Region
Citi bags Australian PE banker from UBS
Citigroup has hired leading Australian private equity banker Aiden Allen from UBS.
Russia keen to double size of joint PE fund with China
China Investment Corporation (CIC) and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) could double their contribution to their joint fund to $2 billion apiece and expand its investment projects this year.
Voting for the AVCJ China Awards closes today
Voting for the 2012 AVCJ China Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards closes today. Members of the region’s private equity community have until 6 p.m. Hong Kong time to decide on the leading fundraising, investments, exits, individuals and firms in China...
BootstrapLabs, MAD incubator launch SE Asia start-up accelerator
Malaysia-based MAD incubator has partnered with Silicon Valley-based BootstrapLabs to create a Southeast Asia-focused start-up accelerator.
OneVentures leads $1.1m round for Australia mobile video spin-out
Australian venture capital group One Ventures has led a A$1.1 million ($1.1 million) round of seed investment in Incoming, a mobile video start-up spun out of NICTA, a government-funded information and communications technology research company.
Creador sets $250m target for Fund II
Creador has launched its second fund, targeting $250 million, barely four months after closing its debut vehicle. The private equity firm, which focuses on India and Southeast Asia,expects to reach a first close in August.
Hopu's Fang Fenglei to raise comeback fund
Fang Fenglei, a former Goldman Sachs banker and co-founder of China Hopu Investment Management, is looking to raise at least $2 billion for his new fund - three years after winding down the previous vehicle.
India's NSL Renewable raises $30m from ADB
Renewable energy developer NSL Renewable Power Private (NRPPL) has raised $30 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in another round of financing to fund the construction of two hydro-power and wind energy projects in India.
Tata Capital closes Opportunities Fund at $600m
Tata Capital has closed its Tata Opportunities Fund (TOF) with $600 million in commitments, short of its target of $1 billion. The fund was launched back in March 2011, with the mandate of investing within the Tata group of companies and also in Indian...
Hahn & Co. to buy stake in South Korea's STX Energy - UPDATE
Hahn & Co. has agreed to buy a 43.15% stake in STX Energy, a subsidiary of beleaguered South Korean conglomerate STX Corp. AVCJ understands that the transaction a couple of months away from completion, and the terms could change pending the resolution...
Spice Global to co-invest with Silicon Valley's Formation 8
Spice Global, the Indian conglomerate controlled by B.K. Modi, has committed an undisclosed amount to US-based venture capital firm Formation 8. The group will also be looking to co-invest with Formation 8 as it targets US start-ups with the potential...
Baring Asia in talks to buy stake in Lafarge India unit
Baring Private Equity Asia is in advanced talks with the Indian arm of French cement maker Lafarge for a minority stake in the unit.
Mercury takes 30% stake in Australia's Novotech
Mercury Capital has taken a 30% stake in Novotech, Australia's largest independent clinical trials provider, with a view to aiding its Asia-Pacific expansion. The amount invested was not disclosed.
Intel Capital-backed Aspeed goes public in Taiwan
Intel Capital completed its first portfolio IPO of the year as Aspeed Technology listed on Taiwan’s GreTai Securities Market on Tuesday.
CDC posts $345m return for 2012
CDC Group, the UK government’s development finance arm, showed a total return for 2012 of GBP223 million ($345 million) as its total assets grew 8.6% to GBP2.8 billion.
Korea's Kakao, government to launch start-up fund
South Korean mobile app developer Kakao has teamed up with the South Korean government to launch a KRW30 billion ($27 million) fund aimed at supporting start-ups. The Small & Medium Business Administration (SMBA) will back the Kakao Young Entrepreneur...
Macquarie-owned Taiwan Broadband gathers investors for IPO
Eight cornerstone investors have been lined up to take nearly one third of pay-TV operator Taiwan Broadband Communications’ Singapore IPO. The offering will allow two Macquarie funds that own Taiwan Broadband to exit their holdings.
Something special
It wasn't long ago that Chinese GPs would turn their noses up at any suggestion of specialization. Buoyed by a flood of capital into private equity, the growth capital space morphed into a giant deal shop, with private equity firms pursuing several times...
CITIC, CDH exit early days China SOE buyout
Two facts worth noting about Chinese private equity: first, there is almost always a willing strategic buyer for a well positioned domestic business; second, the vast majority of PE investments are for minority stakes so if the entrepreneur has set his...
India's education sector: Learning curve
There is no shortage of demand for services or investment opportunity in India’s education sector, but negotiating overcrowding and heavy regulation requires a clear strategy
Creador brews 2x return on OldTown
Malaysia's OldTown White Coffee has unusual origins. The brand came into existence in 1999 as a range of pre-mix instant beverages, offering creamer, coffee and sugar in a single sachet. It was only in 2005 that the company decided to venture into the...
CDIB ends two-year wait for Meilele deal
After two years spent following Meilele, during which several other venture capital firms jumped on board, Taiwan's CDIB Capital has finally invested in the Chinese online furniture retailer. It was a tough fight, with more than 10 bidders in the running...
Chinese IPOs in the US: Green shoots
Online retailer LightInTheBox is seeking to become only the third Chinese company to list in the US in more than a year. But has investor sentiment emerged from its long winter?
CNEI secures 10.3x return on full exit from Liyuan Aluminum
China New Enterprise Investment (CNEI) has completed its exit from Jilin Liyuan Aluminum, one of the country’s leading aluminum extrusion product manufacturers, securing a 10.3x gross return.