Southeast Asia
KKR commits $45m to Philippines B2B e-commerce player
KKR has invested USD 45m in GrowSari, a Philippines-based company that helps micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) take their retail operations online.
Deal focus: Baring Asia completes Interplex turnaround
Refocusing on high-growth segments like electric vehicles – plus a smarter approach to sales and operations – underpinned Baring Private Equity Asia’s 4x return on engineering business Interplex
India HR SaaS player Darwinbox achieves unicorn status
Most of India’s top software-as-a-service companies gained traction in the North American market. Darwinbox cracked Southeast Asia first, thanks to a product with broad appeal and local nuance
GLP launches $1.1bn Vietnam logistics fund
GLP, a regional logistics platform that makes private equity investments in ancillary businesses and technologies, has launched its debut Vietnam fund with USD 1.1bn in commitments.
Ex-CVC Asia head raises $200m SPAC
Generation Asia Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by Roy Kuan, formerly Asia managing partner at CVC Capital Partners, has raised USD 200m through a US offering.
Indonesia e-commerce SaaS player gets $80m Series C
Lummo, an Indonesian e-commerce software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider for small businesses, has raised USD 80m in Series C funding led by Tiger Global Management and Sequoia Capital India.
Linklaters targets Singapore fund formation space
Linklaters has recruited Joel Seow, formerly a partner at Morgan Lewis, to launch a fund formation practice in Singapore.
Baring Asia sells Interplex to Blackstone for $1.6b
Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) has sold Interplex, a Singapore-headquartered precision engineering business, to The Blackstone Group for an enterprise value of USD 1.6bn.
TPG-owned clinical trials player raises new equity, debt
Novotech, an Asia-based clinical trials specialist controlled by TPG Capital, has secured USD 760m in new equity and debt financing at a post-deal valuation of approximately USD 3bn.
Asia PE investment hits new high in 2021
A rebound in China-based activity took Asia private equity investment to a record USD 105.3bn in the fourth quarter, ensuring that 2021 represents a new high watermark for the industry.
Q&A: Gulf Capital's Richard Dallas & Shantanu Mukerji
Richard Dallas, a senior managing director at Gulf Capital, and newly appointed Asia head Shantanu Mukerji on using Singapore as a regional hub, cross-border expansion, and why a dedicated regional fund is unlikely
Deal focus: ACA seeks Asia-Europe sporting synergies
Japan’s ACA Group has acquired a Belgium-based KMSK Deinze as part of a multi-club investment strategy that will – in part – bring Asian players into the middle tiers of European football
Quadria backs Vietnam mother-and-baby chain
Singapore-based healthcare specialist Quadria Capital has invested USD 90m in Con Cung, Vietnam’s largest mother-and-baby retailer.
Novo Tellus targets $111m Singapore SPAC
Novo Tellus Capital Partners, a Southeast Asia-based private equity firm that focuses on middle-market industrial technology opportunities, has filed to list a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in Singapore.
Apis invests $50m in Singapore loyalty program start-up
Apis Partners has invested USD 50m in Singapore-based loyalty program management and development services provider Giift.
Indonesia's Pluang doubles Series B to $110m
Indonesian micro-savings and micro-investment app Pluang has raised USD 55m in Series B funding led by Accel. It follows a USD 55m Series B investment led by Square Peg Capital last year.
MDI leads $108m round for Indonesia's KoinWorks
MDI Ventures, the VC arm of Telkom Indonesia, has led a USD 108m Series C round for Indonesia P2P lending platform KoinWorks.
Indonesia's eFishery raises $90m Series C
Temasek Holdings, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Sequoia Capital India have co-led a USD 90m Series C round for Indonesian aquaculture technology start-up eFishery.
Fund focus: Northstar navigates fundraising doldrums
Like many GPs, Northstar Group found fundraising difficult but deployment fruitful during the darkest days of pandemic uncertainty. Pausing the virtual roadshow for its latest vintage proved shrewd
Carsome hits $1.7b valuation on closing $290m Series E
Carsome, a Malaysia-headquartered used car trading platform with operations across Southeast Asia, has raised USD 290m in Series E funding led by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), 65 Equity Partners, and Seatown Private Capital Master Fund.
Vertex, Tikehau lead Singapore SPAC charge
Special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) backed by Vertex Venture Holdings (VVH) and Tikehau Capital have filed for listings in Singapore.
Sung Hung Kai leads Series B for Singapore digital asset bank
Sygnum, a Singapore and Switzerland-based digital asset bank, has raised a Series B of USD 90m - at a post-money valuation of USD 800m - led by Hong Kong-based investor Sun Hung Kai & Co.
Singapore's Virtue Diagnostics closes $100m Series B
Singapore-based Virtue Diagnostics, a clinical testing equipment supplier for China and developing markets, has raised a USD 100m Series B round led by Sequoia Capital China and Morningside Ventures.
Square Peg backs Vietnam digital bank Timo
Australia-based Square Peg Capital has led a USD 20m investment in digital banking start-up Timo, which claims to be the first Vietnamese player in this space.
