North Asia
Q&A: Morgan Stanley PE Asia's Michael Chung
Michael Chung, Seoul-based managing director with Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA), discusses the intricacies of buying businesses from local conglomerates – and the prospects for exits via trade sales and IPOs.
Korean outbound M&A: Satisfied partners?
Korea’s National Pension Service wants private equity to help local corporates expand overseas. Three years after its inception, the Corporate Partnership Fund has yet to prove it is the answer
Polaris pays $86m for Japanese all-you-can-eat chain
Japanese mid-market buyout firm Polaris Capital has bought a 100% stake in all-you-can-eat restaurant chain Edoichi.
Stonebridge leads $3.5m round for Korean wearables maker
Stonebridge Capital has led a $3.5 million Series A round for Ybrain, a Korean start-up that makes wearables for Alzheimer's patients.
Bain-backed Skylark to raise $1.1b in Tokyo IPO
Skylark, the Japanese restaurant chain backed by Bain Capital, could raise as much $1.1 billion as it re-lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSX).
Softbank, Pantera lead $3m Series A for Korean bitcoin exchange
SoftBank Ventures Korea and Pantera Capital have led a $3 million Series A round of funding for Korean bitcoin exchange, wallet and merchant processor, Korbit.
Jafco invests $2m in Japan surgical robot maker
Jafco Ventures has invested JPY200 million ($2 million) in Riverfield, a Japanese start-up that develops robotic technology for use in the healthcare sector.
Japan mystery shopper company raises $2.2m
Mizuho Capital, Jafco Ventures and DBJ Capital have invested JPY220 million ($2.1 million) in Research and Innovation, a Tokyo-based internet market research company.
L Capital Asia to invest in Korean talent manager
L Capital Asia, a private equity firm sponsored by French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, will invest KRW61 billion ($60 million) in YG Entertainment, the Korean record label and talent manager responsible for acts including “Gangnam Style” rapper Psy....
Advantage acquires Japan kitchenware provider
Japanese mid-market GP Advantage Partners has acquired FMI Corp, an Osaka-based provider of kitchenware products and services.
Samsung Electronics to acquire VC-backed SmartThings
Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics has agreed to buy US-based SmartThings, a VC-backed platform that connects everyday items to the internet.
MBK agrees $243m sale of Korea's Techpack Solutions
MBK Partners has agreed to sell bottle manufacturer Techpack Solutions to Dongwon Systems Corp, the industrial materials division of domestic conglomerate Dongwon Group, for KRW250 billion ($245 million).
Walden Riverwood leads $8m Series A for Japan's Atonarp
Walden Riverwood Ventures has led an $8 million Series A round of funding for Atonarp, a Japanese developer of chemical sensors.
CVC to sell Korea's WiniaMando to Hyundai Green Food
CVC Capital Partners has agreed to sell WiniaMando, a South Korean manufacturer of kimchi refrigerators, to Hyundai Green Food, a subsidiary of leading domestic retailer Hyundai Department Store. The deal is worth around KRW150 billion ($146 million)....
Gree, Atomico lead $35m Series B for Japan news app
Japanese internet gaming firm Gree, and tech-focused investor Atomico, have led a JPY3.6 billion ($35.4 million) Series B round investment in SmartNews, the Tokyo-based start-up behind the news curation app of the same name.
Line backs Japan's Gumi, launches $100m developer fund
Messaging app start-up Line Corp. has agreed to acquire a less than 10% stake in Gumi, a VC-backed Japanese game developer. The exact size and value of the deal is still under negotiation.
South Korea's NPS commits $375m to Hamilton Lane co-invest fund
South Korea's National Pension Service (NPS) is committing KRW400 billion ($375 million) to Hamilton Lane's latest co-investment fund - Hamilton Lane Co-Investment Fund III.
South Korea mobile loyalty platform raises $3.9m
Daesung Private Equity and Bokwang Investments have invested $3.9 million in Spoqa, the South Korean start-up behind mobile loyalty platform Dodo Points.
DRC Capital launches Fund III, holds $25m first close
Japanese mid-market buyout shop DRC Capital has launched its third buyout fund - Japanese Limited Partnership DRC III - quickly followed by an initial close of JPY2.5 billion ($25 million).
SingTel Innov8 leads $25m Series B round for Bitglass
SingTel Innov8, the corporate venture arm of Singapore telecoms giant SingTel, has led a $25 million Series B round of investment for US-based Bitglass, a provider of mobile cloud security solutions. Norwest Venture Partners and New Enterprise Associates...
Japan's REVIC invests $10m in restaurant chain
The Regional Vitalization Corporation of Japan (REVIC) has invested JPY1 billion ($10 million) in Tokyo-listed restaurant chain Friendly.
Japan VCs invest $3m in Tokyo tech boot camp
Life is Tech, a Tokyo-based IT boot camp program for elementary and junior high school students, has raised JPY310 million (about $3 million) from Japanese investors Jafco, Mistletoe, KCJ Group, DeNA and Recruit Holdings.
INCJ to form LED business with Japan Display, corporates
The government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) is forming a new company with Japan Display, Sony Corp. and Panasonic. The new company will be engaged in the development and commercialization of organic light-emitting diode (OLED)...
Japan game publisher 3rdKind raises $1m from VCs
Nippon Venture Capital (NVCC), early stage investor Global Brain Corp., and Japanese internet firm Adways have together invested $1 million in mobile games publisher 3rdKind.