South Asia
NEA commits $5m to India's RezNext
New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has invested $5 million in India's RezNext Global Solution, a platform for managing hotel bookings.
India's IDFC, Russia's RDIF to invest $1b in infrastructure
IDFC and the Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) will together invest $1 billion in infrastructure and related industries with a view to accelerating economic cooperation between Russia and India.
Oman-India fund commits $15.3m to India's GSO Crop Science
The Oman India Joint Investment Fund (OIJIF) has invested INR950 million ($15.3 million) in GSP Crop Science, an Indian agro-chemicals company.
Indian states ban VC-backed taxi apps following rape case
India's state governments have been instructed to ban all unregistered web-based taxi booking services - impacting VC-backed start-ups like Ola and TaxiforSure - following a rape involving a driver contracted by US-based Uber.
IFC to invest $100m in India's Axis Bank
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an investment arm of the World Bank, has pledged to invest up to $100 million in India's Axis Bank.
AVCJ Awards: Deal of the Year - Venture Capital: Flipkart
Flipkart received $1 billion in funding from a consortium of investors in July. It is ammunition for the arms race currently consuming India’s e-commerce industry
RBI to allow India's AIFs to invest overseas
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said it will allow alternative investment funds (AIFs), to invest overseas.
Q&A: Rabo Equity Advisors' Rajesh Srivastava
Rabo Equity Partners is in the process of raising its second India agribusiness fund. Rajesh Srivastava, a managing director at the firm, offers his views on the tailwinds and headwinds driving the sector
Tech valuations: Ill-fated inflation?
As valuations in the tech space continue to soar, comparisons are inevitably drawn with the dotcom bubble era. Asia can point to favorable fundamentals, but it remains to be seen whether the exuberance is justified
The trust factor: Repeat buying in Asian PE
Navis Capital Partners completed a management buyout of Dome Coffees Australia in 2003. The business grew and Navis prospered, securing a 3.5x return on exiting the asset via another management buyout five years later. Fast forward to September 2014 and...
I Squared Capital to buy India toll road from Malaysia's IJM
I Squared Capital, a PE firm set up by former executives of Morgan Stanley’s infrastructure investment unit, has agreed to buy a toll road in northwestern India from Malaysia-based IJM Corp.
Carlyle buys into India's Newgen for a second time
The Carlyle Group has acquired a 54.85% stake in India-based publishing and technical services provider Newgen KnowledgeWorks for $32.8 million via a secondary transaction. This is the second time it has invested in the company.
PE investors to part exit as India's Sadbhav Infra files for IPO
Sadbhav Infrastructure Project (SIP), an Indian road and highways project developer, is looking to raise at least INR6 billion ($97 million) through an IPO, providing a partial exit for PE backers Xander and Norwest Venture Partners.
Sequoia, Nexus invest $3m in India food-ordering start-up
Indian food-ordering start-up TinyOwl Technology has raised $3 million from Sequoia Capital and Nexus Venture Partners in Series A round of funding.
Rabo reaches $80m initial close on India agribusiness fund
Agribusiness-focused Indian GP Rabo Equity Advisors has raised $80 million for its second fund - India Agri Business Fund II - and expects to reach the $100 million mark in the next few months.
India Angel Network opens Mumbai incubator space
India Angel Network (IAN) has opened a new co-working space in Mumbai to house a tech-focused start-up incubator program.
LPs to Indian GPs: Be disciplined, not opportunistic - AVCJ Forum
Indian GPs should stick more to their investment strategies and focus on pricing discipline rather than chasing opportunistic plays, LPs told the AVCJ Forum.
India VCs see early-stage explosion - AVCJ Forum
India has seen an explosion in early-stage investment opportunities but sorting the wheat from the chaff is a challenge, venture capitalists told the AVCJ Forum.
Fenox VC launches $200m Bangladesh fund
Silicon Valley venture capital firm Fenox VC is launching a $200 million fund that will focus on investments in Bangladesh’s technology, internet and media sectors.
India secondaries: Much heat, little light
India has yet to fulfil its potential as a direct secondaries market as buyers and sellers fail to agree on valuations. A revival in investor sentiment hasn’t helped matters, but patience may eventually pay off
Portfolio: Advent International and CARE Hospitals
A majority stake in CARE Hospitals has allowed Advent International into India’s fast-growing healthcare sector. Rather than blindly pursuing expansion, the PE firm is building a business tailored to local demand
India to remain a growth capital market, despite rise in buyouts - AVCJ Forum
Buyout deals are becoming more common in India but the country will continue to be a market for minority transactions, industry participants told the AVCJ India Forum.
WestBridge invests $16m in Indian housing finance company Aptus
WestBridge Capital Partners has invested INR980 million ($16 million) in India Aptus Value Housing Finance, an affordable housing finance company.
Canada's Fairfax Financial launches India investment unit
Fairfax Financial Holdings, which previously acquired Thomas Cook India through Fairbridge Capital, is launching a publicly-traded unit that will target investments in the country.