North Asia
Coronavirus & North Asia VC: Diverging fortunes
Speed of response to COVID-19 has led to differing outcomes for VC investment in Korea and Japan. But structural issues are also a factor
Korean digital food trading platform raises $11m
Tridge, a Korean international trading platform for agricultural products, has raised $11 million in a Series B round from SoftBank.
Singapore GP launches $500m Japan-Israel tech fund
Singapore private equity firm Chartered Group has teamed up with Israel’s Ministry of Defense to launch a Japan-Israel cross-border technology fund targeting $500 million.
Risa targets $139m for Japan corporate solutions fund
Risa Partners, a Japanese mid-size investment bank controlled by a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, has launched its fifth corporate solutions fund with a target of JPY15 billion ($139.5 million).
Japan's Hiroshima Venture launches start-up, SME fund
Japan’s Hiroshima Venture Capital has established a JPY1 billion ($9.3 million) fund that will invest in local start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Deal focus: Integral discovers booming cosmetics niche
Now under private equity ownership, T-Garden is credited with pioneering fashion model-led contact lens marketing in Japan - and helping an often-overlooked market creep into the mainstream
Japan's Coral launches $25m growth fund
Coral Capital, formerly known as 500 Startups Japan, has set up a JPY2.7 billion ($25 million) growth fund to help top-performing portfolio companies navigate the COVID-19 downturn.
Japan's Paidy tops up Series C round
Japanese payments start-up Paidy has topped up its Series C round with an additional commitment from Itochu Corporation. It brings the company's total capital raised to date to $281 million.
VIG makes second Korea funeral services acquisition
Korea’s VIG Partners has made the second investment from its fourth fund – which closed at $810 million in January – with an agreement to acquire Preedlife, the country’s leading funeral services provider.
1Q analysis: Impact winter
As the coronavirus outbreak escalated into a global pandemic, what was a problem for China investors quickly spread into other geographies. Fundraising, investment and exits inevitably took a hit
Korean GP invests $16m in electronics industry supplier
Moat Private Equity, a Korea GP set up last year, has taken an approximately 14% stake in KOSDAQ-listed electronics industry supplier Exax for KRW19.8 billion ($16 million).
HarbourVest hires Japan Post Insurance's alternatives head
Tadasu Matsuo, head of alternative investments at Japan Post Insurance (JPI), has joined HarbourVest Partners as a managing director where he will co-lead Japan coverage alongside Tatsuya Kubo.
CVC closes fifth Asia fund at $4.5b
CVC Capital Partners has closed its fifth Asia fund at the hard cap of $4.5 billion. The firm said the step up from $3.5 billion for Fund IV reflects an expansion in its regional investment capabilities.
L Catterton backs Japan cosmetics brand Etvos
Consumer-focused private equity firm L Catterton Asia has confirmed a significant investment of undisclosed size in Japanese cosmetics brand Etvos.
Japan's GPIF names ex-Goldman executive as CIO
Eiji Ueda, formerly co-head of securities for Goldman Sachs in Asia Pacific, has replaced Hiromichi Mizuno as CIO of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF).
KKR hires BAML executive in Japan
KKR has recruited Hidekazu Harada, previously co-head of Japan investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML), as a managing director for its private equity team in Tokyo.
Japan mobile banking player gets $45m Series C
Kyash, a Tokyo-based mobile banking start-up, has received $45 million in Series C funding led by Greenspring Associates and Goodwater Capital.
Fund focus: Carlyle stokes Japan bullishness
Expecting to see a surge in deal flow driven by divestments and succession planning situations, The Carlyle Group has bulked up to $2.3 billion for its latest Japan fund
Integral buys Japanese contact lens maker
Integral Corporation has acquired T-Garden, a Japanese company that makes cosmetic contact lenses, for an undisclosed sum.
Japanese AI edge developer secures Series B funding
AISing, a Japan-based developer of edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology used in industrial robots and self-driving cars, has raised JPY700 million ($6.5 million) in Series B funding.
Carlyle raises $2.3b for fourth Japan buyout fund
The Carlyle Group has raised JPY258 billion ($2.3 billion) for its fourth Japan buyout fund. The vehicle is more than twice the size of its predecessor, which closed at JPY119.5 billion in 2015.
Korea cybersecurity player raises $8m Series B
SecuLetter, a Korean cybersecurity technology provider, has raised a $8 million Series B round that included Saudi Arabian VC firm Riyadh Valley Company.
Korean second-hand goods marketplace gets $44m
Several Korean investors have committed KRW56 billion ($44 million) in funding to Bungaejangter, a local C2C mobile marketplace specializing in second-hand goods.
Anchor invests in entertainment unit of Korea's Kakao
Anchor Equity Partners is paying KRW209.8 billion ($163 million) for an approximately 13% stake in the music and entertainment division of Korean internet giant Kakao.