North Asia
Japan's Paidy secures $143m in funding
Paidy, one of Japan’s largest financial technology start-ups, has confirmed $143 million in new funding, comprising an extended Series C round and debt financing.
Aspirant scales up for third Japan buyout fund
Aspirant Group, a Japanese middle-market buyout firm, has closed its third fund at the hard cap of JPY50 billion ($463 million). It is nearly twice the size of the GP’s previous vehicle.
GP profile: J-Star
J-Star’s measured approach to Japan’s middle-market buyout space has tracked a slowly unfolding opportunity set with an uncommon sense of patience
Japan's J-Star forms media platform with three acquisitions
Japanese private equity firm J-Star has acquired three local internet media companies with a view to bundling them into an acquisition platform for the sector.
Advantage seeks $690m for sixth Japan buyout fund
Advantage Partners is looking to raise around JPY75 billion ($690 million) for its sixth Japan-focused middle-market buyout fund, up from JPY60 billion in the previous vintage.
Japan succession planning: The generation game
By selling a stake in the GP, Advantage Partners has broken new ground in Japanese private equity. The move is designed to facilitate ownership transition, accumulate balance sheet capital
PE-backed ESR relaunches Hong Kong IPO
Pan-Asian logistics and fund management platform ESR has relaunched a Hong Kong IPO that was pulled in June amidst unrest in Hong Kong and concerns about the valuation.
Deal focus: Fast fashion strategy pays off for Worldtool
CLSA Capital Partners backed Japan's Worldtool having been won over by a Uniqlo-inspired business model. It turned into a domestic and overseas expansion story
Korea blockchain developer Iconloop gets $8m
Iconloop, a Seoul-based blockchain technology developer focused on digital currency services, has raised a KRW10 billion ($8 million) Series A round led by Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC).
Korea's ACE Equity buys stake in semiconductor testing player
ACE Equity Partners, a Korean private equity firm that operates on a project fund basis, has agreed to invest KRW205 billion ($174 million) in local semiconductor testing specialist Tesna.
Advantage sells GP stake to Japanese strategic
Japanese mid-market private equity firm Advantage Partners has agreed to sell a minority stake in its fund management entity to domestic financial services company Tokyo Century Corporation.
Globis, WiL, Japan Post back Series B for AI Medical
AI Medical Service, a Japanese healthcare technology start-up working on what it claims is the world’s first artificial intelligence-enabled endoscopic diagnosis system, has raised JPY4.6 billion ($43 million) in Series B funding.
Fund focus: Hahn eyes more big buyouts
With $3.2 billion in dry powder, Hahn & Company is looking for larger deals in a Korean market that already punches above its weight in private equity terms
CLSA exits Japanese automotive tools retailer
CLSA Capital Partners has exited Worldtool, a Japanese automotive tools retailer that primarily operates under the Astro Products brand, to domestic home improvement chain Royal Homecenter.
Japanese flying car developer receives $14m
Japanese flying car developer SkyDrive has raised a $14 million funding round from a group including Itochu Technology Ventures and Strive.
Japan's GPIF reappoints Hiro Mizuno as CIO
Hiro Mizuno (pictured) has been reappointed CIO of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) following the conclusion of his first term leading the world’s largest retirement savings pool at the end of September.
VIG acquires Korean education business
VIG Partners has agreed to pay KRW165 billion ($137 million) for a controlling stake in D.Share, an online-offline English language education provider in Korea.
Glenwood agrees $263m Korean glass carve-out
Glenwood Private Equity, a GP led by the son of Samsung Group’s former vice chairman, has agreed to buy the Korean glass-making operation of France-based Saint-Gobain for an enterprise value of EUR240 million ($263 million).
Bain buys Japanese email business from Cheetah Digital
Bain Capital Private Equity has acquired the Japanese email services business of Cheetah Digital, a US marketing firm backed by San Francisco-based Vector Capital.
Carlyle recruits Goldman Sachs banker as Korea head
The Carlyle Group has appointed John Kim (pictured), previously of Goldman Sachs, as a managing director in its Asia buyout team and head of all investment activity in Korea.
Korea's Hahn & Co raises $3.2b for Fund III, co-invest sidecar
Hahn & Company has closed its third Korea-focused buyout fund with $3.2 billion in commitments – the largest vehicle ever raised by an independent manager for investment solely in the country.
Japan investors back US token player Securitize
Japanese investors are supporting efforts to bring token-based economic infrastructure to Japan with participation in a $14 million round for US-based digital securities technology player Securitize.
VC-backed Japanese e-commerce player files for IPO
Base, a Japanese e-commerce services platform that helps small-scale vendors establish online shops, has filed for an IPO in Tokyo. It will facilitate partial exits for multiple venture capital investors.
Japan carve-out opportunity moves beyond conglomerates
Japan’s corporate carve-out opportunity set is expanding as smaller firms begin to follow the example of conglomerates, according to domestic mid-market GP Integral Corporation.
