North Asia
INCJ invests in $1.7m in Japanese tech firm Exvision
The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has invested JPY180 million ($1.7 million) in Exvision, a company which develops high-speed image processing technology.
Baring PE Asia set for Korea logistics buyout
Baring Private Equity Asia has agreed to buy South Korean courier services provider Logen Logistics from Mirae Asset Private Equity. The deal is worth around KRW160 billion ($140 million).
Korea to grant start-up visas to foreigners
South Korea is to grant start-up visas to foreign entrepreneurs in a bid to facilitate inbound investment.
Japanese software testing service in $4m VC round
Shift, a Japanese software testing service, has raised JPY400 million ($4 million) from VC investors Simplex Holdings and Movida Capital as well as strategic investor Bit-isle, a cloud data service provider.
DBJ, SMBC, Mitsubishi UFJ back Japan's Adinnovation
The Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) , SMBC Ventures and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital have together invested JPY160 million ($1.5 million) in marketing specialist Adinnovation.
Korea's IMM Private Equity invests $87m in Hollys F&B
IMM Private Equity has agreed to pay KRW100 billion ($87 million) for a controlling position in Hollys F&B, the parent company of Hollys Coffee, one of South Korea’s largest coffee shop chains.
Japan's Chiyoda acquires PE-backed energy consultancy
Chiyoda Corp, a Japanese engineering contractor, has acquired a majority stake in Scottish energy consultancy business Xodus Group from UK private equity backer Simmons Parallel Private and Dutch investor Sunrise Xodus. Financial details were not disclosed....
Nissay Capital invests $2m in display component maker Cerebrex
Nissay Capital has invested JPY250 million ($2.4 million) in Cerebrex, a semiconductor start-up that produces components for liquid crystal displays.
KDDI Fund participates in $2m round for Japanese game developer
KDDI Open Innovation Fund has joined CyberAgent Ventures and Japanese entertainment company FuRyu in committing a total JPY230 million ($2.2 million) to Japanese game developer Mutations Studio.
Samsung Electronics buys VC-backed Boxee
Samsung Electronics has acquired Boxee, a VC-backed Israeli start-up that manufactures digital video recorders (DVRs). The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Japan, Canada pension fund consortium makes first investment
A consortium of Canada's Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement Scheme (OMERS) and a group of Japanese pension funds led by Mistubishi Corp. has made its first investment in Midland Cogeneration Venture (MCV), a gas power plant in the US. The details...
Angels in Asia: Exporting Silicon Valley
Early-stage investors in the US are casting their eyes eastwards as they seek out new partnerships in Asia. But what can these angels offer the region’s start-up community?
Regional update: A time to invest?
Is now the time to invest in Asia? This is a question that keeps popping up in my conversations with limited partners. Obviously, the simple answer can always be “yes.” That is if these LPs are able to locate and gain access to the fund managers that...
Sun Capital exits US-based ASB to Japan's Lixil
Sun Capital Partners has exited its stake in American Standard Brands (ASB), a US maker of bathroom and kitchen fixtures, to Japanese toilet manufacturer Lixil Corp. for $542 million. The deal values the 138 year-old firm at around $342 million and includes...
Untapped Japan VC market targets mobile space - AVCJ Japan
Japanese venture capital is still being overlooked by LPs despite the untapped potential of Asia's fastest growing mobile internet space, industry participants told the AVCJ Japan Forum.
Vogo-backed Tongyang Life chosen as preferred bidder ING Korea unit – report
A consortium led by Tongyang Life Insurance, which is majority-owned by Vogo Investment, has reportedly been chosen as the preferred bidder for ING Groep’s South Korean life insurance unit. The consortium is said to have offered around KRW2 trillion ($1.7...
Korean government tries again to offload Woori stake
The South Korean government will once again try to offload its majority stake in Woori Finance Holdings, this time breaking up the asset into three pieces to be auctioned separately. The plan is to sell two regional banks and a brokerage and related units...
Governance issues could undermine Japan's economic reforms - AVCJ Forum
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic reforms have provided a boost for Japanese private equity but issues surrounding corporate governance continue to be a barrier to opportunities, industry participants told the AVCJ Japan Forum.
Success of Abenomics hinges on deregulation – Orix
The success of economic reforms introduced by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ultimately depend on his ability to deliver on structural reform, the third of his “three arrows” policy, according to Yoshihiko Miyauchi, CEO of Orix Corp. This observation...
Cerberus fails in challenge to Seibu board
Cerberus Capital Management failed to its attempt to assert more control over the management of railway and property group Seibu Holdings, as shareholders voted down the PE firm's plan to secure more board seats.
Japan's INCJ in cooperative talks with private equity
The government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has been in discussions with domestic and foreign private equity firms over joint investment strategies.
J-Star promotes Satoru Arakawa to partner
Japanese mid-cap buyout firm J-Star has promoted Satoru Arakawa to the position of partner.
Korea's Castling gets first LP commitment, targets fund-of-funds
Castling Investment Group, a start-up alternatives investment advisory firm based in South Korea, has received its first external LP commitment – totaling $80 million – from a local museum foundation. The capital will be placed into a separate account...
Japanese, Chinese VCs provide $4.4m round for social site Muzy
The Silicon Valley-based venture capital arm of Japanese telecoms giant NTT Docomo, Docomo Capital, and Recruit Strategic Partners - the corporate VC arm of Japanese internet company Recruit Holdings - have teamed up with Chinese entrepreneurs to invest...