Southeast Asia
Deal focus: Clearing up Southeast Asia’s currency chaos
Investors see opportunity in bringing a promising currency exchange-focused fintech model from Europe into Southeast Asia. Singapore-focused YouTrip is the region’s first mover in this niche
Governance standards: A matter of integrity
Traditionally the overlooked, underappreciated or misrepresented facet of ESG, governance is gaining prominence in emerging markets private equity as investors reassess risk exposure
Archipelago closes debut fund at $75m
Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm Archipelago Capital Partners has closed its debut fund at $75 million, and plans to raise a successor vehicle in 2020.
Archipelago completes investment in Philippines bank
Southeast Asia-focused GP Archipelago Capital Partners has completed its investment in One Network Bank (ONB), the rural subsidiary of Philippines-listed financial services provider BDO Unibank.
Vietnam PE: Proving ground
Global investors are demonstrating a more consistent sense of confidence in Vietnam as record levels of IPO and private equity activity suggest the country has largely dispelled a reputation for volatility
Vertex raises $230m for India, Southeast Asia fund
Vertex Venture Holdings (VVH), the VC arm of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, has reached the initial $230 million target for its fourth Southeast Asia and India fund in a single closing.
Vietnam inbound investment: Regional rivals
Strategic interest in Vietnam is growing, especially among companies within Asia looking to tap growth no longer available at home. PE investors see them as partners – and sometimes as competitors
Hong Kong fintech player YouTrip gets $25.5m
Insignia Ventures Partners has joined a $25.5 million seed round for YouTrip, a Hong Kong-based financial technology company focused on travelers in Singapore.
Vietnam outbound expansion: Brands apart
A booming domestic market and lack of success stories will likely keep outbound expansion a low priority for Vietnam’s investors and entrepreneurs until a suitable market niche can be found
L Catterton's Asia team to spin-out, raise growth fund
The bulk of the L Capital Asia team that merged with Catterton in 2016 to form L Catterton, a global consumer-focused private equity firm, is spinning out to raise a $750 million Asia growth fund.
InnoVen raises $200m from Temasek, UOB
InnoVen Capital, a venture debt firm active in India, China, and Southeast Asia, has raised $200 million from its primary shareholders Temasek Holdings and United Overseas Bank (UOB).
Q&A: MassMutual Ventures' Ryan Collins
Ryan Collins, a managing director with MassMutual Ventures, discusses being a financial rather than a strategic investor, the rise of VC in Southeast Asia, and giving entrepreneurs straight answers
Vietnam banking: Where credit is due
Vietnam’s economic future is tied to an attractive but immature and constrained banking sector. Investors are prodding the edges of a precarious opportunity set
CITIC Capital invests in Singapore marketing firm
CITIC Capital has invested an undisclosed sum in Cityneon, an entertainment media-focused marketing firm based in Singapore.
Kejora closes growth fund at over $100m
Indonesian venture capital firm Kejora Ventures has closed its latest fund, a growth vehicle that will invest in technology businesses in Southeast Asia, with more than $100 million in commitments.
Asia's middle market: Lost in space
Growing fund sizes in certain Asian markets are redefining what constitutes a middle-market GP. Are these managers evolving alongside the opportunity set or careering dangerously outside of their sweet spot?
Mekong invests in Vietnam pizza chain
Mekong Capital has invested an undisclosed amount in Pizza 4P’s, a Vietnamese farm-to-table pizza restaurant chain.
LeapFrog raises $700m for third impact fund
LeapFrog Investments has raised $700 million for its third fund with a view to investing in healthcare and financial services companies in emerging Asia and Africa. It initially targeted a corpus of $600 million.
Asia fintech player GoBear raises $80m
GoBear, an online financial products marketplace focused on young Asian consumers, has raised $80 million from its Netherlands-based sponsors Walvis Participaties and Aegon.
Singapore’s GIC gets $33b from MAS for long-term investment
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) plans to transfer S$45 billion ($33 billion) of the country’s foreign exchange reserves to GIC Private for deployment in longer-term investments.
Emerging Asia healthcare: Pilot programs
Buy-and-build strategies, a mainstay of the PE toolkit in developed markets, are gaining exposure in emerging Asia’s healthcare sector. Proving a viable exit path will be the key to widespread adoption
BlueChilli launches health-tech accelerator in Singapore
Australia’s BlueChilli has launched a health-tech accelerator in Singapore in cooperation with the local government as part of a broader pivot toward the region.
Proventeus targets $150m for Southeast Asia fund
Proventeus Capital, a private equity firm established by a team that spun out from the Malaysia branch of Kuwait Finance House, is looking to raise $150 million for a Southeast Asia mid-market buyout fund.
Southeast Asia VC: Growth agenda
Growth funds targeting B and C rounds for technology start-ups continue to gain traction with Southeast Asia venture capital managers keen to fill the late-stage funding gap
