North Asia
VC holding periods: Delayed gratification
The traditional IPO exit timeline for early-stage investors is being pushed out as technology companies raise additional private funding rounds. A more thoughtful approach to securing liquidity is often required
VCs back $41m investment in Japan's WealthNavi
Japanese financial technology company WealthNavi has raised JPY4.5 billion ($41.3 million) through a combination of domestic venture capital funding and loans from financial institutions.
CLSA to buy rental subsidiary of Japan's Marubeni
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has agreed to buy Marubeni Mates, a uniform rental business owned by Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corporation, for an undisclosed sum.
ACE Equity buys Korean electric machinery maker
ACE Equity Partners, a Korean private equity firm established last year by former SkyLake Investment executive David Ko, has purchased a 100% interest in Woojin Electric Machinery for approximately $200 million.
Japan's Polaris to buy Fujitsu mobile phone unit
Japanese middle market GP Polaris Capital has agreed its second corporate carve-out in three months with a deal to buy Fujitsu’s mobile devices business.
Q&A: WisdomTree's Jesper Koll
Jesper Koll, head of Japan for WisdomTree Asset Management, summons 30 years of Japanese investment experience to predict a durable growth story where an aging population has its advantages
Japan Post entities form joint PE investment unit - update
Japan Post Bank and Japan Post Insurance have agreed to form a joint asset management company that will make direct private equity investments, mostly in partnership with GPs.
Spiral raises $64m for debut Japan VC fund
Japan-focused Spiral Ventures – known as IMJ Investment Partners until spinning out from its corporate parent last year – has closed its debut fund at JPY7 billion ($64 million).
Partners Group nets 3.2x on Japan Solar through Equis Energy sale
Partners Group has confirmed a 3.2x return on its investment in Japan Solar as part of a previously announced larger Asia energy acquisition by Global Investment Partners (GIP).
Affinity, BRV support Shinsegae e-commerce spin-out
Affinity Equity Partners and BRV Capital Management are supporting a spin-out of assets owned by South Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group, which will see more than KRW1 trillion ($940 million) invested in a new e-commerce unit.
Atinum leads $9m round for Korean fintech player
Korean venture capital firm Atinum Investment has led a KRW10 billion ($9.4 million) funding round for domestic financial technology company Tera Funding.
Japan's UTEC raises fourth early-stage fund
University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC) has raised JPY15.5 billion ($142 million) for its fourth fund intended to support the development of research conducted at the university into start-ups.
Japan's J-Star announces trio of investments
Japan’s J-Star has continued the rapid deployment of its third fund, securing buyouts across the lifestyle retail, recycling, and fire safety equipment manufacturing spaces.
Baring Asia realizes 2.4x return on Korea cement deal
Baring Private Equity Asia has completed its exit from Korean construction materials business Halla Cement, selling the asset to Asia Cement for an enterprise value of $723 million.
VCs commit $30m to Japanese recipe-sharing start-up
SoftBank and YJ Capital have taken part in a JPY3.4 billion ($30.2 million) funding round for Japanese online food media start-up Dely.
Japan’s Folio gets $63m in extended Series A
A group of investors including Goldman Sachs have invested JPY7 billion ($63 million) in Japanese stock trading app operator Folio.
Japan's SBI sets up $450m AI-blockchain fund
SBI Investment, the VC arm of Japan’s SBI Holdings, has launched a JPY50 billion ($450 million) fund that will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology.
Korean political crises present PE opportunities
A turbulent 2017 for South Korea in both domestic and international politics has complicated private equity agendas across a number of sectors, but GPs are tracking some positive aftereffects.
Overseas LPs find entering Asia challenging
Overseas institutional LPs – in particular those willing to write larger checks – have found it difficult to access Asia's private equity market, industry participants told the HKVCA Asia Private Equity Forum.
Space technology: Starship enterprises
Space technology is being democratized outside its historical geographic and institutional spheres of development. As private investors get on board, a new range of risks and rewards is coming into focus
StepStone wins GPIF infrastructure mandate
Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) – the world’s largest pool of retirement savings – has awarded a global infrastructure fund-of-funds mandate to StepStone Group.
Deal focus: VIG sees stability in shoes
Korea's VIG Partners completes its second OEM deal in six months with the $207 million acquisition of Youyoung, a supplier of materials used in running shoes
Japan's J-Star invests in restaurant, auto businesses
J-Star has acquired a majority stake in Japanese restaurant operator Section Eight and invested in new and pre-owned car dealer Sanwa Service.
Global Brain backs $13m round for Japan's Base
Japanese venture capital firm Global Brain has led a JPY1.5 billion funding round for domestic online shopping start-up Base.