Fundraising
Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui commits $1.5bn to Apollo
Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings has signed up to an alternatives co-investment program run by Apollo Global Management, taking the total capital raised from Asia-based LPs to more than USD 5bn.
Sequoia raises $8.8b for China funds
Sequoia Capital has hit the hard cap on each of the four funds in its latest China vintage, accumulating USD 8.8bn for deployment in seed through late-growth rounds.
Joy sets modest target for China VC fund - update
Beijing-based Joy Capital has set a lower target for its latest US dollar-denominated fund than in the previous vintage and decided against raising a second accompanying growth vehicle.
Bertelsmann to invest $500m in India
Bertelsmann India Investments has earmarked USD 500m, provided by its eponymous German parent, for investment in local start-ups. The VC unit’s total deployment since its launch in 2013 is USD 285m.
Entrepreneur First raises $158m, targets SE Asia
UK-headquartered incubator Entrepreneur First (EF) has raised USD 158m, targeted in part at investment in Southeast Asian start-ups and expanding its reach in the region.
Panthera hits first close on India, Southeast Asia fund
India and Southeast Asia-focused Panthera Growth Partners has reached a first close on its second fund with commitments amounting to more than half the overall target of USD 250m.
Fund focus: LGT eyes a buying opportunity
As LGT Capital Partners starts deploying its USD 1.65bn Asia fund-of-funds, it hopes that rationalising valuations and some consolidation of GP relationships will contribute to a strong vintage
Fund focus: Re-ups underpin FountainVest's Fund IV close
Despite headwinds that have afflicted all China-focused managers, FountainVest Partners closed its fourth fund just above target on USD 2.9bn. One-third of the corpus has already been deployed
India's Fundamental VC launches debut fund
Fundamental VC, an early-stage investor set up by two Indian angel investors and start-up ecosystem professionals, has launched its debut fund with a target of USD 130m.
GPs must adapt to raise capital from HNWIs - AVCJ Forum
Australia’s high net worth individuals (HNWIs) are becoming a more important source of capital for mid-market private equity firms as superannuation funds face minimum cheque size constraints, but tapping this fundraising channel requires understanding...
Matrix seeks $450m for fourth India fund
Matrix Partners has launched its fourth India venture capital fund with a target of USD 450m.
LGT raises $1.65b for Asia fund-of-funds
LGT Capital Partners has closed its fifth Asia-focused fund-of-funds with USD 1.65bn in commitments, up from approximately USD 1bn in the previous vintage.
China's ZWC hits first close on debut renminbi fund
Chinese venture capital firm ZWC Partners has reached the first close of CNY 1bn (USD 149m) on its debut renminbi-denominated fund. The overall target is CNY 1.5bn.
Placement agents: Asian entries
Asia’s sparse placement agent scene is fleshing itself out despite macro headwinds, but the model is being revised to adapt to a changing market. This appears irreversible
Fund focus: LPs endorse Potentia's software thesis
Potentia Capital took just four months to close its second fund on USD 438m, emphasizing the growing appeal of B2B technology opportunities in Australia and New Zealand
LP interview: Hywin Holdings
US-listed Hywin Holdings is plugging China’s rich into private asset classes one handshake at a time despite increasing digitisation in this wealth migration theme. PE is a fast-growing slice of the pie
Hillhouse reaches first close on China carbon neutrality fund
Hillhouse Capital has reached the first close on its debut renminbi-denominated carbon neutrality fund, which has an overall target of around CNY 4bn (USD 597m).
Legend axes consumer from latest China TMT fund
Legend Capital has excluded the consumer-facing segment from its latest China technology, media, and telecom (TMT) fund, reflecting a broader sense of uncertainty among local managers regarding the regulatory environment.
Japan's WiL raises USD 1bn
US-Japan cross-border investor World Innovation Lab (WiL) has raised USD 1bn across its third flagship fund and several other vehicles.
Clifford Chance poaches Asia funds partner from Kirkland
Clifford Chance has bolstered its Asia private funds offering with the recruitment of Liyong Xing, formerly a partner at Kirkland & Ellis.
India's 8i Ventures seeks $50m for Fund II
8i Ventures, an India-based early-stage venture capital firm that recently made a partial exit from software supplier M2P Fintech with a 36x return, is targeting USD 50m for its second fund.
Sequoia raises $2.85b for India, Southeast Asia
Sequoia Capital has raised USD 2.85bn for its latest set of India and Southeast Asia-focused funds, which includes the firm’s first-ever dedicated Southeast Asia vehicle.
Australia's Potentia closes Fund II on $438m
Australian technology-focused private equity firm Potentia Capital has achieved a first and final close of AUD 635m (USD 438m) on its second fund, hitting the hard cap and beating a target of AUD 500m.
Monad targets up to $150m for second China software fund
Monad Ventures, a China-based VC firm specialising in early-stage enterprise software investments, is looking to raise up to USD 150m for its second US dollar-denominated fund.