North Asia
Formation Group closes debut US-Asia fund at $357m
Formation Group, a Silicon Valley and Asia-focused venture capital firm established by Brian Koo (pictured), co-founder of Formation 8, has closed its debut fund at $357 million.
INCJ, First Eastern in partial exit from Japanese airline
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Hong Kong-based First Eastern Investment Group have agreed to sell a combined 28.3% holding in Japanese airline Peach Aviation for JPY30.4 billion ($271 million).
MBK to buy Korean gas business from Goldman consortium
MBK Partners has agreed to buy Daesung Industrial Gases from a Goldman Sachs-led consortium that has majority-owned the South Korean industrial gas manufacturer since July 2014.
Permira-owned Sushiro targets $728m Japan IPO
Sushiro Global Holdings, a sushi restaurant chain majority-owned by Permira, is looking to raise up to JPY82.4 billion ($728 million) through an IPO in Tokyo.
US materials group gets $15m for China, Korea push
A group of investors including GSR Ventures has committed $15 million to C3Nano, a US-based supplier for the touchscreen and digital display industry looking to expand its footprint in China and Korea.
China's Ant Financial invests $200m in Kakao payment unit
Ant Financial, the financial services affiliate of China’s Alibaba Group, has agreed invest $200 million in a dedicated mobile finance platform that will soon be launched by South Korean internet giant Kakao Corp.
Japan's Mercari buys VC-backed e-commerce player
Japanese e-commerce company Mercari has agreed to acquire domestic competitor Zawatt, setting up an exit for a number of venture capital backers.
Global Brain backs Japan cybersecurity, driverless car play
Global Brain has led a Series A funding round of undisclosed size for Trillium, a Japanese cybersecurity company focused on the emerging autonomous vehicle industry.
Fund focus: VIG steps up for Fund III
South Korea VIG Partners closed its third fund at the hard cap of $600 million, having won over LPs with its past history and future prospects in buying and building middle-market consumer businesses
India's PE-backed ReNew raises $200m from Japan strategic
Indian PE-backed renewable energy producer ReNew Power Ventures has raised $200 million from Japanese energy producer JERA.
Softbank to buy US-listed Fortress for $3.3b
SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire Fortress Investment Group – which manages $36.7 billion in alternatives – for approximately $3.3 billion in cash. It puts the Japanese company on course to become one of the world’s largest asset managers.
Asia value creation: Internal repairs
Private equity investors in Asia are responding to an increasingly competitive deal-sourcing environment with a stronger focus on value-add, but successful implementation will require a cultural commitment
Fund focus: CITIC rides the Japan wave
CITIC Capital raises $268 million for third Japan fund, benefiting from an upturn in investor sentiment that should prove to be a boon for Japanese GPs in general
Azerbaijan fund commits $100m to e-Shang Redwood's Japan vehicle
Azerbaijan’s state oil fund (SOFAZ) has agreed to invest $100 million in a Japan-focused logistics vehicle being raised by e-Shang Redwood (ESR), a pan-Asian logistics services company that has a string of private equity backers.
VIG reaches $600m final close on third Korea fund
VIG Partners has closed its third Korea-focused fund at $600 million, with support from new and existing investors including Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS).
MBK-owned ING Life files for Korea IPO
ING Life Korea, a Korean insurer that MBK Partners acquired in 2013 from ING Groep, has applied for regulatory approval for a domestic IPO.
Beyond Next Ventures leads $3.4m round for Japan's CureApp
Japan-based investor Beyond Next Ventures has led a JPY380 million ($3.4 million) round for domestic healthcare software developer CureApp.
Longreach achieves first close on North Asia buyout fund
The Longreach Group is understood to have reached a first close of approximately $200 million on its third North Asia-focused mid-market buyout fund, which has a particular focus on Japan. The full target is $650 million.
Deal focus: Affinity captures Korea credit card exposure
General Electric's sale of its stake in Hyundai Card was complicated by joint venture partner Hyundai Motor Group staying involved. Affinity Equity Partners leveraged its existing relationship with the conglomerate to seal the deal
Q&A: STIC Investments' Hans Jung
STIC Investments has raised $530 million for a fund that will target restructuring opportunities involving Korean conglomerates. Executive Managing Partner Hans Jung explains the strategy
CITIC Capital closes third Japan fund at $268m
CITIC Capital Partners has achieved a final close on its third Japan buyout fund at the hard cap of JPY30 billion ($268 million). Three investments have already been made from the vehicle across retail and healthcare.
Japan VCs back domestic fintech start-up
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), SBI Investment and Dentsu Digital Holdings have contributed to a JPY800 million ($7.1 million) funding round for Tokyo-based financial technology company Coiney.
Japan fintech start-up Folio gets $16m Series A
Jafco and several other Japanese venture capital firms have joined a JPY1.8 billion ($18.7 million) Series A round for Japanese stock-trading app developer Folio.
VIDEO: Kim Yong Kook, Invest Korea
Kim Yong Kook, head of Invest Korea, discusses key trends in the country's investment environment