Region
Chinese celebrities in VC: Profile booster
Chinese celebrities are entering the venture capital space, offering start-ups endorsement as well as financial support. But can a pop star’s cachet translate into long-term sustainable growth?
Fund focus: GSR fuels its global ambition
Bringing overseas technology to China is a popular investment thesis among GPs. However, while the likes of Fosun International and Hony Capital have completed several cross-border deals, this is not their sole proficiency. GSR Capital is therefore an...
Deal focus: MedGenome aims to fill the sequencing gap
India's vast assortment of ethnic groups represents a golden opportunity for MedGenome. The 2,000 groups that inhabit the subcontinent are a treasure trove of information waiting to be harvested and put to work.
Deal focus: NSI Ventures in robot kitchen play
The old proverb is that necessity is the mother of invention, but in an age of robotics it seems that simple inconvenience is enough to give birth to the next great innovation. Such is the case with the Rotimatic, a “robot” invented specifically to make...
Worst case scenarios: How GPs recover value
There are various ways for PE investors to seek legal recourse against portfolio companies that have behaved improperly – provided they have structured deals properly and don’t mind getting their hands dirty
P2P lender China Rapid Finance gets $35m Series C round
Broadline Capital has led a $35 million Series C round of funding for peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform China Rapid Finance. The investment gives the business a pre-money valuation of $1 billion.
New Zealand's Booktrack receives $5m Series B round
Booktrack, a New Zealand-based company that provides movie-style soundtracks and ambient audio for eBooks, has raised $5 million in Series B funding led by Coent Venture Partners and Sparkbox Ventures.
India's furniture retailer Pepperfry raises $100m
Online furniture retailer Pepperfry has raised $100 million in Series D funding from a group of investors including Goldman Sachs and Zodius Technology Fund.
Tsinghua Unigroup engineers Xueda Education re-listing in Shenzhen
Xueda Education Group, a Chinese tutoring services provider, has agreed to be privatized by Xiamen Insight Investment, a Shenzhen-listed shell company controlled by Tsinghua Unigroup, for approximately $368.8 million. Xueda will leave the New York Stock...
China Minsheng Investment to acquire Sirius for $2.2b
Bermuda-based White Mountains Insurance Group has agreed to sell its subsidiary Sirius International Insurance Group to China Mingsheng Investment (CMI) for $2.2 billion.
Tata Opportunities Fund invests $55m in Tata Projects
The Tata Opportunities Fund (TOF) - the flagship fund managed by Indian conglomerate Tata Group's corporate investment arm, Tata Capital - has invested INR3.35 billion ($55 million) in the group's engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services...
SAIF India backs watch components supplier KDDL
SAIF Partners India has invested INR300 million ($4.7 million) in KDDL, an Indian manufacturer of watch components.
L Capital Asia exits India's PVR
L Capital Asia has fully exited its remaining stake in Indian cinema chain operator PVR Cinemas for INR4.8 billion ($76 million).
Costa slips below IPO price after $401m Australia offering
Costa Group, an Australia-based fresh fruit and vegetables producer controlled by Paine & Partners, is trading below its IPO price following a $550 million ($401 million) offering.
VCs invest $4.4m in Japanese filter technology start-up
The state-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), shipping conglomerate investment arm Tsuneishi Partners and Future Venture Capital (FVC) have together invested JPY550 million ($4.4 million) in NanoMist Technologies, creator of a filtering...
Allegro buys controlling stake in New Zealand's Carpet Court
Australasia distress specialist Allegro Funds has announced the third investment from its second fund with the acquisition of a controlling stake in Carpet Court, a New Zealand-based flooring retailer.
Japan's VC-backed Metaps files for IPO
Metaps, a Japanese mobile software developer and IT services start-up backed by a slew of VC investors, has filed for its Tokyo IPO and is expected to raise as much as JPY3.8 billion ($30.6 million).
GSR, Go Scale raise $1b for M&A fund, seek to deploy $5b – update
GSR Capital and its affiliate Go Scale Capital has raised $1 billion for a cross-border buyout and M&A fund, which it hopes will translate into $5 billion worth of dry powder once debt financing and co-investment are factored in.
China P2P lending site Firstp2p raises $41m
Firstp2p, a Chinese online peer-to-peer (P2P) financing site, has raised a $41 million Series B round of funding from San Shan Capital, CITIC Capital and China Equity.
Blackstone's Michael Chae appointed to CFO role
The Blackstone Group has appointed its international private equity head Michael Chae to be CFO, replacing Laurence Tosi.
China after-school tutoring app raises $24m
Entstudy.com, a Chinese after-school tutoring mobile app, has raised $24 billion in an extended Series B round from two domestic VC firms: Kun Ling Capital and Sharing Capital.
Orios launches $150m India early-stage fund
Indian VC firm Orios Venture Partners has launched a new $150 million fund to support start-ups in various branches of the technology sector.
Carlyle registers $775m for third Japan fund
The Carlyle Group has registered just over $775 million for its third Japan fund - Carlyle Japan Partners III.
GGV leads round for China B2B drug retail platform
GGV Capital has led an extended Series A round of funding for Ypzdw.com, a Chinese online B2B drug retail platform. Existing investor Matrix Partners China also participated.

