Regions
Fund focus: Firstred's advisory angle
Firstred Capital has already completed six deals from its debut fund, making commitments that are flexible in structure to Chinese companies that need its M&A expertise
4Q analysis: Growth spurt
Technology-enabled businesses in China and India are the beneficiaries of a resurgence in growth capital deal flow; Japan is the sole stand-out in fundraising; IPOs continue to shine as overall exits struggle
Chinese financial education start-up raises $100m
Erwan Technology, a China-based wealth management education platform, has secured nearly $100 million in funding across Series D and E rounds.
Investors question eligibility for HK carried interest tax concession
Fund-of-funds and family offices could be excluded from Hong Kong’s proposed carried interest tax concession, industry participants have warned.
Singapore's iStox raises $50m Series A
A group of Japanese VC investors has backed a $50 million Series A round for Singapore’s iStox, a digital securities platform that deals in private markets.
Dimension leads $48m round for Japan's Nyle
Japanese VC firm Dimension has led a JPY5 billion ($48.3 million) round for local digital marketing and mobile media business Nyle.
Riverside to buy Australian insurance broker
The Riverside Group has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in Australian disability insurance broker Altius from Sydney-listed AUB Group for A$57 million ($44.3 million) in cash.
AVCJ Awards 2020: Fundraising of the Year - Mid Cap: Ascendent Capital Partners
A $500 million investment in Wumart is the exception rather than the rule for Ascendent Capital Partners’ third China fund, but the digital transformation theme is a constant
China's BangEr Orthopedic raises $46m
Chinese hospital chain operator BangEr Orthopedic has raised a RMB300 million ($46 million) Series D round led by Fortune Capital and Cenova Capital.
Novo Tellus closes second Southeast Asia fund at $250m
Although its second fund is considerably larger than its first, Novo Tellus Capital Partners expects to target the same kind of Southeast Asian industrial technology businesses that have succession and expansion issues
Tower Capital hits first close on Southeast Asia fund
Tower Capital, a Singapore-based GP that previously operated on a deal-by-deal basis, has achieved a first close of approximately $250 million on its first Southeast Asia-focused private equity fund.
Sinovation sharpens focus on healthcare-plus-AI
Healthcare, rather than “rocket science,” represents the biggest opportunity for artificial intelligence (AI) applications, according to Kai-Fu Lee, chairman and CEO of China’s Sinovation Ventures.
COVID-19 changing conduct as much as tech usage
Experiences vary across geographies as Asian GPs adapt to pandemic working conditions. Technology use is up, but the most lasting changes may be more cultural in nature.
AVCJ Awards 2020: Deal of the Year - Small Cap: TaniGroup
Openspace Ventures played a key role in helping Indonesian agriculture technology start-up TaniGroup achieve critical mass as COVID-19 weeded out much of the competition
Deal focus: Monetizing mice
ORI Capital’s 2.8x return on its investment in Kymab was in part based on helping the company make the transition from antibody-based discovery platform to drug development engine
Salesforce invests $15m in India's Darwinbox
Salesforce Ventures has invested $15 million in Darwinbox as part of the Indian staff management technology provider's latest growth round. It brings funds raised to date to about $35 million.
Prosus leads $30m Series C for India agtech start-up
Prosus Ventures, formerly a VC arm of South African media conglomerate Naspers, has led a $30 million Series C round for Indian agricultural technology provider DeHaat.
Fund focus: Endiya sees India’s early-stage upside
Having scaled up in fund size to $75 million for its second vintage, Endiya Partners is looking for opportunities in an increasingly attractive yet competitive Indian start-up ecosystem
Monument Group recruits Japan representative
Placement agent Monument Group has appointed Hiroshi Nishimuro, formerly of Morgan Stanley, as its Japan representative to lead fundraising efforts and manage GP relationships in the country.
Asia PE investment ends 2020 on a tear
A fourth-quarter surge in growth-stage deal-making took Asia private equity investment to $198.5 billion in 2020, comfortably surpassing the previous year’s total despite the strictures of COVID-19.
AVCJ Awards 2020: Operational Value Add: TEG
Affinity Equity Partners turned TEG from a ticketing business into a broad-based live events promoter, while simultaneously taking it from Australia-centric to global
Hillhouse founder bullish on China life sciences
Lei Zhang, founder and CEO of Hillhouse Capital, emphasized the opportunities at the nexus of life sciences and artificial intelligence-enabled supercomputing, while describing his firm as “probably the largest investor in healthcare in China.”
Lake Bleu raises $560m for Asia pre-IPO healthcare fund
Lake Bleu Capital, a Hong Kong-based private equity investor focused on healthcare, has raised $560 million for a pre-IPO fund targeting Asia with an emphasis on Greater China.
