Region
Korean carve-outs: Network effects
Chaebol carve-outs have historically been elusive for global firms operating in Korea. A growing appreciation of their value-add capabilities could be the catalyst needed to direct more deals their way
Chinese calligraphy tuition platform raises $28m
Hexiaoxiang, a Chinese online education service that teaches calligraphy to kindergarten and primary school children, has closed a Series B funding round worth RMB200 million ($28 million).
India payments player BharatPe raises $50m Series B
US-based Ribbit Capital and UK-based Steadview Capital have co-led a $50 million Series B round for BharatPe, a digital payment services provider for Indian offline businesses.
TA invests in Unison-backed Gong Cha - update
TA Associates has acquired a controlling stake in Gong Cha, the Taiwan-based bubble tea chain backed by Unison Capital.
KKR joins round for Chinese online education platform
KKR and GGV Capital have led a $85 million funding round for Huohua, a Chinese online education platform specializing in mathematics and science.
PE-backed Chinese AI player Megvii files for HK IPO
Megvii Technology, best known for its Face++ platform, is set to become the first Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company to list in Hong Kong.
CITIC joins $34m round for Japanese e-commerce platform
CITIC Capital has participated in a JPY3.6 billion ($34.1 million) funding round for Active Sonar, operator of Reclo, a Japanese online re-selling platform for luxury brands.
Fosun invests $18m in Chinese pet services player
Fosun Group has agreed to invest RMB130 million ($18.4 million) in Pet Doctor, a Chinese one-stop pet services platform that supplies everything from software for pet hospitals to consultations for pet owners.
Japan's JPIC backs $33m round for Atonarp
Japan Post Investment Corporation (JPIC) has backed a $33 million Series C round for Atonarp, a Tokyo-based molecular diagnostics systems developer that uses artificial intelligence (AI).
Qiming's J.P. Gan reaches first close on spin-out fund
J.P. Gan (pictured), who spent 12 years with Qiming Venture Partners before striking out on his own earlier this year, has reached a first close of $163 million on his debut China fund.
Chinese e-commerce sourcing partner xyb2b gets $100m
Xyb2b.com, a B2B platform that helps Chinese e-commerce companies source products from overseas, has completed an extended Series B round of funding worth $100 million.
Ant Financial, Primavera back Chinese vending machine provider
Beijing Ubox Online Technology, a Chinese vending machine manager, has received RMB1.6 billion ($226 million) in funding from Ant Financial Services Group and Primavera Capital Group.
Fund focus: CITIC Capital eyes divestment opportunity
CITIC Capital has scaled up for its latest China fund, raising 75% more capital than in the previous vintage. The buyout-focused GP expects tighter liquidity to drive more corporate carve-outs
US fintech player Tala targets India with $110m Series D
Tala, a US financial technology provider looking to expand its microlending operations in India, has raised a $110 million Series D round from a group including PayPal Ventures.
Australia's Future Fund hires TPG executive
Future Fund has appointed Sid Khotkar, who has spent the past 12 years working for TPG Capital in Australia, as a director in its private equity team.
Singapore-based Play closes debut gaming fund at $40m
Play Ventures, a Singapore-based VC firm focused on gaming start-ups in Europe, Asia, and North America, has closed its debut fund at $40 million.
Deal focus: India AI player Uniphore eyes post-call center world
Fresh from raising a $51 million Series C round, Uniphore's founder argues that artificial intelligence will become as much about quality of engagement as back-end efficiency
Cerberus to assume control of Australia's Axsesstoday
Cerberus Capital Management has agreed to acquire the operating assets of bankrupt Australian equipment finance specialist Axsesstoday.
Sodexo Ventures backs China catering platform
Sodexo Ventures, the venture capital arm of French food and facilities management services conglomerate Sodexo, has made its second investment in China, committing an undisclosed amount to technology-enabled catering service Meican.
Japan edge computing specialist gets $7.8m
Global Brain has led a $7.8 million round for Idein, a Japanese technology developer focused on systems for device-level data processing, also known as edge computing.
East Ventures closes sixth fund at $75m
East Ventures has closed its sixth fund for early-stage Southeast Asian start-ups at $75 million. It had initially targeted $30 million.
Tencent re-ups in China B2B trading platform Yijiupi
Tencent Holdings has invested $80 million in Yijiupi, a China-based online B2B trading platform that is looking to continue its expansion from liquor into other consumer goods categories.
China investment regulation: Context clues
Revisions to China’s negative investment list show the country remains committed to widening access, but consistency in enforcement and clarity around political issues are significant challenges for investors
Chinese hotel marketing platform receives $42m
Zhiketong – a WeChat-based direct sales and marketing service for high-end hotels – has completed its Series C round, having raised RMB300 million ($42.5 million) across three tranches.