Regions
Australia’s LaunchVic terminates partnership with 500 Startups
LaunchVic, a start-up investment fund backed by the government of Victoria, has ended its planned partnership with 500 Startups in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal at the Silicon Valley-based accelerator.
GPs commit $110m to PCCW's video streaming unit
Hony Capital, Foxconn Ventures and Temasek Holdings have agreed to acquire a combined 18% stake in PCCW International OTT, a video-streaming subsidiary of Hong Kong telecom giant PCCW, for $110 million.
KKR opens Shanghai office
KKR has opened an office in Shanghai, its third base in Greater China and eighth in Asia Pacific. The move comes two months after the firm closed its third pan-regional fund at $9.3 billion.
EmergeVest secures 2x return on first exit
EmergeVest, a Hong Kong-based boutique PE firm established by two former executives from HSBC’s Asia principal investments division, has secured its first exit with the sale of apparel supplier JD United Manufacturing (JDU) to Taiwan-listed Roo Hsing.
CLSA-backed BC Ings makes Japan education bolt-on
BC Ings, a Japanese cram school operator owned by CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP), has acquired local counterpart Akasaka Gakuin.
SoftBank invests $2.5b in India's Flipkart
Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group has invested $2.5 billion in Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart through the acquisition of primary and secondary shares.
Chinese supply chain financing player gets $30m Series B
Linklogis, a Chinese supply chain finance provider, has raised RMB200 million ($30 million) in Series B funding from Tencent Holdings, China Merchants Venture Capital and Bertelsmann Asia Investments.
Profile: Tsing Capital's Don Ye
Don Ye, founder and managing partner for Tsing Capital, is sometimes called the ‘elder statesman’ of cleantech investment in China. Formative years in the US helped him clarify an actionable world view
India's EM3 AgriServices gets $10m Series B
EM3 AgriServices, a venture capital-backed equipment and operational support provider for the Indian farming industry, has raised a $10 million Series B funding round.
Sequoia, Norwest lead $52m round for India's Five Star
Sequoia Capital and Norwest Venture Partners have led a INR3.3 billion ($52 million) Series C round for Indian non-banking financial company Five Star Business Finance.
KKR-owned Avendus buys India asset manager
Avendus Capital, an Indian financial services firm owned by KKR, has agreed to acquire Ocean Dial Asset Management, the UK-based investment manager of India Capital Growth Fund (ICGF).
INCJ joins $4.3m round for Japan AI player
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Bank of Kochi have agreed to jointly invest JPY470 million ($4.3 million) in Japanese artificial intelligence (AI) technology developer Nextremer.
China B2B fabrics trading app Baibu secures $25m
Chinese VC firm Yunqi Partners has led a RMB165 million ($25 million) extended Series B round for Baibu, a textile and fabrics B2B trading platform.
Australia's Pepper accepts KKR credit unit's buyout offer
Australian mortgage lender and distressed debt servicer Pepper Group has accepted a buyout bid from KKR Credit Advisors (KCA).
Co-working spaces: Space jam
Amid the proliferation of co-working spaces in Asia and soaring valuations, investors must prepare for the inevitable industry shakeout
Qiming leads $20m round for China cancer specialist
Qiming Venture Partners has led a $20 million round for New Horizon Health, a Chinese start-up that develops cancer screening technology, with participation from existing investors Legend Capital and SBCVC.
India's goods and services tax: A fair fight
While India’s new goods and services tax regime has caused temporary dislocation, private equity players are confident that their portfolio companies are set for long-term success
Deal focus: VCs to rebalance Indian shortcoming
Lifestyle changes due to economic development in India are impacting the country's disease patterns. Fidelity International is bringing much needed venture capital to a medical research space addressing the issue
China dairy: Gone sour?
China’s dairy industry has experienced a dramatic fall from grace, driven by overhype at home and lower prices overseas. Investors that got in at the top of the market are considering their options
Deal focus: CMIA monetizes Muslim growth
Bitsmedia Holdings' Muslim Pro app is highlighting new marketing potential in growing Muslim populations. CMIA Capital Partners and Malaysia's Affin Hwang Asset Management have taken a controlling stake in the company
Olympus, UOB invest $90m in China radio ad agency
A consortium led by Olympus Capital Asia and UOB Venture Management will acquire a controlling stake in Shanghai-based Yuanyu Radio, which claims to be the largest radio advertising agency in China, for $90 million.
Temasek leads $57m round for China biotech firm
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has led a $57 million Series B round for Chinese drug developer Hangzhou Just Biotherapeutics (Just China).
SparkLabs launches Taiwan accelerator
US and Korea-based venture capital firm SparkLabs Global Ventures has launched an accelerator program in Taiwan that will focus on internationalizing local technology start-ups.
China's PE-backed UrWork receives $178m investment
UrWork, a Chinese co-working space operator with a number of private equity backers, has received $178 million as part of a pre-Series C funding round led by a group of strategic investors.