Region
Jungle closes Southeast Asia VC fund at $240m
Singapore-based Jungle Ventures has closed its third early-stage Southeast Asia VC fund at $240 million, more than doubling the previous vintage.
Quadrant wins board approval for buyout of Australia's QMS Media
Quadrant Private Equity has agreed to buy Australian outdoor advertising business QMS Media Group for an enterprise valuation of A$571.6 million ($392 million) through a scheme of arrangement.
Deal focus: China's XTransfer fills missing link in fintech
XTransfer has won backing from Alibaba and a string of venture capital investors to provide a bridge to payment services that so many small businesses in China are still forced to go without
Chinese VC in Africa: Cultural barriers
Chinese investors recognize the long-term potential in fostering technology-enabled business models in Africa, but reluctance to engage local stakeholders and develop local knowledge is holding them back
Hillhouse wins battle for China electronics player Gree
Hillhouse Capital has secured a 15% interest in Gree Electric Appliances, China's leading manufacturer of air conditioners, beating a consortium led by Hopu Investment.
Biotech player Ascentage gains on debut after $53m HK IPO
Ascentage Pharma saw its share price surge 57% during the first day of trading in Hong Kong before closing up 9.9%, following a heavily oversubscribed HK$416.6 million ($53 million) IPO.
India motorcycle taxi platform Rapido gets $55m Series B
Chinese early-stage investor Shunwei Capital Partners has participated in a Series B funding round for Indian motorcycle taxi operator Rapido, drawing comparisons with the growth trajectory of Indonesia’s Go-Jek.
Singapore marketing tech player Mobikon raises $12.5m
Mobikon, a Singapore-based marketing technology provider for the restaurant industry, has received a $12.5 million Series B round led by Binny Bansal, co-founder of Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart.
Qiming leads $21m Series C for Chinese lingerie brand
Neiwai, a Chinese lingerie brand, has achieved a valuation of more than RMB1 billion ($142 million) following a RMB150 million Series C round led by Qiming Venture Partners.
Goldman leads $62m Series D for China's Fountain Medical
Fountain Medical Development, a China-based contract research organization (CRO) that serves a global client base of drug developers, has received $62 million in Series D funding led by Goldman Sachs.
China-US PE: Reverse princeling
When a US presidential candidate’s son with Chinese private equity connections stirs up accusations of impropriety, the questionable merits of princeling funds appear more muddled than ever
L'Oréal makes LP commitment to Cathay VC fund
L’Oréal will support the second fund being raised by Cathay Innovation, the VC affiliate of Cathay Capital Private Equity. The company wants to build ties to the beauty tech start-up ecosystem in China, its second-largest market.
Deal focus: Cornell picks Lorom for Asia debut
Cornell Capital, a US-based mid-market buyout firm, is starting to realize its Asian ambitions with an investment in Taiwan-based industrial supplier Lorom Holding. Bolt-on expansions appear likely
Japan's J-Star forms media platform with three acquisitions
Japanese private equity firm J-Star has acquired three local internet media companies with a view to bundling them into an acquisition platform for the sector.
CDC backs Nepalese internet service provider
CDC Group has made its first equity investment in Nepal with a NPR1.35 billion ($12 million) commitment to WorldLink, the country’s largest private sector internet service provider.
China AI chatbot developer raises $45m
Emotibot, a Chinese provider of computer vision and emotional recognition solutions to e-commerce platforms, financial institutions, and call center operators, has raised $45 million in an extended Series B round of funding.
Huaxing, Hillhouse lead $50m round for China's Hetao 101
Hetao 101, a Chinese online education platform dedicated to computer programming for children, has raised $50 million in Series B funding.
Chinese online-offline retailer KK Group achieves unicorn status
Chinese retailer KK Group - formerly known as KK Guan - has raised a $100 million Series D led by an Alibaba Group-backed fund. N5 Capital, Matrix Partners China and Black Algae Capital all re-upped.
Advantage seeks $690m for sixth Japan buyout fund
Advantage Partners is looking to raise around JPY75 billion ($690 million) for its sixth Japan-focused middle-market buyout fund, up from JPY60 billion in the previous vintage.
ARQ Capital backs Philippines dialysis business
ARQ Capital, a Philippines-based GP focused on the local small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector, has invested an undisclosed sum in dialysis clinic operator Medline.
Portfolio: China Everbright and Terminus
China Everbright has turned a sub-scale consumer-facing smart door lock manufacturer into an internet-of-things platform catering to enterprise customers. Terminus is now building out its product base
Chinese enterprise software player Ekuaibao receives $50m
Ekuaibao, a Chinese software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider specializing in corporate reimbursements, has raised $50 million in an extended Series C round.
Japan succession planning: The generation game
By selling a stake in the GP, Advantage Partners has broken new ground in Japanese private equity. The move is designed to facilitate ownership transition, accumulate balance sheet capital
Australia's AirTree closes third fund at $188m
Australia’s AirTree Ventures has closed its third fund at A$275 million ($188 million) with substantial contributions from local superannuation funds.