North Asia
India’s Lighthouse reaches $138m final close on Fund II
Lighthouse Funds has reached a final close on its second Indian mid-market focused fund at $138 million, well above the $125 million target.
Anchor Equity closes second Korea fund at $850m
Anchor Equity Partners has raised $850 million for its second South Korea-focused fund, less than two years after closing Fund I at $500 million.
SoftBank leads $1b round for Renren-backed US online lender
Japanese technology giant SoftBank Group has led a $1 billion Series E round of funding for Social Finance (SoFi), a Silicon Valley online lending marketplace also backed by China social networking site Renren.
Japan virtual currency player gets $2.3m from VC backers
Orb, a Japanese start-up that has developed an authentication technology to facilitate the use of virtual currencies, has raised JPY274 million ($2.28 million) from a group of investors.
H&Q Korea to take full ownership of JobKorea in $85m deal
H&Q Korea plans to acquire the 50.1% of JobKorea - the South Korean operation of Monster Worldwide - that it doesn't already own for approximately $85 million.
Comcast to buy majority stake in PE-owned Universal Studios Japan
Comcast Corp. has agreed to pay JPY183 billion ($1.5 billion) for a 51% stake in Universal Studios Japan (USJ), a theme park operator controlled by MBK Partners, Goldman Sachs, PAG, and US hedge fund Owl Creek Asset Management.
Hudson commits $100m to Japan, Latin America solar partnership
Hudson Clean Energy Partners has teamed up with independent power producer Sky Solar to develop solar projects in Japan and Latin America. The PE firm will contribute $100 million to the partnership.
Fund focus: LPs renew Carlyle’s Japan mandate
Carlyle closes Japan fund at just under $1 billion, eyes corporate carve-outs, succession planning deals
Carlyle closes third Japan fund at $1b
The Carlyle Group has closed its third Japan-focused fund at JPY119.5 billion ($1 billion), exceeding the target of JPY100 billion.
PE investors target Korean corporate carve-outs - AVCJ Forum
Private equity investors in South Korea continue to see signs of increased deal flow in the form of corporate carve-outs as domestic conglomerates rationalize their businesses.
500 Startups to raise Japan seed fund
US-based accelerator 500 Startups has extended its Asia footprint with the launch of a $30 million fund dedicated to early-stage Japanese technology companies.
MBK consortium to buy Tesco's Homeplus in $6.4b deal
A consortium led by MBK Partners has agreed to buy Homeplus – Tesco’s South Korea unit – at an enterprise valuation of GBP4.2 billion ($6.4 billion). Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) will contribute $534 million to the deal. Other co-investors...
Korea outbound fund supports $377m China logistics deal
STIC Investments and Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) have agreed to support a KRW455 billion ($377 million) acquisition of a majority stake in China-based Rokin Logistics by CJ Korea Express Corp.
Founder of Japan's Beenos launches $60m Asia VC fund
The founder of Japanese e-commerce company Beenos, Teruhide Sato, has a launched a $60 million venture capital fund that will support internet and mobile start-ups in India, Southeast Asia, Japan and the US.
MBK named preferred bidder for Tesco's Korea business - report
A consortium led by MBK Partners is said to have been named the preferred bidder for Tesco’s South Korea-based Homeplus business in a deal that could be worth around $6 billion.
Korean start-ups: Pursuing critical mass
A handful of Korean start-ups have achieved valuations in excess of $1 billion as investors look to leverage a mobile-centric consumer base. But how many unicorns can this market accommodate?
Korea middle market: Behind the curtain
Korea’s middle market continues to blossom thanks to succession issues, restructuring and ambitions to expand overseas. But deals are struck in strict confidence – and GPs say that is how it should remain
Fundraising: Cracking the Korean LP
Korea’s LP community has been compared to an iceberg: the tip is very visible but getting to the lump of uncommitted capital that lurks beneath surface can be far more difficult. GPs on the fundraising trail must ask themselves whether it is worth the...
Korea buyouts: Who's selling?
Thanks to a steady stream of large cap deals, Korea accounts for a growing share of Asia buyout activity. But can this trend be sustained?
Korean conglomerates: Governance gridlock
The shareholder spat between Samsung and Elliott Management put Korea’s corporate governance shortfalls under the spotlight, but industry participants don’t expect to see the chaebol brought into line
Q&A: Formation 8's Brian Koo
As Formation 8 prepares to launch an Asia fund, Brian Koo, co-founder of the venture capital firm, explains why the strategy has evolved from rolling out US technologies in Asia to backing local start-ups
Global Brain backs Japan 3D printing start-up
Global Brain has committed JPY400 million ($3.3 million) to Japan-based Kabuku, which runs the 3D printing service Rinkak.
Vogo buys Korean lifestyle product maker Bodyfriend
Vogo Investment has acquired a controlling stake in Bodyfriend, South Korea's largest maker of massage chairs and other lifestyle products, in a management buyout.
Japan’s Freee raises $30m Series C round
DCM, Recruit Holdings and Japan Co-Invest have committed $30 million in Series C funding to Freee, a Japan-based provider of automated online accounting software.