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Lightspeed leads $20m round for India conversational AI platform
Lightspeed Venture Partners and Lightspeed India Partners have led a $20 million Series B round for Indian conversational artificial intelligence (AI) provider Yellow Messenger.
Warburg Pincus buys 17% stake in China Auto Rental
Warburg Pincus has agreed to acquire a 17.11% stake in Chinese car rental business China Auto Rental (CAR) from Ucar, a chauffeured car service provider. It follows a sharp drop in CAR’s share price following a scandal at Luckin Coffee, which is backed...
AVCJ Awards 2019: AVCJ Special Achievement: Renuka Ramnath
Renuka Ramnath has played a significant role in the development of private equity in India, initially with ICICI Venture and now with Multiples Alternative Asset Management
Carlyle achieves partial exit in India’s Metropolis Healthcare
The Carlyle Group has sold 6.5 million shares of Metropolis Healthcare for INR7.5 billion ($98.7 million) to exit nearly its entire position in the Indian medical diagnostics chain.
Lightspeed completes $4b global fundraising effort
Lightspeed Venture Partners has raised $4 billion across early and growth-stage funds, including $1.5 billion for an opportunity fund that will support breakout companies in global markets such as China, India and Southeast Asia.
Microsoft venture arm leads Series D for India's FarEye
FarEye, an Indian logistics platform, has raised $25 million in a Series D round led by M12, Microsoft's corporate venture arm.
Chinese voice recognition player AISpeech raises $58m
Chinese voice recognition player AISpeech has raised RMB410 million ($58 million) in a Series E round led by CTC Capital.
China Everbright backs smart illumination start-up
China Everbright has joined a RMB200 million ($28 million) Series C round for Yeelight, a Chinese start-up that makes smart lighting products.
Australia's Airwallex gets $160m Series D
The VC divisions of ANZ Bank and Salesforce have led a $160 million Series D round for Australian financial technology company Airwallex.
Investcorp achieves $275m first close for Asia food fund
Investcorp has achieved a $275 million first close for an Asia food fund, a joint venture that also involves China Resources and Fung Strategic Holdings.
Malaysia's COPE launches COVID-19 support program
Malaysia’s COPE Private Equity has set up a MYR180 million ($41.5 million) investment program dedicated to supporting companies struggling with business stresses related to COVID-19.
Japan's Hiroshima Venture launches start-up, SME fund
Japan’s Hiroshima Venture Capital has established a JPY1 billion ($9.3 million) fund that will invest in local start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Indonesia's KoinWorks raises $20m in debt
KoinWorks, an Indonesian financial technology start-up primarily known for P2P lending, has raised $20 million in debt by selling convertible notes to existing investors.
Matrix, CICC back Chinese optical chip pioneer
Lightelligence, a US and China-based manufacturer of optical chips, has raised a $26 million Series A round led by Matrix Partners China and China International Capital Corporation (CICC).
Blackstone-owned Burger King NZ enters receivership
The Burger King New Zealand franchise, which was acquired by The Blackstone Group for NZ$108 million ($86 million) in 2011, has been placed into receivership.
Deal focus: Integral discovers booming cosmetics niche
Now under private equity ownership, T-Garden is credited with pioneering fashion model-led contact lens marketing in Japan - and helping an often-overlooked market creep into the mainstream
Japan's Coral launches $25m growth fund
Coral Capital, formerly known as 500 Startups Japan, has set up a JPY2.7 billion ($25 million) growth fund to help top-performing portfolio companies navigate the COVID-19 downturn.
India’s Capital Float secures $15m funding round
Capital Float, an online lending platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and e-commerce financiers in India, has raised $15 million in funding from existing investors.
Chinese cosmetics player Meishang raises $28m
Meishang, a Chinese cosmetics company with a presence in South Korea and Taiwan as well as in its home market, has raised RMB200 million ($28 million) in funding led by furniture giant from Red Star Macalline.
Tenaya Capital leads Series A round in Indonesia’s Kargo
Indonesian logistics platform Kargo Technologies has finalised a IDR504 billion ($31 million) Series A round led by Tenaya Capital, formerly the venture arm of Lehman Brothers.
Japan's Paidy tops up Series C round
Japanese payments start-up Paidy has topped up its Series C round with an additional commitment from Itochu Corporation. It brings the company's total capital raised to date to $281 million.
VIG makes second Korea funeral services acquisition
Korea’s VIG Partners has made the second investment from its fourth fund – which closed at $810 million in January – with an agreement to acquire Preedlife, the country’s leading funeral services provider.
Deal focus: Yuanfudao stakes its claim
Eight years old and yet to turn a profit, Chinese K-12 online education platform Yuanfudao is now valued at $7.8 billion. Investors say they are comfortable playing the long game
1Q analysis: Impact winter
As the coronavirus outbreak escalated into a global pandemic, what was a problem for China investors quickly spread into other geographies. Fundraising, investment and exits inevitably took a hit