North Asia
Deal focus: Permira consolidates ingredients of JMO success story
Permira has acquired personal care brand John Masters Organics to grow its presence in Japan and the rest of the world
Longreach acquires Wendy's Japan
Longreach Group has acquired a majority stake in Wendy’s Japan as part of a growth strategy that will see the hamburger restaurant chain combined with fellow domestic operator, First Kitchen.
Japan's Whill closes $17.5m Series B
Eight Roads Ventures has led a $17.5 million Series B round for Japanese wheelchair and personal mobility device developer Whill.
Macquarie invests $29m in Japanese logistics business
Macquarie Asia Infrastructure Fund (MAIF) has invested EUR26 million ($28.9 million) for a 40% interest in Japanese logistics company Nippon Vopak.
Korea to allow publicly-raised capital into private equity
Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) has announced plans to allow capital raised through public market offerings to invest in domestic private equity and real assets vehicles.
Korea's Althea raises $3.5m Series A
Althea, a South Korean cosmetics e-commerce site that markets primarily to Southeast Asia, has raised a $3.5 million Series A round from a group of investors including Mirae Asset Ventures, Cherubic Ventures and 500 Startups.
Tencent invests in Korea's PE-backed YG Entertainment
China’s Tencent Holdings and Beijing Weiying Times Technology – an online ticketing platform in which Tencent is an investor – have committed approximately $85 million to YG Entertainment, a Korean record label and talent manager backed by L Capital Asia....
Japan's Creema raises $10m round
Globis Capital Partners has led a JPY1.1 billion ($10 million) round for Japan-based Creema, the operator of an online consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace specializing in handmade items.
INCJ leads $10m round for Japan robotics start-up
Japanese robotics company 3D Media has received a JPY1.1 billion ($10 million) investment from Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), Sparx Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital.
MBK-owned Komeda Coffee wins approval for Japan IPO
Komeda Coffee, a coffee shop chain owned by North Asia-focused MBK Partners, has won approval for a Tokyo IPO. The indicative price suggested the offering will be worth up to JPY60.2 billion ($547.4 million).
Kyobo Life bids for MBK-owned ING Life Korea
Kyobo Life Insurance, Korea’s third-largest insurer, has entered the bidding process for MBK Partners-owned ING Life Korea.
Deal focus: CITIC exits a bigger Tri-Wall
CITIC Capital Partners overcame strategic competition to buy a majority stake in Tri-Wall. After six years and significant financial and geographic expansion, it is exiting to a strategic player
Fund focus: Geodesic helps US start-ups go big in Japan
The former US ambassador to Japan and the ex-head of Andreessen Horowitz's growth investment practice have joined forces to help US start-ups gain traction in Japan
Permira buys John Masters Organics, Japanese distributor
Permira will buy a controlling stake in John Masters Organics (JMO), owner of the eponymous personal care brand, and its exclusive distributor in Japan and East Asia for an enterprise valuation of JPY37 billion ($336 million).
SCPE to buy controlling stake in Korea's Kolon Water & Energy
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) has agreed to acquire a controlling interest in South Korean wastewater treatment specialist Kolon Water & Energy (KWE) for KRW88.6 billion ($74.9 million).
CITIC Capital exits Tri-Wall to Japan's Rengo
CITIC Capital Partners has agreed to sell its majority stake in Tri-Wall Holdings, an Asia-focused heavy duty packaging business, to Japanese packaging manufacturer Rengo for $221.7 million.
Geodesic closes $335m VC fund to bridge US, Asia
Geodesic Capital, a US-based venture capital firm focused on helping start-ups drive Japanese expansion, has closed its first fund at $335 million.
Deal focus: WiL chisels start-up gold from corporate Japan
Having previously developed its technology under the wing of NTT Docomo, Soracom went independent with World Innovation Lab's assistance and is now targeting global expansion
Deal focus: CLSA CP school deal breaks new ground
CLSA Capital Partners makes what is likely the first-ever private equity investment in a Japanese cram school
Japan's AbbaLab launches $14m start-up fund
AbbaLab, a Japanese start-up incubator focused on hardware prototyping in the internet-of-things (IoT) space, has launched a JPY1.5 billion ($14 million) fund.
CLSA Capital Partners backs Japan school operator
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has invested in Japanese school operator BC Ings through its Sunrise II buyout fund.
Keystone named preferred bidder for Korea's Dongbu
Local GP Keystone Private Equity has been selected as the preferred bidder for distressed Korean construction company Dongbu Corporation.
Japanese pharma group launches global VC arm
Japanese oncology specialist Taiho Pharmaceutical has launched a VC arm that will invest an initial pool of $50 million in global start-ups focused on cancer therapies.
Japan's Gree reaches $37m first close on second fund
Gree Ventures – the VC arm of Japanese online media and gaming company Gree - has achieved a first close of its second fund with about $37 million in commitments.