Region
GPs back $605m take-private of China's SciClone pharmaceuticals
CDH Investments and Ascendent Capital Partners have teamed up with GL Capital and a Bank of China investment unit in a $605 million bid for US-listed Chinese drug developer SciClone Pharmaceuticals.
IDG partners Unilever, AWS on India early-stage program
IDG Ventures India has joined Unilever Ventures and Amazon Web Services (AWS) for an initiative aimed at supporting early-stage technology start-ups in India.
Thailand's Kasikorn Bank launches $29m fintech fund
Beacon Venture Capital, the VC arm of Thailand-based Kasikorn Bank, has launched a fund aimed at financial technology start-ups with a corpus of THB1 billion ($29 million).
Deal focus: CounterTack locks up funding for security
At a time when websites have never seemed more vulnerable, CounterTack has a software solution that can plug holes in online security systems. It has raised $20 million in Series D funding to support expansion
Singapore's VC-backed MoneySmart gets $10m Series B
MoneySmart, a personal finance portal backed by Golden Gate Ventures, has received a $10 million Series B funding round led by Japanese shopping price comparison site operator Kakaku.
Qualgro leads $8m Series B for Singapore's Wavecell
Singapore-based cloud communications platform Wavecell has raised an $8.2 million Series B round led by Qualgro, a VC firm active in Southeast Asia and Australia.
Hong Kong tech IPOs: Compromise solution
Hong Kong wants to reinvest itself as a destination for Chinese technology listings with a new board that would be open to companies that are pre-profit and have dual-class share structures. Will it fly?
Blackbird joins $12m round for Australia-US marketing player
Blackbird Ventures has led a $12 million round for Sydney and San Francisco-based marketing software provider Autopilot.
GPs sell French crystal maker to Chinese investment group
Chinese investment group Fortune Fountain Capital has agreed to buy a controlling stake in French luxury crystal maker Baccarat from Starwood Capital and L Catterton Partners, in a deal worth EUR164 million ($184 million).
Fund focus: Safe hands
With $9.3 billion in dry powder, KKR aims to capitalize on growing big-ticket opportunities in the region. The large and rapid fundraise is further evidence of the flight to quality among LPs
Deal focus: IP Group targets tech commercialization
IP Group has built a business in the UK and US working with universities to turn academic ideas into investable business models. It has now raised $149 million for expansion in Australia and New Zealand
Gobi leads $6m round for Malaysia's Carsome
Gobi Partners has led a $6 million funding round for Malaysia-based online used car purchasing platform Carsome.
KKR bids $1.6b for Australian telecom player Vocus
KKR has offered to acquire Vocus Group, one of Australia's leading high-speed broadband internet providers, in a deal worth approximately A$2.1 billion ($1.6 billion).
China cloud computing business Huayun Data raises $220m
Wuxi Huayun Data Technology Service, a Chinese cloud computing infrastructure provider, has raised RMB1.5 billion ($220 million) in a pre-IPO round from a group of domestic investors.
Legend raises $448m for seventh China VC fund
Legend Capital has closed its seventh China-focused venture capital fund at $448 million. The vehicle is smaller than the firm’s previous vehicle – which raised $500 million in about five months – and spent longer in the market.
Warburg Pincus invests $300m in emerging markets TMT platform
Warburg Pincus has invested $300 million in Princeton Growth Ventures (Princeton GV), a telecom, media and technology (TMT) buy-out platform that seeks to acquire assets in emerging markets.
Deal focus: Swiggy aims to deliver on food promise
Swiggy plans to use its $80 million Series E round of funding to challenge the likes of Zomato and Food Panda for market leadership in India's online food delivery industry
Q&A: Vertex Ventures' Ben Mathias
Ben Mathias, managing director and head of India at Temasek Holdings-backed Vertex Ventures, discusses the firm’s priorities for adding value to Indian start-ups looking to the global stage
Legend leads $18m round for Chinese beauty clinic chain
Legend Capital has led a $18 million funding round for PhiSkin, a China-based chain of beauty clinics backed by H&Q Asia Pacific.
PE and Islamic finance: Underlying themes
Encouraging trends in population, social mobility, commodities, technology, and governance standards are converging on Islamic finance. PE plays a small role with strong upside in Asia
Chinese courier start-up gets $50m Series C-plus
Chinese intercity courier services provider Shansong has secured an extended Series C round of funding led by Shunwei Capital Partners and Chinese retailer Beijing Hualian Group.
Sequoia discloses China, India fundraising activity
Sequoia Capital has topped up its fourth India fund – having closed the fifth country vehicle early last year – and disclosed that its most recent China growth vehicle closed at $899.5 million.
Emerging India invests $50m in domestic travel site
Emerging India Focus Funds has invested $50 million in Indian online travel portal Goomo, a division of its portfolio company Orbit Corporate & Leisure Travels.
Australian VCs invest $16m in domestic drug developer
Australian VC investors Brandon Capital and Uniseed have committed $16 million to Que Oncology, a clinical-stage drug development company established by the University of Queensland (UQ) and US-based Emory University.