MENA
Global ambitions: China targets Israel VC
Chinese corporates and financial investors are gravitating to Israel in their quest for high-end technology. This has buoyed local VC activity and more cross-border expansion is likely to follow
KIC, Kingdom Holdings to partner on PE investments
Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) and Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), an investment company controlled by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, have agreed to collaborate on private equity investment opportunities.
Fidelity commits $10m to Greenlight Planet
Fidelity Growth Partners India has led a $10 million round of funding for Greenlight Planet, a US-based manufacturer of solar-powered lanterns for use in off-grid homes in developing countries.
L Capital Asia backs Saudi Arabia gourmet confectioner
L Capital Asia - a PE firm sponsored by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH - has secured its first Middle East investment with the acquisition of a minority stake in Bateel, a luxury confectioner based in Saudi Arabia.
Samurai Incubate targets Tel Aviv
When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe travels to Israel later this month it will be the first time a Japanese leader has visited the country since Junichiro Koizumi in 2006.
Samurai Incubate launches Japan, Israel-focused fund
Japanese incubator and early-stage investor Samurai Incubate has launched a JPY1 billion ($8.3 million) fund with a new focus on Israeli start-ups.
Oman-India fund commits $15.3m to India's GSO Crop Science
The Oman India Joint Investment Fund (OIJIF) has invested INR950 million ($15.3 million) in GSP Crop Science, an Indian agro-chemicals company.
China’s Baidu, Ping An, Qihoo360 invest in Israeli VC fund
Israeli VC firm Carmel Ventures has reached a $194 million final close on its latest VC fund with participation Chinese tech giants Baidu and Qihoo360 as well as insurer Ping An Group.
Australian VC firm Square Peg plans global push
Square Peg Capital, the Australia-based venture capital firm founded by the co-founder of job search site Seek is looking to expand overseas, with plans to invest up to A$100 million a year in Israel and the US.
China-Israel fund invests $42m in Swiss tool maker
Catalyst CEL Fund, a joint venture between China Everbright and Israel-based Catalyst Equity Management, will invest approximately $42 million in Lamina Technologies, a Switzerland-based tool manufacturer.
JBIC, Mitsubishi take stake in Middle East water company
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has joined Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in acquiring a stake in Middle Eastern water treatment firm Metito.
Clearwater sells jack-up rig to Middle East buyer
Asia special situations investor Clearwater Capital Partners has sold a jack-up rig built in a Singapore shipyard to a drilling services partnership between the Saudi Arabian government and Schlumberger.
Apax benefits from Bright Food’s ambition
Apax Partners' 6x return on its investment in Israel-based Tnuva Food Industries has been hard earned.
Abraaj invests in Thai education provider
The Abraaj Group has acquired an undisclosed stake in KPN Academy, an out-of-school education service provider in Thailand.
Apax sells Israeli food company to China's Bright Food
Apax Partners has agreed to sell a 56% stake in Israel-based Tnuva Food Industries to Bright Food Group as the Chinese company continues to expand its business overseas.
Kerogen invests $100m in Kurdistan oil developer
Hong Kong-based energy investor Kerogen Capital has invested $100 million in HKN Holding, which owns HKN Energy, an oil and gas developer with an exclusive focus on Kurdistan.
NVP raises $1.2b for global VC fund
Norwest Venture Partners (NVP) has reached a final close of $1.2 billion on its latest fund, which will make early to late stage venture and growth investments out of the US and via subsidiaries in India and Israel.
China Everbright, Catalyst Equity to launch Israel-focused fund
China Everbright, an investment arm of Chinese conglomerate China Everbright Group, and Catalyst Equity Management, an Israeli-based private equity firm, have teamed up to establish a PE fund that will invest in Israeli companies.
Q&A: The Abraaj Group's Aman Lakhaney
The Abraaj Group’s acquisition of Aureos Capital last year was a massive short cut to a larger Asia presence. Aman Lakhaney, director at The Abraaj Group, explains the firm’s approach to non-BRIC emerging markets
India’s Tata Capital to launch $300m Africa fund
Tata Capital plans to launch an Africa private equity fund with initial capital of about $300 million. It will focus on consumer goods, agriculture and agri-processing.
Horizons, Infinity, IFC invest $65m in Israeli bio-agritech firm Kaiima
Kaiima Bio-Agritech, an Israel-based seed and breeding technology firm, has raised over $65 million from three new investors including Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing’s Horizons Ventures, International Financial Corporation (IFC), and Infinity Group....
King & Wood Mallesons merges with SJ Berwin
King & Wood Mallesons and London-based SJ Berwin will merge to form a single law firm valued at $1 billion. With over 2,700 lawyers in more than 30 countries, the combined entity is expected to be one of the 25 largest law firms in the world.
Samsung Electronics buys VC-backed Boxee
Samsung Electronics has acquired Boxee, a VC-backed Israeli start-up that manufactures digital video recorders (DVRs). The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Asia travel search engine Wego gets $17m in Series C funding
Crescent Point has led a Series C round of funding worth $17 million for Wego, an Asia travel search engine. Victoria Capital and existing investor Tiger Global also participated.
