North America
US pension funds & PE: Public service remit
US public pension funds are active investors in private equity, but their asset allocation policies are influenced by stakeholders’ input and limited internal resources, as well as the desire for returns
PE executives in government: Late to the party
With private equity executives playing an unprecedented role in the Trump administration, the advantages that PE can bring to government – and vice versa – has come into the spotlight
China-US EV: Electric avenue
US cleantech start-ups have emerged as important suppliers in China’s fast-growing electric vehicle industry. Venture capital firms will play a key role in keeping the cross-border traffic flowing
China cross-border VC: Home from home
Chinese capital is chasing deals in America’s technology space, but success in Silicon Valley requires a long-term commitment. Does the new breed of US-born Chinese VCs have the right cross-border strategy?
Chinese VCs commit $50m to US driverless car start-up
Drive.ai, a US driverless car technology developer, has received a $50 million Series B round from a group of investors including China’s GGV Capital and Northern Light Venture Capital.
AGIC-led consortium buys US pharma player
AGIC Capital, a private equity firm established in 2015 to focus on China-Europe cross-border investments, has secured its first deal in the US with an agreement to acquire pharmaceutical manufacturer Ritedose Corporation.
Japan's Softbank invests $100m in Cybereason
SoftBank Corp. has agreed to invest $100 million in a Series D funding round for Cybereason, a US-headquartered cybersecurity platform provider targeting expansion in Japan.
Eight Roads leads $12.5m Series C for India's Unbxd
Eight Roads Ventures has led a $12.5 million Series C funding round for Unbxd, an India-founded e-commerce services company now headquartered in the US.
Canadian AI player raises $102m Series A for Asia push
China’s Tencent Holdings and Korea’s Hanwha Investment have backed a $102 million Asian expansion drive by Canadian artificial intelligence developer Element AI. It is said to be the largest Series A round ever raised by an AI company.
PE-owned Blue Star Sports enters Australia, New Zealand
Blue Star Sports, a US-based company controlled by Genstar Capital that provides management software to grassroots sports clubs, has entered the Australia and New Zealand market with the acquisition of SportsTG.
H&Q joins $35m round for US-based One Inc
One Inc, a US-based maker of software-as-a-service (SaaS) products for the insurance industry, has raised a $35 million funding round with participation by H&Q Asia Pacific.
Deal focus: CounterTack locks up funding for security
At a time when websites have never seemed more vulnerable, CounterTack has a software solution that can plug holes in online security systems. It has raised $20 million in Series D funding to support expansion
Blackbird joins $12m round for Australia-US marketing player
Blackbird Ventures has led a $12 million round for Sydney and San Francisco-based marketing software provider Autopilot.
Asia Alternatives gets $100m from Minnesota SBI
Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) has committed to $100 million to Asia Alternatives’ fifth fund-of-funds, having recently increased its exposure to the region through vehicles managed by Warburg Pincus and KKR.
Singtel Innov8 backs US, Singapore-based CounterTack
SingTel Innov8, the venture arm of Singapore telecom giant SingTel, has co-led a $20 million Series D round for US and Singapore-based cybersecurity company CoutnerTack alongside US-based SAP National Security Services.
Big beast: The SoftBank Vision Fund
SoftBank's global technology fund is significant enough to redraw the private equity investment opportunity in certain industries, if not to redraw the industries themselves
Deal focus: Wish scales up cross-border e-commerce
Wish secures an extended Series F round to build out its platform that enables Chinese suppliers to sell cut-price goods to US and European consumers
SoftBank achieves $93b first close on global tech fund
SoftBank Group Corp. has reached a first close of more than $93 billion on its global technology investment fund. A final close of $100 billion is expected within six months.
CPPIB's Asia PE portfolio grows 24% to reach $9.9b
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) increased its exposure to Asian private equity by almost one quarter over the 12 months ended March 2017. The portfolio reached C$13.4 billion ($9.9 billion) as the pension plan made five direct investments...
Highland closes Asia, US healthcare fund at $147m
Highland Capital Management has raised approximately $147 million for an Asia and North America-focused healthcare fund, having received an anchor LP commitment from South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS).
Tencent backs US music app Smule in Asia push
Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings has led a $54 million funding round for Smule, a US-based social media music company, to support its expansion in Asia.
Baring Asia, CPPIB to privatize Nord Anglia in $4.3b deal
Baring Private Equity Asia has agreed a $4.3 billion privatization of Nord Anglia Education, a school operator it took private in the UK in 2008 and relisted in the US three years ago. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is also participating...
China, US-based Sensoro raises $18m Series B
Sensoro, an internet-of-things (IoT) technology supplier based in the US and China, has received an $18 million Series B funding round from Tsing Capital, Sumitomo Corporation and Bosch.
VCs join $400m round for China, US-based EV player
CITIC Securities has led a $400 million funding round - with participation from CDH Investments and National Venture Capital - for China and US-based electric vehicle (EV) supplier Microvast Power Systems.