North Asia
SE Asia VC Ardent gets backing from US, Japan partners
Southeast Asia-focused venture capital firm Ardent has received its first round of external funding from US-based Siemer Ventures and Japanese VCs Recruit Strategic Partners and GMO Venture Partners. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Korea's Access Bio goes public, STIC PE expects 5x return
STIC Private Equity has made a partial exit from Korean biotech firm Access Bio after the company went public on the KOSDAQ exchange. The PE firm sold shares in two tranches – one just before the IPO and one during it – and has generated a money multiple...
Nissay, Nippon invest $1m in online translation service
Nissay Capital and Nippon Venture Capital Co. (NVCC) have led a JPY108 million ($1 million) round of investment in Japan's Yaraku, the company behind online cloud translation service WorldJumper. Individual investors are also said to have taken part in...
Globis upbeat on Fund IV first close
When Japanese tech-focused VC Globis Capital Partners raised its third fund in 2006, it was against a very different backdrop. The process took just four months and the vehicle closed at JPY18 billion, JPY3 billion over target.
Silver lining: Investing in Asia's elderly
An established investment trend in developed markets, private equity players in emerging Asia are considering how they can best meet the needs of the region’s aging population
JBIC, Mizuho partner with Singapore government to promote SMEs
Mizuho Corporate Bank (MHCB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) have signed an agreement with SPRING Singapore, an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, to encourage collaboration between small businesses in Japan and Singapore....
Panasonic's healthcare business to attract 10 PE bidders - report
Around 10 private equity firms and a handful of strategic investors are expected to enter first-round bids for Panasonic's healthcare unit.
Korea's National Pension Service appoints new chairman
South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) has appointed Kwang Choi, an economist who served as health and welfare minister in the late 1990s, as its chairman and CEO. He replaces Kwang-woo Jun, who stepped down last month.
MBK, PE-backed insurers bid for ING's Korean unit
MBK Partners, Tongyang Life Insurance and Kyobo Life Insurance have made separate bids for a controlling stake in ING Groep’s South Korean insurance business. The stake was valued at approximately $2.1 billion last year, when KB Financial Group was in...
East Ventures leads seed funding round in Japan's TwitCasting
East Ventures has led a JPY64.8 million ($633,000) round of seed funding in Moi Corp., the Japanese company behind social video application TwitCasting.
Japan's NTT Docomo acquires Guam cable operator from Seaport Capital
Japanese wireless operator NTT Docomo has acquired Guam cable operator MCV Broadband from New York private equity firm Seaport Capital for an enterprise value of approximately $130 million.
SparkLabs selects 10 companies for its second start-up class
Korean start-up accelerator SparkLabs has selected a second class of 10 for its mentoring program. The program is three months in length and provides funding, office space and access to a network of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and angel investors....
Highland Capital appoints Korea BD director
Highland Capital Management has appointed Jun Park as director of business development in South Korea, with a brief to explore investment opportunities in the country.
Korea Teachers Pension Fund appoints new CIO
Korea Teachers Pension Fund (KTPF) has named Park Min Ho as its new CIO, replacing Yun Kyu Lee who is leaving the group. Park was previously head of investment strategy at KTPF.
Japan restructuring opportunities on the rise – PE survey
Japan is expected to emerge as a hotspot for restructuring over the next 12 months as domestic industries consolidate and foreign multinationals reassess their activities in a weak and demographically challenged consumer market. South Korea and Japan...
Cerberus extends tender for Seibu shares
Cerberus Capital Management is to extend the deadline to buy more shares in Japan's Seibu Holdings until May 31. The US private equity firm, already the largest shareholder in Seibu with a 32.44% stake, has been trying to boost its holding to 44.7% through...
Japan's Globis reaches $78m first close on Fund IV
Tokyo-based venture firm Globis Capital Partners has reached a first close on its fourth fund a JPY8 billion ($78 million). Globis Fund IV, will focus on Japanese companies looking to capitalize on high-growth Asian markets as well as those in the domestic...
Cerberus to secure around one third of Japan's Seibu - report
Cerberus Capital Management is expected to hold more than one third of Japan's Seibu Holdings following a takeover bid set to expire tomorrow.
Samsung Venture leads $15m round for Taiwan Ubitus
Samsung Ventures, the VC arm of Korea’s Samsung Group, has led a new round of funding worth $15 million for Taiwanese cloud gaming firm Ubitus.
Japan's Indonesian ambitions
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) is paying a princely sum for a slice of Indonesia's financial services sector. The price-to-book (P/B) valuation of the $1.56 billion it has agreed to pay for a 40% stake in Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional (BTPN)...
Japan's New Horizon, Integral bullish on fundraising
Japan's New Horizon Capital is considering enlarging its second fund against a backdrop of improved investor sentiment in the country. Integral Corp. cites similar reasons for the strong response to its own second fund, which is expected to reach a final...
Japan's Takeda buys Singapore biopharma start-up
PE-backed Singapore biopharmaceutical start-up Inviragen is to be acquired by Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical for $250 million.
Saban Capital plans to triple Asia portfolio
Saban Capital is looking to triple its investments in Asia over the next two years with a focus on the media and communications space.
JBIC to commit $25m to Mizuho ASEAN fund
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will commit up to $25 million to Mizuho's new ASEAN-focused private equity fund.