Greater China
Matrix leads Series B for China's SpeedBot Robotics
Matrix Partners has led a CNY 300m (USD 44m) Series B round for SpeedBot Robotics, a China-based start-up specialising in vision-guided intelligent robotics.
China EV maker Hozon completes Series D with $443m tranche
Hozon Auto, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has raised CNY 3bn (USD 443m) in funding from the likes of Shenzhen Capital Group, Qianhai FoF, Hongtai Capital, Dayone Capital, Insight Capital, and Dianshi Capital.
Sequoia leads Series A for China automotive chipmaker
SiEngine Technology, a China-based developer of chips for the automotive industry, has raised around CNY 1bn (USD 148m) in a Series A round led by Sequoia Capital China.
China's Jaka Robotics raises $150m Series D
Prosperity7 Ventures, a USD 1bn venture capital fund established by Saudi Arabia state oil giant Saudi Aramco, has continued its run of robotics investments in Asia by joining a USD 150m Series D for China’s Jaka Robotics.
B Capital raises $250m for global early-stage fund
Los Angeles and Singapore-headquartered B Capital Group has closed its first dedicated early-stage fund with USD 250m in commitments. It will target the US and Asia.
Deal focus: Seeing light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel
Taiwan travel start-up KKday continues to raise capital seemingly on its own terms despite flights remaining largely grounded. It expects a boom toward year-end and near-normalcy in 2023
Asia logistics: Cost and complexity
Investment opportunities are expected to emerge as companies look to technology as a means of easing inflationary pressure on supply chains. Will Asia’s shallow pool of specialist logistics GPs deepen?
China's Miss Fresh brings in state backer at knock-down valuation
Chinese online grocery delivery platform Miss Fresh, which went public on NASDAQ 12 months ago with a market capitalisation of around USD 3bn, has sold a minority stake to a state-owned enterprise at a valuation of USD 90m.
China GPU chip developer Iluvatar raises $149m
Iluvatar CoreX, a Shanghai-based designer of chips used in cloud computing, has raised CNY 1bn (USD 149m) across two additional tranches of Series C funding. The first tranche closed on CNY 1.2bn in March 2021.
Canada's AIMCo to establish Asia base in Singapore
Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), a Canadian pension plan with CAD 168.3bn (USD 127.9bn) in assets under management, has chosen Singapore over Hong Kong for its first Asia office.
TGVest helps Taiwan's KKday lift Series C to $95m
Taiwanese e-commerce and travel platform KKday has closed a protracted Series C capital raising process with USD 95m. Local private equity firm TGVest Capital led the latest tranche.
Hong Kong's Animoca Brands raises another $75m
Hong Kong’s Animoca Brands – a start-up with interests spanning gaming and the metaverse – has raised USD 75.3m from several VC firms. It brings total funding in the past eight months to about USD 500m.
IDG leads $100m Series A for China's Xpeng Robotics
IDG Capital has led a USD 100m Series A round for Xpeng Robotics, a smart robot developer affiliated to US and Hong Kong-listed Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Xpeng.
China autonomous road sweeping start-up raises $30m
Chinese autonomous road sweeping start-up Autowise.ai has raised an extended Series B round of CNY 200m (USD 30m) featuring a VC unit of Shanghai-listed new energy company Shanshan Group.
Deal focus: Dayone champions lithium-ion alternative
In throwing its support behind Enpower Greentech, Dayone Capital hopes the Chinese company can turn solid-state batteries into a commercially viable reality for electric vehicles
Deal focus: GPs go big on China biosynthesis
Advances in synthetic biology and China’s carbon-neutral ambitions have prompted investors to re-examine bio-manufacturing plays. Mojia Biotech is among the beneficiaries
2Q analysis: Substituting China?
India and Southeast Asia come to the fore as China demonstrates weakness in both growth-stage investment and fundraising; exits continue to struggle amid reluctance from strategic buyers
Fund focus: Qiming picks its moment
China’s Qiming Venture Partners more than doubled its fund size from the previous vintage, having launched the vehicle prior to the recent chaos and leveraged LP demand for the familiar
China medical big data player Aden secures $30m
Aden Technology, a China-based medical big data company specialising in insurance, has raised an extended Series B round of CNY 200m (USD 30m) led by Haier Capital with participation from Xingtuo Capital.
Qiming raises $3.2b across dollar, renminbi funds
China-focused VC firm Qiming Venture Partners has closed its eighth US dollar-denominated fund at the hard cap of USD 2.5bn – more than twice the size of the previous vintage – and raised CNY 4.7bn (USD 701m) for its latest renminbi vehicle.
Navis exits Hong Kong's Texon to global strategic
Navis Capital Partners has exited its entire controlling position in Hong Kong footwear components supplier Texon to UK-listed Coats Group for an enterprise value of USD 237m.
Government funds support China's Dark Matter AI
Dmai, a Chinese cognitive artificial intelligence (AI) platform also known as Dark Matter AI, has raised RMB 500m (USD 75m) in the first tranche of a Series B round from five state-backed investors.
Profile: MSA Capital’s Jenny Zeng
Having participated in Chinese private equity as GP, LP, advisor, and industry association executive, Jenny Zeng has clear ideas as to what makes a good founder. These are being put into practice at MSA Capital
Deal focus: CDH plays Asia wellness card
CDH Investments turned The Better Health Company from a New Zealand-only player into a brand with regional recognition. COVID-19 proved a minor obstacle to an ultimately successful trade sale