Industry
China Everbright, Catalyst raise $200m for Israel fund
Catalyst CEL Fund, which is managed by Hong Kong-based asset manager China Everbright and Israel’s Catalyst Private Equity, has beaten its initial target of $200 million.
Made to measure: Customized co-investment
Growing appetite for co-investment among foreign and local institutions in Asia has given rise to a wider variety of advisors offering customized solutions to those with limited in-house resources
Hong Kong: Start-up central
Hong Kong ranks low in a new study of global start-up ecosystems, but has the potential to fly high. A mixture of policy, patience and positive attitude is required
India VC: Smooth waters ahead?
India’s government has made promising signals about its willingness to engage the venture capital community. GPs are optimistic, but reservations remain about the details
Fund focus: SBCVC moves with the times in China
Having raised $459 million for its latest venture capital fund, SBCVC is tracking the latest developments in China technology with a focus on robotics and advanced industrial applications
Innovation Works approved to list on China's New Third Board
Innovation Works, a Chinese early-stage VC firm founded by ex-Google China head Kai-Fu Lee, has been approved to list on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), an over-the-counter (OTC) market also known as the New Third Board.
Hong Kong is world's fifth fastest-growing start-up ecosystem – study
Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem is expanding rapidly from a low base and was the fifth fastest-growing ecosystem globally last year, according to a new report.
EQT buys Hong Kong social compliance assessment business
EQT Partners has bought a majority stake in Hong Kong-based social compliance assessment and improvement service Elevate.
Sequoia closes fifth India fund at $920m
Sequoia Capital has closed its latest India fund – which has a minority allocation to Southeast Asia – at $920 million, comprising an $875 million institutional corpus and a GP commitment of $45 million.
Fund focus: New name, same agribusiness strategy
Following a spin-out from Cargill, the PE unit of Black River Asset Management has been renamed Proterra Investments Partners. The agriculture-focused remit is unchanged
Corstone closes $124m Korea fund
US-based private equity firm Corstone Capital has closed a South Korea-focused fund at KRW150 billion ($124 million).
Australia's Future Fund trims PE exposure
Australia’s Future Fund has lowered its private equity allocation slightly and boosted its cash holdings, reflecting concerns over increased risk due to changes in lending and public policy across markets.
Rakuten launches $84m Japan venture fund
Rakuten Ventures, the corporate VC arm of Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten, has launched a JPY10 billion ($84 million) fund targeting start-ups in Japan.
Shanghai to compensate VCs for financial losses
The Shanghai government has proposed new measures to compensate early-stage investors’ for financial losses incurred by investing in local start-ups.
China Merchants Bank to invest in Didi Kuaidi
China Merchants Bank (CMB) has agreed to invest in Chinese ride-hailing app Didi Kuaidi, and to create a strategic partnership with the company as well.
LP interview: Hamilton Lane
In addition to an advisory business that targets large-scale LPs, Hamilton Lane has a discretionary portfolio geared towards the middle market. It expects Asian GPs in this space to adapt to changing dynamics
Late starter: Hong Kong boosts innovation support
Hong Kong is following in Singapore’s footsteps with the announcement of meaningful support for technology start-ups. Why is the government moving on the issue now, and what difference can it make?
Nature vs nurture: Training PE professionals
With private equity’s traditional training tools coming under increased scrutiny, some are calling for standardized qualifications - before outside forces take matters out of the industry’s hands.
Indonesia's Kejora adds partner, targets $100m fund
Indonesian venture capital firm Kejora Group has hired Eri Reksoprodjo, formerly of Saratoga Capital, as a partner as it looks to raise up to $100 million for its first institutional fund.
Black River PE team goes solo as part of Cargill spin-out
The private equity team of Black River Asset Management, an independently managed alternative investment unit of agribusiness giant Cargill, has spun out to form Proterra Investment Partners.
Qiming closes fifth China VC fund at $648m – update
Qiming Venture Partners has announced that it has closed its fifth US dollar-denominated China VC fund at $648 million.
Go Scale still committed to global deals, despite Lumileds setback
Go Scale Capital will continue to target international acquisitions, including in the US, despite the termination of a deal for Philips’ LED components and automotive lighting unit due to regulatory concerns.
China's Innovation Works seeks $250m for Fund III
China-based early-stage investor Innovation Works, which was founded by former Google China head Kai-Fu Lee, is looking to raise $250 million for its third fund.
Panel proposes reforms to boost domestic capital in India PE
A panel appointed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has recommended tax law changes and regulatory reforms to ease fundraising for PE and VC funds.