-up accelerator Comb+ and the Beijing Institute of Collaborate Innovation have jointly launched a fund targeting EUR65 million ($77 million) that will invest artificial intelligence (AI) companies expanding into China.
AVCJ at 30: Part Three - The Rise of China
David Pierce of HQ Capital, Gary Rieschel of Qiming Venture Partners, Shangzhi Wu of CDH Investments, and Weijian Shan of PAG Asia Capital on China's emergence as a private equity and venture capital destination
Eight Roads launches $223m Japan fund
Eight Roads Ventures, the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International, has launched its second dedicated Japan fund with a corpus of JPY25 billion ($223 million). The firm’s parent committed all of the capital.
New opportunities breed new VCs in Asia – AVCJ Forum
A byproduct of Asia’s technology boom is the emergence of a new generation of GPs that have spun out from global venture capital players and internet companies, with a view to capturing opportunities presented by this fast-moving sector.
Q&A: Qiming Venture Partners' Gary Rieschel
Gary Rieschel, founding managing partner at Qiming Venture Partners, got his first taste of China VC while working for SoftBank in the 1990s. He recollected to AVCJ how the industry made its mark on a global scale
India's KKR-backed Avendus buys domestic peer Zodius
Avendus Capital, an Indian financial services firm owned by KKR, has bought technology-focused venture capital firm Zodius Capital.
Fund focus: HighLight’s early-stage prescription
HighLight Capital has secured $250 million for its second China healthcare-focused fund, suggesting that proven sector specialists are getting traction with institutional LPs
Singapore eases VC registration process
Singapore has dropped the requirement that venture capital managers must have at least five years of experience to qualify for local registration as part of wider reforms intended to attract more investors to the country.
Two partners depart India's Kalaari
Bala Srinivasa and Prashant Aluru, partners at Indian early-stage venture capital firm Kalaari Capital, have left the firm to pursue other opportunities.
Fund focus: Vickers prepares to narrow its focus
Vickers Venture Partners raised $230 million for its latest VC fund on the back of a strong track record, but the firm's future vehicles are likely to have more specific remits
Southeast Asia VC: Growth impediment?
Southeast Asia has an abundance of local players targeting early-stage deals while foreign investors fly in to participate in the later stage rounds. The industry is looking for ways to fill the hole in the middle