North Asia
India's GHV forms partnership with Japan's WiL
India's Green House Venture (GHV) Accelerator has teamed up with Japan and US-based early-stage investor World Innovation Labs (WiL) to back Indian start-ups with the potential to go global.
SCPE backs acquisition of Korean packaging business
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) is participating in the KRW415 billion ($396 million) acquisition of South Korean conglomerate Hyosung Corporation’s packaging business.
J-Star secures 5x exit from healthcare firm HCM - update
Japanese mid-market buyout firm J-Star has exited Tokyo-based healthcare service provider HCM Corporation to Alshok Group at an enterprise value of JPY8.88 billion ($78.7 million), generating a 5x cash multiple and a 60% IRR.
Japan's MegaChips to buy VC-backed SiTime
MegaChips Corp, a Tokyo-listed semiconductor maker, is to acquire SiTime Corporation, a VC-backed US semiconductor company for $200 million.
Carlyle crosses $600m threshold on Japan fund
The Carlyle Group has crossed the halfway mark on its third Japan buyout fund, with approximately $600 million raised predominantly from domestic investors.
Mizuho Capital to launch $300m SME mezzanine fund
Mizuho Capital Partners is set to launch a new JPY30 billion ($277 million) mezzanine fund which will support Japanese small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the form of subordinated loans and preferred shares.
IFC proposes investment in Temasek's India NBFC
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is considering an investment of INR4.5 billion ($75 million) in Fullerton India Credit Company (FICC), a non-bank financial company owned by Temasek Holdings.
Korea's KnowRe raises $6.8m Series A from VC backers
SoftBank Venture Korea (SBVK) has a led a $6.8 million Series A investment in Seoul-based education technology start-up KnowRe.
Japanese mobile app Quan gets VC backing
Japanese mobile game developer Quan has received an undisclosed sum from a group of domestic VC investors.
Permira exits Japan's Arysta LifeScience to US strategic for $3.5b
Permira has exited its investment in Japanese agricultural chemicals maker Arysta LifeSciences to US chemicals firm Platform Specialty Products (PSP) for about $3.51 billion.
Japan online home-hunter service bags $2m from VCs
Japan's YJ Capital and Incubate Fund have invested JPY200 million ($1.9 million) in Ietty, a Tokyo-based start-up that runs an online platform for home-hunters.
Neuberger Berman Japan, Korea PE commitments top $1b
Japanese and South Korean investors now account for more than $1 billion of the committed capital managed by Neuberger Berman’s private equity division.
Bain leads $18m investment in Korean car-sharing service
Bain Capital has led a KRW18 billion ($18 million) Series A round of funding for Socar, a Korean car sharing company.
SoftBank to buy VC-backed online video site DramaFever
Japanese telecom giant SoftBank has agreed to buy DramaFever, a streaming video service that specializes in Korean TV shows and movies. Financial details were not disclosed.
CyberAgent, Mizuho back Japan venue rental marketplace
CyberAgent Ventures and Mizuho Capital have together invested JPY100 million (about $1 million) in SpaceMarket, a Japanese online platform that lists vacant spaces that users can rent for corporate events such as meetings and training courses.
Bain serves up Skylark in Tokyo IPO
When Bain Capital bought Skylark in 2011, the restaurant operator was going through one the rougher patches of its 40-year history. A dysentery outbreak had forced the closure of 120 outlets, further delaying a transaction that had already been on hold...
Hahn & Co in $900m first close on second Korea fund
South Korean GP Hahn & Co – which was founded by Scott Hahn, formerly CIO of Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) – has reached a first close of approximately $900 million on its second fund.
J-Star to exit healthcare firm HCM to Alshok Group
Japanese security firm Alshok Group has agreed to acquire Tokyo-based healthcare service provider HCM Corporation, paving an exit for mid-market GP J-Star.
Gree Ventures backs Japan marketing start-up
Japanese online marketing firm Somewrite has raised JPY100 million (about $1 million) from corporate venture capital arm Gree Ventures and other undisclosed investors.
Japan's BrainWars app raises $2.8m in VC funding
East Ventures, Skyland Ventures, Genuine Startups and Line Ventures, the VC unit of messaging app firm Line Corp, have together invested JPY300 million ($2.8 million) in TransLimit, the Tokyo-based start-up behind social quiz app BrainWars.
Shares in Bain-backed Skylark fall on Tokyo debut
Shares in Skylark, the Japanese restaurant operator backed by Bain Capital, fell by nearly 4.8% on the first day of trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) following a JPY75.1 billion ($686.2 million) IPO.
Japan's Mercari raises $22m Series C round
Mercari, the Japanese start-up behind the mobile flea market app of the same name, has raised JPY2.36 billion ($21.8 million) in Series C funding from World Innovation Lab (WiL) and existing investors Global Brain, Globis Capital Partners, GMO Venture...
Permira in talks to sell Arysta to Platform Specialty – report
Arysta LifeScience, the Japanese agricultural chemicals maker owned by Permira that last month filed for a US IPO, is said to be in talks with Platform Specialty Products over a potential acquisition.
Jafco commits $4.6m in Japan footwear site Locondo
Jafco has invested JPY500 million ($4.6 million) in Japanese footwear e-commerce start-up Locondo in a Series C round of funding.