Southeast Asia
Vertex raises $600m for China, US, Israel investments
Vertex Ventures, the VC arm of Singapore's Temasek Holdings, has received $600 million from its parent to invest in start-ups in China, the US and Israel.
Philippines' Monde Nissin to buy Quorn Foods from PE owners
Philippines food conglomerate Monde Nissin has agreed to buy Quorn Foods from UK-focused GP Exponent Private Equity and Intermediate Capital Group (IGC) at an enterprise valuation of GBP550 million ($835 million).
RRJ Capital closes Fund III at $4.5b
RRJ Capital has closed its third fund – which invests globally, with an emphasis on China and Southeast Asia – at $4.5 billion after approximately nine months in the market.
Philippines telecom giant PLDT launches VC unit
Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) has created an investment arm that will back start-ups in Silicon Valley and around the world.
Singapore's MediaCorp in media-for-equity deal with VC-backed skincare brand
Singapore media conglomerate MediaCorp will take an equity stake in VC-backed French skincare brand Crème Simon in return for providing the company with advertising services.
Deal focus: CDC backs frontier e-commerce strategy
Daraz gets $55 million to build out its online retail marketplace in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar
Singapore VC: Redressing the balance
Singapore wants local companies to set up VC funds as a means of cultivating start-ups in a wider variety of areas. Can the right balance be struck between innovation and corporate agendas?
CDC invests $55m in Asia frontier markets online retailer
CDC Group, the UK development finance institution, has invested EUR50 million ($55 million) in Daraz, an online retailer operating in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Singapore's NRF commits $28m to VC funds
Singapore's National Research Foundation (NRF) will commit S$40 million ($28 million) to local venture capital funds through the third installment of its Early Stage Venture Fund (ESVF).
Everstone closes third India fund at $730m
Everstone Group has closed its third fund – which focuses on India as well as overseas businesses that benefit from rising Indian domestic consumption – above target at $730 million.
Vertex, Sinar Mas lead round for Indonesia's HappyFresh
Vertex Ventures and Sinar Mas Digital Ventures have led a $12 million funding round for Indonesia-based online grocer HappyFresh.
Creador reaches $250m first close on Fund III
Southeast Asia and India-focused GP Creador has reached a first close of $250 million on its third fund. A final close around the target of $450 million is expected around the end of the year.
Cisco commits $10m to Monk's Hill Southeast Asia fund
Cisco Investments has committed $10 million to Monk's Hill Ventures' latest Southeast Asia-focused venture capital fund.
Delivery start-up Lalamove gets $10m bridge round
Lalamove, a Hong Kong-based delivery start-up, has received $10 million in funding from MindWorks Ventures, AppWorks and Crystal Stream Capital, as well as several individual backers.
Paine & Partners' Indonesian Icicle exit falls through
Paine & Partners’ proposed exit from North America-based seafood business Icicle Holdings to a company owned by Indonesia’s Soetantyo family has been terminated.
Founder of Japan's Beenos launches $60m Asia VC fund
The founder of Japanese e-commerce company Beenos, Teruhide Sato, has a launched a $60 million venture capital fund that will support internet and mobile start-ups in India, Southeast Asia, Japan and the US.
Shaw Kwei makes buyout offer for Singapore-listed Chosen
Shaw Kwei & Partners has submitted a buyout offer for Chosen Holdings, a manufacturer of plastic components commonly used in consumer electronics, cars and medical devices, that values the Singapore-listed company at approximately $68 million ($48 million).
PE investors excited by Philippines' strong fundamentals - AVCJ Forum
PE investors are drawn to the Philippines for its favorable macroeconomic position and potential to serve as a hedge to exposure elsewhere in Asia, but industry participants caution that the deal-making environment is still at a nascent stage of its development.
Templeton backs Vietnam logistics player
Franklin Templeton Investments has committed $15.8 million to Indo Trans Logistics Corporation (ITL), a third-party logistics (3PL) and warehousing services provider in Vietnam.
Carlyle's Siewert steps down from China Fishery board
Patrick Siewert, the representative of The Carlyle Group on the board of China Fishery Group, has stepped down from the board.
IHH buys PE-backed Global Hospitals for $194m
IHH Healthcare has agreed to buy India's Ravindranath GE Medical (RGE), which operates five hospitals under the Global Hospitals brand, for INR12.8 billion ($194 million) in cash.
Q&A: Formation 8's Brian Koo
As Formation 8 prepares to launch an Asia fund, Brian Koo, co-founder of the venture capital firm, explains why the strategy has evolved from rolling out US technologies in Asia to backing local start-ups
Gobi leads $5.7m Series A for Thailand's Eko
Gobi Partners has led a $5.7 million Series A round of funding for Bangkok-based Eko Communications, developer of workplace messaging app Eko.
OCBC closes debut SME-focused PE fund at $392m
Singapore's OCBC Bank has closed its debut small and medium-sized enterprise-focused fund at S$550 million ($392 million).