North America
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.
Hong Kong investors subscribe to movie crypto offering
Two Hong Kong investors will commit $100 million to a digital token offering by Proxima Media, a Hollywood production house established by Ryan Kavanaugh, who previously worked with SAIF Partners and IDG Capital on a China-focused film venture.
China-US trade: Opening gambit
Investors see short-term challenges in the ongoing China-US trade conflict, but longer-term opportunities are expected to emerge from the decoupling of the two economic giants
Korea's CJ CheilJedang brings Bain into Schwan's deal
Korean consumer conglomerate CJ CheilJedang Corporation has agreed to sell a 27% stake in CJ Foods America – a vehicle established for the acquisition of US frozen foods provider Schwan’s – to Bain Capital for $320 million.
Everstone hires former Wipro co-head for IT investments
India’s Everstone Group has hired Suresh Vaswani (pictured), a former executive at Wipro, Dell, and IBM, as a senior director focused on investments in information technology (IT).
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.
Temasek, Horizon lead $300m round for Impossible Foods
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings and Horizon Ventures have led a $300 million round for Impossible Foods, a US vegetarian food technology company expanding into Asia.
CDIB Capital appoints Asia healthcare head
CDIB Capital has named Robert Liu as a managing director and co-head of its regional healthcare practice group in Shanghai.
China-US biopharma player raises $47m Series C
Sirnaomics, a China and US-based biopharmaceutical company specializing in gene therapeutics, has raised $47 million in Series C funding across two tranches.
Everstone hires former UTIMCO executive in New York
Indian and Southeast Asia-focused GP Everstone Group has hired Suneel Kaji, who was most recently part of the private markets team at University of Texas Investment Management (UTIMCO), as a managing director based in New York.
Japan's Astroscale expands Series D by $30m
Astroscale, a Japan-based space technology company focused on debris removal, has announced a $30 million extension to its Series D round, bringing the total raised to $80 million.
Sequoia China, HighLight back biotech player Cullgen
Sequoia Capital China and HighLight Capital have led a $16 million Series A round for Cullgen, a biotech company that develops treatments for cancer by targeting previously “undruggable” cellular proteins.
B Capital reaches $406m first close on second fund
B Capital Group, a US venture capital firm with a strong Asia focus established by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, has reached a first close of $406.1 million for its second fund.
Fund focus: Hostplus’ diversification drive
Australia's Hostplus partners with Natixis-backed Flexstone Partners for an investment program focused on backing middle-market US managers
Australia's Hostplus establishes US emerging managers program
Australian superannuation fund Hostplus has launched an investment program focused on middle-market US private equity managers with Flexstone Partners, a PE unit of Natixis.
China's Up Fintech trades up after $104m US IPO
Up Fintech, an online brokerage firm focused on global Chinese investors that operates in Asia as Tiger Brokers, gained more than 36% in its first day of trading on NASDAQ after raising $104 million in its IPO.
TPG terminates Bill McGlashan amid US bribery scandal
TPG Capital has terminated Bill McGlashan (pictured), founder of its mid-market investment platform TPG Growth and co-founder of impact investment vehicle The Rise Fund, after he was charged this week for his role in the college bribery scandal in the...
Hony co-leads $700m round for US-based STX
Hony Capital has co-led a $700 million funding round for US film and TV studio STX Entertainment along with TPG Growth, the mid-market investment platform of TPG Capital.
Development finance: The great game
As the US overhauls its development finance institution in response to China’s growing infrastructure investment, the PE industry is preparing for a world in which politics goes hand-in-hand with capital
VC-backed Chinese online brokerage files for US listing
Chinese online brokerage Tiger Brokers, which is backed by smart phone maker Xiaomi and a number of venture capital firms, has filed for an IPO in the US.
Chinese self-driving truck player TuSimple raises $95m Series D
TuSimple, a China and US-based developer of autonomous driving technology for trucks, has closed its Series D round at $95 million, achieving a pre-money valuation of $1 billion.
Deal focus: From space food to sustainable food
Sustainable Bioproducts left stealth mode to raise a $33 million Series A round as it targets commercialization for an edible protein technology that won early backing from NASA
1955 Capital leads Series A for sustainable foods specialist
1955 Capital, a cross-border PE firm that invests in US and European technologies with application potential in Asia, has led a $33 million Series A round for edible protein developer Sustainable Bioproducts.
Deal focus: Advent sees potential in hybrid CRO
Advent International recognized BioDuro as a company uniquely positioned to leverage growth in pharmaceutical R&D outsourcing in China and the US