South Asia
Matrix India sets up seed program
Matrix Partners India has established a new program to support entrepreneurs at the seed phase in the internet and mobile sectors across multiple stages of their businesses.
India’s IvyCap Ventures in $19m first close for debut fund
Early-stage investor IvyCap Ventures has reached a first close of INR1.05 billion ($19 million) on its debut fund. The full target for IvyCap Ventures Trust Fund I is INR2 billion.
3i India completes investment in Supreme Infrastructure
3i India has completed its minority investment in a portfolio of four road companies held by Supreme Infrastructure India (SIIL), a Mumbai-based infrastructure company.
CX Partners nears SIS India investment – report
CX Partners is closing in on a INR5 billion ($89.5) investment in private security firm Security and Intelligent Services India (SIS India), one of the pioneers of the country's private security industry. The deal, which will facilitate the exit of New...
Quadria Capital to raise a $300m healthcare fund
Quadria Capital is in the process of raising a $300 million fund to tap India's expanding healthcare market. Religare Global Asset Management, a unit of Delhi-based financial services group Religare Enterprises, has become an anchor investor, committing...
IDFC-backed Green Infra seeks $200m in funding - report
Green Infra, the Indian clean energy producer backed by IDFC Private Equity, a wholly-owned unit of India's Infrastructure Development Finance Company, is reportedly seeking to raise $200 million in funding.
VC-backed Yatra bolts on Travelguru
Yatra, the Indian digital travel services operator backed by VC firms including Norwest Venture Partners (NVP), has acquired Travelguru, a hotel distribution network owned by online travel agency Travelocity.
IVCA expresses concern over proposed tax law changes
The Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (IVCA) has expressed its concern that the draft guidelines on India’s proposed anti-avoidance legislation are too vague.
Endowments: Still gold standard?
North American endowments took a beating during the financial crisis and the recovery process has been slow. But they retain the ability to uncover high-quality GPs, in the US and beyond
India to launch $360m pharma fund
The Indian government is contemplating launching an INR20 billion ($367 million) venture capital fund to invest in research and development (R&D) in the pharmaceutical sector.
Opportunities abound in aerospace and defense - study
Private equity investment opportunities abound in Asia Pacific’s aerospace and defense industries, according to analysis by research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.
Standard Chartered PE commits $22m to India’s Karaikal Port
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) has invested INR1.3 billion ($22.8 million) in Karaikal Port, a unit of Indian infrastructure and real estate company Marg Group. It joins existing PE shareholders IDFC Project Equity, Ascent Capital Advisors and...
Sequoia, SAP Ventures back Just Dial after IPO pulled
Sequoia Capital and SAP Ventures have invested INR3.27 billion ($57 million) in Indian listings provider Just Dial after the company’s IPO, scheduled for this month, was delayed until 2013.
Indian deal values increase in first quarter - PwC
The value of private equity deals in India jumped 57% during the first three months of this year compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a new report. The number of deals decreased 24% over the same period, however.
India embraces e-payment
With established market leaders in India’s mainstream e-payment space, VCs are targeting opportunities in the unbanked and mobile payment markets
Indian microfinance: Back from the brink
The dust is finally starting to settle on the suicide scandals that rocked Indian microfinance in late 2010. Is the industry still an attractive proposition for private equity?
ASK Property closes $175m real estate fund
ASK Property Investment Advisors (ASKPIA), a subsidiary of financial services firm ASK Group, has announced a final close of its second real estate fund on INR10 billion ($175 million).
Coller Barometer: Asia Pacific PE growth trend to continue
Global investors will continue to up their exposure to Asia-Pacific private equity over the next three years, according to the latest edition of Coller Capital’s Global Private Equity Barometer.
Morgan Stanley invests $210m in Continuum Wind Energy
Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners has agreed to buy a majority stake in Continuum Wind Energy for INR12 billion ($210 million). The Singapore-based company, which was set up Essar Group executive Vikas Saraf and investment banker Arvind Bansal, runs...
Baring increases its stake in Manappuram Finance to 5.94%
Baring India Private Equity has increased its stake in Manappuram Finance, a non-bank financial company (NBFC) specializing in loans based on gold.
ICICI Venture in second attempt to offload Updater Services
Indian investor ICICI Venture is attempting to exit its stake in Indian facilities management company Updater Services for the second time.
PE-backed M&A picks up in second quarter
Private equity-backed M&A in Asia Pacific recovered during the second quarter of 2012, as deal value increased 32.9% to $5 billion from last quarter. This comes after consecutive quarterly decline since the start of 2011.
Carlyle hires Neeraj Bharadwaj as India MD
The Carlyle Group has appointed Neeraj Bharadwaj as a managing director for its Asia operations in Mumbai. It emerged last week that he was the private equity firm’s preferred candidate for the role.
IFC, Proparco, Mount Kellet invest in Educomp
Educomp Solutions, India’s largest education company, has received $155 million in financing from International Finance Corporation, French development finance institution Proparco, PE firm Mount Kellett and the company's own promoters.