South Asia
Buyouts in 2021: Winners and losers
Asia could prove to be a deal-rich market in 2021, but buyout investors are still figuring out the long-term implications of COVID-19 for companies that cater to changing consumer demands
India's Z3 Partners hits first close on debut VC fund
India venture capital firm Z3 Partners has reached a first close of INR1 billion ($13.6 million) on its debut fund, which will invest in early-stage technology start-ups.
India B2B marketplace Udaan raises $280m
Udaan, an India-based B2B marketplace, has raised $280 million from an investor group that includes existing backers Lightspeed Venture Partners, Tencent Holdings, DST Global, GGV Capital, and Altimeter Capital.
India's Endiya closes second fund at $75m
India’s Endiya Partners has closed its second early-stage venture capital fund with about $75 million in commitments.
Sequoia joins $81m Series C for India’s Cred
Sequoia Capital India has joined an $81 million Series C round for India’s Cred, a credit card rewards start-up also known as Dreamplug Technologies.
Zeitgeist: 2020 in quotes
What industry participants had to say on China IPOs, conducting due diligence on GPs, waiting for distress opportunities, working from home, co-underwriting deals, and sensible recruitment policies
Timeline: 2020 by numbers
A selection of the key fundraising, investment and exit events - presented in chronological order - from the past 12 months
Apax buys software business from India's 3i Infotech
Apax Partners has agreed to acquire the software products business of Indian IT provider 3i Infotech for INR10 billion ($136.6 million). It will be renamed Azentio Software.
Google joins $145m round for India's Glance
Google has joined a $145 million round for Glance, an Indian smart phone services provider specializing in media content that launches on a locked home screen when a handset is illuminated.
KKR India CEO Sanjay Nayar moves to chairman role
Sanjay Nayar, who helped establish KKR’s India operations and currently serves as country CEO, will relinquish his leadership responsibilities and transition to a chairman role.
Indian government infrastructure fund closes at $2.3b
NIIF Master Fund, a rupee-denominated infrastructure investment vehicle backed by the Indian government, has achieved a final close of $2.34 billion, beating its $2.1 billion target.
India renewables platform Ayana receives $70m
India’s Ayana Renewable Power has received $70 million in equity funding from a group of government-backed impact investors, including UK-based CDC Group.
The crystal ball: Predictions for 2021
Industry professionals process the upheavals of 2020 to inform outlooks for a range of markets and investment themes. Realist bullishness abounds
Partners Group invests $250m in India's Ecom Express
Partners Group has committed at least $250 million to Indian door-to-door delivery specialist Ecom Express, facilitating a partial exit for controlling shareholder Warburg Pincus.
Gaja leads $32m Series B for India SaaS start-up
Gaja Capital has led a $32 million Series B round for India-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider LeadSquared.
2020 in review: Surprise guest
The coronavirus pandemic has played havoc with Asian private equity, contributing to a resurgence in IPOs, increased bifurcation in fundraising, a rush for healthcare, and a generally staggered revival
Deal focus: Everstone secures 3x return on outsourcing play
Everstone Group helps outsourcing specialist Everise adapt to the work-at-home realities of the day before exiting the business to Brookfield Asset Management
Blackstone agrees $1b acquisition of India's Piramal Glass
The Blackstone Group has agreed to buy Piramal Glass, a glass packaging business owned by Indian conglomerate Piramal Group, for an enterprise valuation of INR75 billion ($1 billion).
Temasek to anchor Info Edge's debut India VC fund
Info Edge India, a holding company for Indian jobs portal Naukri, has secured an anchor LP commitment of INR3.7 billion ($51 million) from Temasek Holdings for its debut VC fund.
Everstone exits Singapore BPO business to Brookfield
Everstone Group has agreed to sell Everise, a business process outsourcing (BPO) company it formed through the amalgamation of several existing assets, to Brookfield Asset Management.
Everstone buys Indian pharma ingredients player
Everstone Group has acquired a controlling stake in Calibre, an Indian ingredients supplier for the pharmaceutical and nutrition industries, for an undisclosed sum.
India antitrust regulator to probe private equity
India’s competition regulator will conduct a study on the role of private equity in India – identifying any potential antitrust issues – in response to the asset class’ rising prominence.
India's PhonePe spins out from Flipkart, raises $700m
PhonePe, the digital payments platform of Indian e-commerce marketplace Flipkart, has been spun out as a stand-alone entity and raised $700 million in funding at a post-money valuation of $5.5 billion.
Deal focus: Cashfree targets merchants in India’s payments boom
Apis Partners' support of India-based Cashfree is driven by a recognition that the democratization of digital payments is as much about empowering traditional merchants as unbanked consumers
