Fundraising
500 Startups launches second Korea fund
500 Startups has launched its second Korea fund focused on early-stage technology companies in the country.
Fund focus: Nexus Point secures $475m for China buyouts
Nexus Point Capital has raised $475 million for middle-market buyouts in Greater China. The team, led by ex-MBK Partners executive K.C. Kung, favors complex solutions over plain vanilla deals
Greater Bay Area: Promise keepers
The Greater Bay Area initiative plans to speed up regional integration in the Pearl River Delta, with Hong Kong set to be a major beneficiary. Questions remain about the government’s ability to follow through
Vivo raises $1.28b for China-US healthcare fund
US and China-focused healthcare investor Vivo Capital has raised $1.28 billion for its ninth private equity fund. The predecessor vehicle closed at $750 million in 2015.
Singapore's Wavemaker reaches $60m first close on third fund
US and Singapore-based early-stage VC firm Wavemaker Partners has reached a first close of $60 million for its third Southeast Asia-focused fund. The target is $100 million.
Whale watching: Mid-cap GPs engage large-cap LPs
Recent appointments by two Asian GPs - Everstone Group and Legend Capital - offer insights into how smaller managers are trying to forge meaningful relationships with large institutional investors
Russia's sovereign fund signs tech deals with CIC, Alibaba
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has entered into two technology-related ventures, partnering with China Investment Corporation (CIC) on an innovation fund and teaming up with Alibaba Group among others to create a social commerce platform.
Advent raises $17.5b for ninth global fund
Advent International has closed its latest global fund at the hard cap of $17.5 billion, completing its largest-ever fundraising exercise in the space of six months.
Joy Capital sets $350m target for third China VC fund
Joy Capital is seeking $350 million for its third China-focused venture capital fund, which would take the four-year-old firm’s assets under management past the $1 billion mark.
Sinovation closes $362m RMB fund, establishes GBA base
Sinovation Ventures has raised RMB2.5 billion ($362 million) for a fund that will focus on artificial intelligence (AI), big data and related areas. The final close was announced at the unveiling of the firm’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) headquarters in Guangzhou....
Australia's PEP surpasses $1.4b in Fund VI first close
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has reached a first close of just over A$2 billion ($1.4 billion) on its sixth Australia and New Zealand-focused buyout fund, with the hard cap set at A$2.5 billion.
Fund focus: EV Growth fills the gap
East Ventures, Sinar Mas Digital Ventures, and YJ Capital have raised $200 million for a fund that will target Southeast Asia's underserved Series B and above space
In scope: Asian fund managers and Cayman
Asian private equity firms may start moving their fund management entities away from the Cayman Islands due to new economic substance requirements. Is Hong Kong ready to accept them?
LPs worry about alignment issues in GP-led secondaries - survey
The arrival of GP-led secondary transactions in the private equity mainstream has been accompanied by mounting concerns among LPs that their interests might not be aligned with those of the managers driving these deals.
Temasek launches Asia impact fund
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has set up a private equity fund that will make impact investments, primarily in developing Asia.
China-US tensions hinder PE fundraising, redraw investment options
Trade tensions between China and the US have held back private equity fundraising in recent months, but industry participants are also considering the long-term challenges – and opportunities – of a schism between the world’s two largest economies.
Warburg Pincus seeks $4.25b for China, SE Asia fund - update
Warburg Pincus is targeting $4.25 billion for its second China companion fund, having officially added Southeast Asia to the mandate. The previous companion fund closed at $2 billion in late 2016 after three months in the market.
Legend Capital hires PV Wang, ups fundraising ambitions
Chinese venture capital firm Legend Capital has appointed Asia PE industry veteran Piau-Voon Wang (pictured) as a managing director and COO as part of efforts to institutionalize operations and diversify its LP base.
Singapore's EV Growth closes debut fund at $200m
Singapore-based EV Growth, a joint venture between East Ventures, Indonesia’s Sinar Mas Digital Ventures (SMDV) and Japan’s YJ Capital, has closed its first fund at $200 million.
Singapore's VisVires launches $150m food tech fund
VisVires New Protein, a Singapore-based VC firm specializing in food technology, has launched its second fund with a target of $150 million. Fund I closed at $40 million in 2016.
Endiya reaches $40m first close of second India VC fund
Endiya Partners, an early-stage VC investor based in India, has achieved a first close of $40 million for its second fund. The target is $70 million.
PE-backed ESR closes Japan logistics fund at $1.8b
ESR, a pan-Asian logistics and fund management platform that was seeded by Warburg Pincus, has closed its latest Japan-focused fund at JPY200 billion ($1.8 billion).
Archipelago closes debut fund at $75m
Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm Archipelago Capital Partners has closed its debut fund at $75 million, and plans to raise a successor vehicle in 2020.
CPPIB increases co-investments, fund check sizes in Asia
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) closed a record nine direct private equity deals in Asia during the 2019 financial year, while writing down one of its largest existing co-investments in the region.