Region
Korean fintech: Financial times
Korea’s financial technology sector is affording start-ups disruption opportunities based on an outdated infrastructure environment. Early movers are experimenting with a number of business models
BlueRun, Tencent back Chinese healthcare services platform
BlueRun Ventures and Tencent Holdings have co-led a RMB160 million ($24 million) Series A round of funding for Shuidi, a China-based healthcare services platform that aims to help people pay for medical services.
India's Treebo Hotels raises $34m
Treebo, a VC-backed Indian budget hotel chain, has raised $34 million in a Series C funding round led by Hong Kong-based investors Ward Ferry Management and Karst Peak Capital.
DSG closes India, Southeast Asia consumer fund at $50m
DSG Partners Asia, which targets early-stage consumer opportunities in India and Southeast Asia, has closed its second fund at the hard cap of $50 million. Everstone Capital bought a 50% stake in the GP last year.
Goldman, Hillhouse invest $90m in China's Arrail Dental
Goldman Sachs and Hillhouse Capital have jointly invested $90 million in a Series D round of funding for Arrail Dental, a Chinese dental services provider.
Toyota invests in Southeast Asia's Grab
Toyota Tsusho, a division of Japanese automotive giant Toyota Group, has joined the latest funding round for Southeast Asian ride-hailing app operator Grab.
PE-backed Ambow Education seeks return to US main board
PE-backed Chinese tutoring and training services provider Ambow Education, which left the US main board in 2014 following allegations of financial impropriety and the appointment of provisional liquidators, has filed for an IPO.
Q&A: TMON Chairman Daniel Shin
Daniel Shin, chairman of TMON – formerly known as Ticket Monster – dissects the competitive Korean e-commerce space, with an eye on how new technological applications can provide an operational edge
Korea securities firms: Brokerage bonanza
Korean securities firms are building PE teams with a view to raising capital from third-party investors. There is government support for these efforts, but independent GPs aren’t worried about increased competition
India's VC-backed Freshworks acquires domestic marketing player
Freshworks, an India and US-based cloud business software developer with several VC backers, has acquired Indian marketing software start-up Zarget.
Yunfeng, Alibaba invest $152m in Chinese cloud storage firm
Qiniu Information Technology, a Shanghai-based cloud storage and computer technology developer, has completed a RMB1 billion ($152 million) funding round led by Alibaba Group and Yunfeng Capital, a GP co-founded by Alibaba chairman Jack Ma.
Korean middle market: Up the ladder
Interest from foreign LPs in Korea’s middle-market is rising, but the segment is still dominated by domestic institutional investors. Changes to this dynamic are unlikely to arrive soon
Sequoia, Sofina lead $30m round for India's MedGenome
Sequoia Capital India and Belgian investor Sofina have led a $30 million Series C round for MedGenome, an India and US-based company focused on molecular biology research and diagnostics.
Samara, Norwest in $77m exit from India's RBL
Samara Capital and Norwest Venture Partners have made a partial exit from India's RBL Bank for INR4.95 billion ($77 million).
Singapore's EDBI in $33m round for Taiwan AI player
Singapore-based EDBI has joined a $33 million Series C round for Taiwanese artificial intelligence (AI) company Appier. It brings the company’s total funding to date to $82 million.
Blackstone hires ex-JP Morgan banker as Japan chairman
The Blackstone Group has appointed Katsuyuki Kuki, who previously spent nine years as an investment banker with J.P. Morgan, as its chairman and representative director for Japan.
Affinity buys majority stake in Korean food container maker
Affinity Equity Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Lock & Lock, a South Korean manufacturer of airtight food containers and kitchen household goods for KRW629.3 billion ($562 million).
IFC proposes $50m investment in India solar project
The International Financial Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, is set to invest up to $50 million in a solar power project operate by India’s Arinsun Clean Energy.
Accel, IDG in $25m Series B for India's CureFit
Indian health and fitness start-up CureFit has raised a $25 million Series B round from a group of investors including Accel Partners and IDG Ventures.
SDIC leads $65m round for China's CF PharmTech
SDIC Fund Management, a GP under China’s State Development & Investment Corporation, has led a $65 million Series D round of funding for CF PharmTech, a Chinese manufacturer of inhalers and nasal sprays.
Navis sells duck genetics business to Chinese strategic investors
Navis Capital Partners has sold Cherry Valley Group (CVF), a duck genetics supplier and a breeder of Peking ducks, to Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group (Sunlon) and CITIC Agri Fund Management for an undisclosed sum.
Hong Kong's GoGoVan merges with 58 Daojia freight unit
Hong Kong-based GoGoVan, a VC-backed logistics start-up, and 58 Suyun, a freight unit of Chinese online-to-offline local services platform 58 Daojia, have agreed on an all-share merger that will create Asia’s largest online platform in the intra-city...
Singapore's VC-backed Grab commits $100m to Myanmar
Grab, a Southeast Asia-focused ride-hailing app operator backed by a number of PE and VC firms, has committed to investing $100 million into a Myanmar expansion strategy across the next three years.
Sequoia invests $8m in India's Bira 91
Sequoia Capital has invested $8 million in Indian brewer B9 Beverages, the maker of craft beer brand Bira 91.