North Asia
Japan's Line launches $10m token fund in Korea
Japan’s Line Corporation has set up a $10 million fund via a Korean subsidiary that will make token investments in early-stage blockchain start-ups.
Q&A: GLP's Yoshiyuki Chosa
Warehouse operator GLP is betting heavily on technology as it builds out capacity in the Tokyo region. Yoshiyuki Chosa, president of the company’s Japan unit, sketches a difficult but rewarding logistics market
Crescendo hits $398m hard cap on second Korea fund
Crescendo Equity Partners, a mid-market Korean GP that concentrates on the industrial technology space, has closed its second fund at the hard cap of KRW450 billion ($398 million).
Samsung to expand VC program in $22b innovation drive
Korea’s Samsung has committed KRW25 trillion ($22 billion) to a technology innovation drive that will focus strongly on domestic R&D and include an expansion of the company’s venture incubation program.
Tokio Marine agrees $163m sale of Japan's Izumi
Tokio Marine Capital has agreed to sell Izumi Products, a Japanese manufacturer of electric tools and home appliances, to Maxell Holdings and Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) for JPY18.2 billion ($163.5 million).
NSSK acquires Japanese hotel operator
Japanese private equity firm NSSK has acquired hospitality business Hotel Castle Inn Group for an undisclosed sum.
Longreach to buy majority stake in Japan's Fujitsu Component
The Longreach Group has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Fujitsu Component from its parent company and will launch a tender offer to buy the business outright at a valuation of JPY13.7 billion ($123.6 million).
LP interview: Korea's POBA
Korea’s Public Officials Benefit Association is expanding its private equity exposure and global footprint. Maintaining this diversification within the firm’s traditional risk profile requires a gradual approach
India healthcare: The growth infusion
Indian hospitals are increasingly attractive for private equity investors. GPs can thrive in the space with a well-defined growth strategy that takes local market requirements into account
TPG, ADIA back acquisition of agrochemicals producer Arysta
TPG Capital and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) have teamed up with India-listed UPL Corporation on a $4.2 billion acquisition of Arysta LifeScience, an agricultural chemicals manufacturer that originated in Japan.
CDIB backs Korean cosmetic masks manufacturer
CDIB Capital, the private equity arm of Taiwan’s China Development Financial, has invested an undisclosed sum in Korean cosmetics maker E.CIS Cosmetic (ECIS).
Golden Equator, KIP launch Southeast Asia tech fund
Singapore’s Golden Equator Capital and Korea Investment Partners (KIP) have jointly launched a S$120 million ($88 million) Southeast Asia technology fund focused on start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SME).
Itochu leads $55m Series C for Japan's Paidy
Itochu Corporation has led a $55 million Series C funding round for Japanese financial technology company Paidy.
Yahoo acquires Japan's VC-backed Dely
Yahoo Japan has acquired Dely, the VC-backed Japanese start-up that operates online recipe-sharing service Kurashiru.
Jafco leads $11m round for Japan, US-based Trillium
Jafco has led an $11 million funding round for Trillium, a cybersecurity company focused on the autonomous vehicle industry based in Japan and the US.
Pantheon opens Tokyo office to service Japanese LPs
Pantheon has opened an office in Tokyo, having won separate account mandates from the likes of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF).
Nissan terminates sale of battery business to China's GSR Capital
Nissan Motor has abandoned plans to sell its electric battery operations and production facilities to GSR Capital because the Chinese private equity firm didn’t have sufficient funds to complete the transaction.
Hideyuki Inokuma to retire from Advantage Partners
Hideyuki Inokuma, who as chief administrative officer at Advantage Partners is responsible for investor relations as well as middle and back-office functions, is to retire from the Japan-based firm.
Advantage buys China restaurants from Papa John’s
Advantage Partners has acquired 34 restaurants in Beijing and Tianjin from Papa John’s International. The investment is being made through the Japanese private equity firm’s $380 million debut Asia fund, which closed in May.
Japan VC: Acorns to oaks
Japan Post Investment Corporation seeks to fill the late-stage investment gap in Japan's venture capital market that local VC investors lack the capacity to address
VCs invest $8m in Singapore's Umitron
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan and D4V, a Japanese seed-stage investor set up by Genuine Startups and US design consultancy Ideo, have joined a S$11.2 million ($8.2 million) investment in Singaporean agricultural technology company Umitron.
World Innovation Lab raises $521m for US-Japan fund
World Innovation Lab (WiL) has raised $521 million for a US-Japan venture capital fund.
GPs require comprehensive responses to technology - AVCJ Forum
Private equity firms looking to future-proof their portfolios and enable companies to take advantage of technological change must be prepared to make significant alterations to their investment approach, industry participants told the AVCJ Japan Forum.
VCs back $40m round for Korea's Fantom Foundation
Fantom Foundation, a Korean blockchain technology company, has received a $40 million funding round from a number of specialist investors, including US-based 8 Decimal Capital and Singapore’s Link VC.
