North Asia
Japan's Marubeni scales back deal for PE-owned Gavilon
Marubeni has scaled back its offer for General Atlantic-owned US grain trader Gavilon by $1 billion after cutting the company's energy trading arm out of the deal.
CVC hires Korea specialist Charles Huh from Standard Chartered
Charles Huh has joined CVC Capital Partners as a senior managing director responsible for South Korea after spending nine years at Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE).
Korea’s STX Pan Ocean files for bankruptcy after PE rescue fails
STX Pan Ocean, South Korea’s largest bulk shipping group, has filed for court receivership after attempts to secure a private equity-led restructuring of the beleaguered business failed.
Secondaries valuations remain challenging – KIC
Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) will increase its allocation to alternatives to as much as 25%, up from 15%, but CIO Don Lee said there were no immediate plans to add managers in the secondary space, citing valuation challenges in the market.
JAIC, CyberAgent-backed dating site in Taiwan IPO
Sunfun Info, an online dating platform backed by Japan Asia Investment (JAIC) and CyberAgent Ventures, has debuted on the Taiwan over-the-counter Gre Tai Securities Market.
Japan government begins shake up of pension investments
The Japanese government will begin its overhaul of public pension investment strategies, potentially paving a way for more commitments to the private equity. The review will cover investment strategies, risk management, and measures to increase returns...
TEL Venture Capital invests in MIOX Corporation
TEL Venture Capital, the investment arm of Japanese semiconductor maker Tokyo Electron, has invested in US water technology company MOIX Corp. The details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Shinsei Bank backs Series B for Japan's Smart Education
Shinsei Corporate Investment (SCI), a unit of Japan's Shinsei Bank, has committed JPY75.3 million ($748,000) to educational smartphone app developer Smart Education. This brings the start-up's Series B round to a total of JPY350 million.
KDDI, Yahoo, CyberAgent invest $3m in online language service
KDDI Open Innovation Fund, CyberAgent Ventures and YJ Capital - the investment arm of Yahoo Japan - have taken part in JPY330 million ($3.2 million) round of funding for RareJob, an English-language learning website.
A taste of Europe: Asian investor objectives
Asian LPs have become part of the landscape of European private equity, pursuing opportunities across buyouts, secondaries, credit and distress. But what do they really want from the region?
INCJ-backed Seajacks sets up Japan wind farm unit
Seajacks International, a UK-based offshore energy services provider owned by Japan's Marubeni Corp. and government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), has launched its first Asian subsidiary - Seajacks Japan.
Cerberus raises Seibu stake, falls short of target
Cerberus Capital Management has raised its stake in Japan's Seibu Holdings to 35.48%, giving it enough control to block resolutions by management. However, the New York-headquartered firm fell short of its goal of buying 44.7% of the Japanese rail and...
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...
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.