Fundraising
Fund-of-funds: Creatures great and small
Global fund-of-funds are looking to scale up and become more diversified, while many of their smaller counterparts are pursuing niche strategies. Is the model in a state of decline or a state of revolution?
Asia Alternatives raises $1.8b for funds, separate accounts
Asia Alternatives Management has closed $1.8 billion in new commitments from LPs, comprising $1 billion for co-mingled fund-of-funds and $800 million in separately managed accounts.
TVM reaches $50m first close on China pharma fund
TVM Capital Life Science has reached a first close of $50 million on its debut China fund, which will invest in Western companies with a view to obtaining licenses for development and commercialization in China.
China VC firm Qiming raises $75m annex fund
Qiming Venture Partners has raised a $75 million annex vehicle on top of its third US dollar-denominated fund for follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies.
Japanese biotech firm targets $42m venture fund
An investment unit of Japanese biotech company Euglena is looking to raise JPY5 billion ($41.5 million) for a VC vehicle it has launched alongside SMBC Nikko - which is controlled by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group - and science start-up incubator Leave...
Texas County & District re-ups for RRJ Capital's third fund
Texas County & District Retirement System (TCDRS) will invest $50 million in RRJ Capital’s third fund, which launched earlier this year and is understood to be targeting at least $4 billion.
Ascendent seeks $500m for second China fund
China-focused GP Ascendent Capital Partners has set a target of $500 million for its second fund.
Johnson & Johnson commits $15m to Vivo's healthcare fund
Johnson & Johnson Innovation (JJDC) - the venture capital arm of the eponymous healthcare and consumer goods multinational - has committed to $15 million to Vivo Capital's latest US and China-focused healthcare fund.
IDB, Pertamina Pension Fund to set up private equity JV
The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Indonesia's Pertamina Pension Fund have agreed to set up a joint venture private equity firm to invest in infrastructure and other projects in Indonesia.
Top Standard Chartered banker quits to raise PE fund
Viswanathan Shankar, Standard Chartered's group executive director and CEO for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Americas is leaving the firm to set up his own private equity fund.
India Value Fund Advisors in $500m first close on Fund V
India Value Fund Advisors has reached a first close of $500 million on its fifth Indium fund, which has a hard cap of $700 million.
VIDEO: Navis Capital Partners' Rodney Muse
Nothing is off limits now when LPs are conducting due diligence on private equity firms as investors respond to issues such as regulatory change, according to Rodney Muse, co-founder and managing partner of Navis Capital Partners
Creador to seek $450m for Fund III
Creador is preparing to launch its third Southeast Asia- and India-focused fund with a target corpus of $450 million. This comes barely eight months after the GP closed its second fund at $330 million.
China's middle market: Small is beautiful
What has become of China's middle-market GPs? Twelve managers reached final closes in 2014 of $301-750 million. All bar two of them were raising venture capital funds.
Baring branches into real estate
BPE Asia Real Estate, the property-focused affiliate of Baring Private Equity Asia, picks its markets based on entry price per square foot. When investing in property developments, this is inextricably tied to land costs.
LP interview: PGGM
Following the decision to sell AlpInvest Partners, Dutch pension fund PGGM set up its own PE division. There is a preference for buyouts in Asia’s developed markets and a growing appetite for co-investment
Baring Asia closes debut real estate fund
Baring Private Equity Asia’s real estate affiliate has closed its debut fund with $365 million in commitments. The first two investments have also been completed in South Korea and the Philippines, respectively.
Mercurius Capital launches $80m PE fund with Chinese firm
Mercury Capital Investment, a subsidiary of Singapore-listed Mercurius Capital Investment, has teamed up with a Chinese real estate developer to launch a RMB500 million ($80 million) PE fund targeting urbanization projects in China.
Peesh Venture Capital launches $50m fund, India accelerator
Early-stage investor Peesh Venture Capital (PVC) has launched a $50 million fund and accelerator targeting Indian start-ups.
Indian condiments maker to back PE fund
Indian condiment maker Eastern Group will back a INR1.25 billion ($19.9 million) private equity fund in partnership with venture capital firm CapAleph Advisors.
Vivo boosts fund for cross-border play
Healthcare-focused Vivo Capital has attracted increasing attention from LPs for its hybrid focus on the US and China. As testament to this, its latest fund - Vivo Capital Fund VIII - closed at $750 million after nine months in the market, with demand...
Accel raises $305m for India fund
Venture capital firm Accel Partners has raised $305 million for its fourth country-focused fund to invest in Indian start-ups.
China's Alibaba backs Israeli venture fund
Alibaba Group has made an LP commitment to the latest fund being raised by Israel-based VC firm Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP). It comes two months after the Chinese e-commerce giant made its first director investment in Israel.
India's Trifecta secures RBL as anchor, raises target to $64m
Trifecta Capital, the venture debt firm set up former Canaan Partners Managing Director Rahul Khanna, has secured a INR500 million ($8 million) anchor investment from RBL Bank for its debut fund, and set a new target of INR4 billion.

