North Asia
AVCJ at 30: Part Two - The Asian Financial Crisis
Weijian Shan of PAG Asia Capital, Piau-Voon Wang, Dan Carroll of Brooklands Capital Strategies, and Michael Kim of MBK Partners on the impact of the Asian financial crisis
Japan-China e-commerce business gets $68m Series C
Inagora, a VC-backed e-commerce platform that supplies Japanese products to Chinese consumers, has received $68 million in Series C funding from Itochu Corp, KDDI Corporation, and SBI Holdings.
Bain to complete exit from Japan's Skylark
Bain Capital Private Equity will divest its remaining 15% stake in Japanese restaurant operator Skylark, completing a gradual sale of the business it acquired in 2011 and took public three years later.
WPP agrees to Bain tender offer for Japan's ADK
Bain Capital Private Equity’s tender offer for Japan-listed advertising agency Asatsu-DK (ADK) has overcome its biggest obstacle as the company’s largest shareholder WPP Group has withdrawn its objection to the deal.
Japan Post Bank pursues global PE strategy – AVCJ Forum
Japan Post Bank’s has fully embraced the global remit of its recently launched private equity program, making commitments to funds around the world through fund-of-funds while considering direct investments in its home market.
Singapore's VC-backed Quoine raises $105m via ICO
Singapore-based Quoine, a financial technology company backed by Japan’s Jafco, has raised $105 million via an initial coin offering (ICO).
Asia Cement named preferred bidder for Baring-owned Halla
Asia Cement, a mid-tier Korean construction materials producer, has been selected as the preferred bidder for Halla Cement, which Baring Private Equity Asia put up for sale earlier this year.
Japan home health tech player gets $4.4m
Nissay Capital and 2020, the Japanese investment arm of Foxconn Technology Group, have invested JPY500 million ($4.4 million) in a pre-Series B round for Tokyo-based healthcare technology start-up Triple W Japan.
South Korea's MyMusicTaste gets $11m Series C
KTB Network has led an $11 million Series C funding round for MyMusicTaste, a Korean crowdsourcing platform operator focused on organizing fan-requested concerts.
TPG invests in Korean vinyl tile producer
TPG Capital has agreed to take a significant minority stake in Nox Group, a Korea-based manufacturer of luxury flooring materials. The size of the investment was not disclosed.
Q&A: Brooklands Capital Strategies' Dan Carroll
Dan Carroll, a founding partner at Brooklands Capital Strategies, cut his teeth with H&Q Asia Pacific and then helped build Newbridge Capital. He told AVCJ how private equity forced its way into the mainstream
Aspirant to buy logistics unit from Japan's Takara
Japanese PE firm Aspirant Group has agreed to acquire Takara Chouun, a logistics subsidiary of the Takara Holdings conglomerate.
Japan's ADK faces lawsuit following Bain tender offer
Bain Capital Private Equity’s buyout offer for Japan-listed advertising agency Asatsu-DK (ADK) has prompted legal action by WPP Group, the company’s largest shareholder.
Polaris carves out beverage business from Asahi
Polaris Capital Group has agreed to acquire LB, a soft drink-focused division of Japanese beverage maker Asahi Group Holdings.
MBK makes tender offer for Japan's Kuroda Electric
MBK Partners has submitted a tender offer for Kuroda Electric – a Japanese electronic components manufacturer that has been under pressure from an activist shareholder – that values the company at approximately JPY102 billion ($895 million).
J-Star acquires Forpets in latest pet bolt-on
Japan’s J-Star has acquired 100% of domestic veterinary services company Forpets as a bolt-on of existing portfolio company JVCC. It is JVCC’s third such transaction this year.
CLSA makes partial exit from Japan's BC Ings
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has made a partial exit from Japanese cram school operator BC Ings to a government-backed investment fund.
Toshiba shareholders approve $18b TMC sale to Bain consortium
The shareholders of Japanese conglomerate Toshiba Corporation have approved the sale of the company’s Nand flash memory unit Toshiba Memory Corporation (TMC) to a consortium led by Bain Capital for JPY2 trillion ($17.6 billion).
GIP to buy Equis renewable energy portfolio for $5b
Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) has agreed to acquire 100% of Equis Energy, a project platform of 180 assets under private equity investor Equis Funds Group, for $5 billion. It is said to be the world’s largest renewable energy generation acquisition...
Home automation: Digital digs
Home automation has graduated from a hobbyist niche to a sprawling, multifaceted consumer market that mobilizes a suite of cutting-edge technologies. Asian investors are identifying the early entry points
SparkLabs launches $100m blockchain fund
SparkLabs Group has launched a $100 million early-stage venture capital fund that will focus on blockchain and cryptocurrency investments globally.
Intel Capital announces China, Japan investments
Intel Capital, the captive VC arm of Intel Corp, has invested in technology start-ups from China and Japan as part of a $60 million overall investment in 15 companies worldwide.
INCJ, Konica Minolta acquire Ambry Genetics for $1b
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and imaging giant Konica Minolta have completed a $1 billion joint acquisition of US-based Ambry Genetics, with a view to growing the company in Japan.
3Q analysis: More about Japan
Toshiba sends Japan into top spot for investment amid corporate carve-out excitement; fundraising plummets in the absence of Chinese state-backed vehicles; the IPO window opens as public markets boom