North Asia
VCs invest $6.4m in Japan's Monstar Lab
A group of venture capital investors including YJ Capital and Fenox Venture Capital has led a JPY700 million ($6.4 million) funding round for Japanese global outsourcing service developer Monstar Lab.
Portfolio: The Rohatyn Group and BHC
The Rohatyn Group bought Korean fried chicken franchise BHC in 2013 with a view to ironing out inefficiencies, broadening brand appeal, and pursuing bolt-on acquisitions. It has made progress in each area
VCs commit $9m to Japan blockchain platform
Nippon Technology Venture Partners, Fisco Capital, and ABBALab have committed $9 million to Japanese cryptocurrency platform Tech Bureau.
CLSA-backed BC Ings makes Japan education bolt-on
BC Ings, a Japanese cram school operator owned by CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP), has acquired local counterpart Akasaka Gakuin.
INCJ joins $4.3m round for Japan AI player
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Bank of Kochi have agreed to jointly invest JPY470 million ($4.3 million) in Japanese artificial intelligence (AI) technology developer Nextremer.
China's GSR to acquire Nissan's electric battery business
Japan’s Nissan Motor has agreed to sell its electric battery operations and production facilities to Chinese private equity firm GSR Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed.
VCs back Asia expansion by Japan's Sansan
Japanese cloud-based professional services company Sansan has received a fresh round of expansion funding from Mirai Creation Investment and existing backers DCM and Salesforce Ventures.
Japan's KDDI to acquire VC-backed Soracom
Soracom, a Japanese internet of things (IoT) communications platform that has several VC backers, will be acquired by domestic telecom operator KDDI Corporation.
Q&A: Permira's Alex Emery
Alex Emery, head of Asia at Permira, on global funds versus regional funds, escalations in dry powder and deal size, and how to lay the ground for when the current bull run inevitably comes to an end
Deal focus: KKR hits the gas on Korea auto carve-out
KKR has backed two divisions of Korea's LS Group - worth a combined $940 million - giving it exposure to an established auto parts business and a division that could prosper on the back of the electric car boom
Japan VC: Culture club
The Cool Japan policy aims to internationalize a large but lagging economy beyond its manufacturing roots. Venture capital will be the key to reimagining unique overlaps of culture and technology
Secondary buyouts: Peer to peer
Maligned by some investors, sponsor-to-sponsor deals are gradually becoming more prevalent in Asia as the private equity industry matures. What is the early verdict?
Jafco buys back $577m in shares from investors
Japanese venture capital firm Jafco has agreed to buy back JPY63.8 billion ($577.4 million) worth of shares from its major shareholders, including Nomura Holdings.
China First Capital to acquire Korean online education platform
Hong Kong-listed investment group China First Capital plans to acquire 54% of SJW International, a Korea-based online video English training platform, for about $135 million.
J-Star completes Japanese veterinary bolt-on
J-star has acquired Japanese veterinary chain VIS Corporation for an undisclosed amount in a bolt-on to existing portfolio company JVCC.
KKR backs auto parts spin-out from Korea's LS Group
KKR has agreed to back automotive parts maker LS Automotive (LSA), a spin-out from Korean conglomerate LS Group, and to acquire the copper foil and flexible copper clad laminate business of LS Group affiliate LS Mtron.
Korea's SK invests $334m in PE-backed e-Shang Redwood
Korean conglomerate SK Group has agreed to invest KRW372 billion ($334 million) in pan-Asian logistics player e-Shang Redwood (ESR), valuing the private equity-backed business at approximately $2.8 billion.
Japan's Marubeni buys beef supplier from US GP
Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corp. has acquired Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, a US-based supplier of beef and pork products, from Sun Capital Partners.
Bain to make partial exit from Japanese mushroom producer
Bain Capital Private Equity has agreed to sell a 49% in Yukiguni Maitake, a Japanese mushroom producer, to domestic food company Shinmei. The size of the transaction was not disclosed.
Asian club deals: Big ambitions
A resurgence in club deal activity has proven symptomatic of the evolution of Asia's private equity buyout market. But while the structure and the nature of deals has changed, the underlying rationale remains fixed
Korea's NPS loses CIO
The CIO of South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) has submitted his resignation, seven months before the end of his two-year tenure.
IoT in Asia: Things to come
A number of political factors have positioned Asia Pacific to be a global leader in internet-of-things development. Investors must now navigate an unwieldy field of technologies, markets and social drivers
J-Star exits Japanese document scanning business to Orix
Mid-market private equity firm J-Star has exited its entire holding in Japanese document scanning company Primagest to local financial services conglomerate Orix Corporation.
Baring Asia completes Joyful Honda exit, secures 45% IRR
Baring Private Equity Asia has completed its exit from Japanese home improvement center operator Joyful Honda – the first joint investment by the firm’s private equity and real estate funds – generating a gross IRR of around 45%.