Region
Singapore vs. Hong Kong: Shifting sands
Fund administrators are seeing increased demand from GPs for back office services in Singapore. Hong Kong isn’t the definitive loser, but the territory’s lack of tax and regulatory certainty for PE is a factor
Of the same mind
So now we know, or at least we are in a position to make an informed guess: Alibaba Group is worth $127.6 billion. Others would puts its value at north of $150 billion, but that’s not the point. More interesting is the process that led to this estimate...
ClearVue Partners closes $262m China consumer fund
ClearVue Partners has closed its first fund, ClearVue Partners Fund I, at $262 million. It has exceeded the original target of $200 million.
Fosun invests $35m in Malaysian restaurant chain
Fosun Group, China’s largest privately-owned conglomerate, has committed RMB210.5 million ($35 million) to Malaysia’s Secret Recipe, becoming the second-largest shareholder in the restaurant chain.
Investors eye Australian engineering carve-out
Australia-listed engineering firm UGL is weighing offers for its property service unit DTZ, just over two years after it bought the UK business from administrators in a GBP77.5 million (A$129.5 million) deal.
Israeli crowdfunding platform launches in Australia
OurCrowd, an Israeli equity crowd-funding platform set up by serial entrepreneur Jon Medved, has established operations in Australia.
Sequoia leads Series B for China home renovation site to8to
Sequoia Capital has led a Series B round of funding for to8to, a Chinese online renovation site, with participation from existing investor Matrix Partners.
India's IFCI to set up $32m social venture fund
Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI), the country’s oldest development finance institution, has received a government mandate to set up a venture capital fund that will support economically disadvantaged groups.
TPG, Fosun set for $369m China healthcare take-private
TPG Capital and Fosun Industrial have teamed up with the CEO of Chinese healthcare provider Chindex International have won board approval to privatize the NASDAQ-listed company. The deal values Chindex at approximately $369 million.
Alibaba, Temasek, Qiming pump $100m into China's TutorGroup
Alibaba Group, Temasek Holdings and existing backer Qiming Venture Partners have invested $100 million in a Series B round of funding for TutorGroup, a China-based online education service provider.
China travel site 17u raises $82m from Tencent, Boyu, Oriza
Chinese online travel agency 17u.cn has received a RMB500 million ($82 million) round of investment from Tencent Holdings, Boyu Capital and Oriza Holdings.
Quadrant exits Australia, New Zealand home equity release assets
Quadrant Private Equity has agreed to sell Seniors Money International’s (SMI) New Zealand and Australian home equity release mortgage businesses to New Zealand’s Heartland Bank for NZ$87 million ($72.8 million).
CIC confirms appointment of new president
China Investment Corp.(CIC) has confirmed that Executive Vice President Li Keping will succeed Gao Xiqing as vice chairman and president. Gao is leaving after reaching China's mandatory retirement age of 60.
JAIC, Nippon Venture lead Series D for Regimmune
Japan Asian Investment Corporation (JAIC) and Nippon Venture Capital have together led a $9.2 million Series D round of investment in Tokyo-based biotech firm Regimmune Corporation.
Sequoia leads $50m round for second-hand car platform Cheyipai
Sequoia Capital has led a $50 million round of funding for Cheyipai, a Chinese second-hand car trading platform. Existing backers Morningside Ventures, Matrix Partners and CITIC Capital also participated.
Japan's Digital Garage leads $10m round for Betaworks
Japanese incubator Digital Garage (DG) has invested $10 million in Betaworks, a New York-based early-stage tech investor. DG contributed $7.5 million to the round with the balance coming from a group of angel investors.
Vipshop buys majority stake in VC-backed China cosmetics site
Chinese online retailer Vipshop Holdings, a DCM and Sequoia Capital portfolio company that went public in the US in 2012, has agreed to buy a 75% stake in cosmetics and fashion products site Lefeng.com for approximately $132.5 million.
Xiaomi Ventures invests in Kingsoft gaming unit Westhouse
Xiaomi Ventures, a corporate VC unit of Chinese mobile phone maker Xiaomi, has invested $20 million in Westhouse Group, a game developer controlled by Kingsoft Corporation.
Ex-PEP executive to lead Social Ventures Australia
Rob Koczkar, formerly a managing director at Pacific Equity Partners (PEP), has been appointed CEO of Social Ventures Australia (SVA), a non-profit organization that makes strategic investments designed to generate education and employment opportunities...
India impact investments total $390m in 2013 - Unitus
Private equity impact investments in India totaled $390 million across 80 deals last year – comprising 23% of all PE transactions in the country - says Bangalore-based financial advisor Unitus Capital.
Fosun Venture leads Series B for Joyme
Fosun Venture Capital Investment, a venture arm of Fosun Group, has led a RMB130 million ($21 million) Series B round of funding for Joyme.com, a Beijing-based mobile game operator. BlueRun Ventures also participated.
Mingxin China Growth Fund backs liquid fuel cell specialist
Oorja Protonics, a California-based liquid fuel cell technology firm, has raised a Series E round of funding from Mingxin China Growth Fund, with participation of existing investor DAG Ventures.
IMM set to buy Hyundai Merchant Marine's LNG business
IMM Private Equity has been selected as the preferred bidder for Hyundai Merchant Marine’s (HMM) liquefied natural gas (LNG) business in a deal worth KRW1.1 trillion ($1 billion). The announcement comes a few weeks after fellow South Korean GP Hahn &...
Accelerated Venture Partners opens in Hong Kong
Accelerated Venture Partners (AVP), a Silicon Valley-based private equity firm, has opened an office in Hong Kong to provide Asian companies with financing and help them go public in the US.