North Asia
Deal focus: Telexistence’s nimble robots target retail, logistics
Japan’s Telexistence appears to be on the cusp of a significant milestone in retail automation. Local logistics tech investor Monoful is hoping to take that promise to the warehouse
2Q analysis: Still scrambling
State-supported deals prop up Asia private equity investment; GPs hustle for liquidity in an unforgiving exit landscape; ex-China mid-market players gain some traction in fundraising
Japan's 01Booster Capital closes debut fund
01Booster Capital, a Japanese accelerator and VC investor set up in 2012, has closed its debut fund at an undeclared size. It was launched in late 2021.
Glenwood sells Korean films business to French strategic
Glenwood Private Equity has sold its majority stake in Korea-based industrial films producer PI Advanced Materials to France-headquartered Arkema for an enterprise value of EUR 728m (USD 817m) – six months after BPEA EQT pulled out of a deal to buy...
Japan's JST builds $451m alternatives portfolio in debut year
University endowment Japan Science & Technology Agency (JST) put JPY 9.96trn (USD 69.7bn) to work in its first 12 months in operation, with JPY 64.3bn going into alternatives.
Japan's Telexistence gets $170m Series B
Japanese connected robotics start-up Telexistence has raised USD 170m in Series B funding featuring SoftBank Group, Foxconn, Airbus, and Globis Capital Partners.
Japanese GPs maintain strong investment pace - AVCJ Forum
Deployment remains robust in Japan’s mid-cap space with private equity firms continuing to see plentiful opportunities in carve-outs and founder-succession situations, the AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum Japan 2023 heard.
Carlyle seeks up to $2.8bn for Japan fund
The Carlyle Group is looking to raise as much as JPY 400bn (USD 2.8bn) for its fifth Japan fund, a 55% increase on the previous vintage, in a move that underscores robust investor sentiment on the market.
Japan procurement marketplace secures $89m Series C
Six Japanese venture capital firms have led a Series C round of USD 89m for Caddi, operator of a B2B procurement marketplace that services the manufacturing sector.
Japan VC draws global attention - AVCJ Forum
Japan’s venture capital market is attracting increased international attention by virtue of its relatively stable returns and a start-up-friendly policy regime, investors told the AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum Japan 2023.
Japan M&A: Go digital, go global
Panasonic moved from hardware to software with the acquisition of Blue Yonder, a path that other Japanese corporates are expected to follow. PE investors can sell to them or work with them
Korean battery materials supplier raises $302m
IMM Investment and Premier Partners are the largest participants in a KRW 400bn (USD 302.7m) funding round for EcoPro Innovation, a battery materials business of KOSDAQ-listed EcoPro.
Hahn & Co reaches $1.9b first close on fourth Korea fund
South Korean private equity firm Hahn & Co has reached a first close of USD 1.9bn on its fourth flagship buyout fund against an overall target of USD 3.25bn.
Japan's Abies Ventures seeks $69m for Fund II, courts foreign LPs
Japanese deep-tech investor Abies Ventures has set a JPY 10bn (USD 69m) target for its second fund and is looking to tap international investors for the first time.
Global dealmakers highlight private credit, continuation funds – AVCJ Forum
Private credit and secondary continuation funds have emerged as popular themes globally as high interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and macro uncertainty persist, GPs told the AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum Japan 2023.
Japan's Terra Motors raises $28m
Japanese electric vehicle (EV) start-up Terra Motors has raised JPY 40bn (USD 28m) in Series C funding featuring Silicon Valley-based Pegasus Tech Ventures.
Japan SME fintech player raises $17m
Japan’s Olta, a financial technology provider for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has raised JPY 2.5bn (USD 17.6m) in Series B funding featuring SBI Investment, Spiral Capital, and DG Ventures.
Japan's Integral buys UPT from Advantage, sells BTC to Capgemini
Japanese middle market private equity firm Integral Corporation has acquired United Precision Technologies (UPT), which supplies components used in smart devices, from Advantage Partners and sold IT consulting business BTC to Capgemini.
KKR sells minority stake in Japan's Kokusai to QIA
KKR has made a partial exit from Kokusai Electric, a Japan-based semiconductor industry supplier, through the sale of a minority stake to Qatar Investment Authority (QIA).
Japan advertising AI start-up Flux raises $32m Series B
DNX Ventures has led a JPY 4.4bn (USD 32m) Series B round for Japan’s Flux, which helps businesses manage advertising strategies via a no-code artificial intelligence (AI) platform.
KKR shuffles senior roles in Asia
KKR has reorganised its Asia leadership team, with Ming Lu, the firm’s regional head, Hiro Hirano, the co-head of private equity, set to become executive chairman and deputy executive chairman, respectively.
Japan's Global Brain, Fukoku Life set up $35m VC fund
Japanese VC firm Global Brain has teamed up with Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance to set up a JPY 5bn (USD 35m) fund.
Advantage Partners SPAC agrees recycling merger
A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) affiliated with Japan’s Advantage Partners has agreed to merge with Jeplan, a local recycling business specialising in plastic waste.