Southeast Asia
NSI Ventures leads round for Singapore insurance marketplace
NSI Ventures, the VC unit of Northstar Group, has led Series A round of funding worth $8 million for Asian insurance and wellness marketplace CXA, alongside consumer and technology fund F&H and healthcare investor BioVeda.
Southeast Asia education: Top of the class?
With an emerging middle class willing to pay a premium for better services, Southeast Asian education has clear attractions. But investors seeking scale opportunities must pick their markets and strategies carefully.
Singapore start-ups: Another option
The Singapore Exchange and Clearbridge Accelerator are launching a capital-raising platform for Asian start-ups. Does it represent a much-needed stepping stone between private and public markets?
Rocket Internet buys up Asia food delivery platforms
Online food delivery provider Foodpanda has acquired peers in seven Asian markets and become part of a global platform created by its parent, Rocket Internet.
DBS launches Singapore venture debt program
DBS Bank has launched a venture debt program to support Singapore start-ups, presenting a capital-raising channel that involves little or no dilution of equity.
Facebook co-founder leads round for Singapore property site
Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and Singapore resident, has led a S$2 million ($1.5 million) round of seed funding for 99.co, a local property listings site. Sequoia Capital also participated alongside several entrepreneurs-turned-investors.
Lakeshore Capital invests $4.5m in Thailand steakhouse chain
Thailand-focused GP Lakeshore Capital Partners has invested $4.5 million in KT Restaurant, the Bangkok-based operator of mid-market steakhouse chain Santa Fe.
Navis tops off Fund VII with shariah-compliant vehicle
Navis Capital Partners has reached a final close of $1.5 billion on its seventh fund with the addition of a shariah-compliant parallel vehicle. The bulk of the international LP commitments, totaling around $1.3 billion, came by February of last year.
YJ Capital launches Fund II, backs Indonesia fashion site
YJ Capital - the corporate VC arm of Yahoo! Japan - has announced the launch of its second fund, which has made its first investment in Indonesia fashion flash sale site VIP Plaza.
CVC makes another partial exit from Matahari - report
CVC Capital Partners has reportedly reduced its stake in Indonesia’s Matahari Department Store from 14% to around 2% after making two separate sales.
Goldman backs Antuit’s big data ambitions
Various factors influence the amount of milk a cow produces – breed, diet, weather, living conditions and the calving cycle among them. Working with one of its clients, dairy giant Fonterra, Singapore-headquartered big data analytics firm Antuit now...
Asia start-ups: The SoftBank effect
SoftBank has laid down a marker in Asia’s technology space over the past six months, investing nearly $2 billion and promising much more. What does this say about the Japanese giant’s broader ambitions?
Singapore: Start-up central
When looking for an example of how Singapore start-ups previously struggled to get funding, one of the founders of tenCube was happy to oblige. Bootstrapped into existence in 2005, the mobile security solutions provider spent a frustrating 18 months trying...
Quadria seals landmark Indonesia pharma deal
Southeast Asia-focused healthcare investor Quadria Capital, which is expected to close its latest fund in the next two months, has taken a minority stake in Indonesian drug manufacturer Soho Global Health.
Singapore Exchange, Clearbridge form SME capital-raising platform
The Singapore Exchange (SGX) has partnered with Clearbridge Accelerator to set up a capital-raising platform for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Asia.
Singapore expands Block 71 tech start-up hub
Singapore start-up hub JTC LaunchPad @ one-north – better known to many as Block 71 – has been expanded to accommodate 500 companies and 35 incubators, with plans to create space for 250 more.
IFC backs Vietnam's Pan Pacific Corp
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested $6.5 million in Vietnamese agribusiness and food conglomerate Pan Pacific Corp. in exchange for a 5% stake.
Goldman leads $56m round for big data firm Antuit
Goldman Sachs has led a $56 million round of funding for Antuit, a Singapore-headquartered big data analytics start-up. Zodius Capital, which provided seed funding for the company in 2013, also participated.
Two partners leave Indonesia’s Saratoga Capital
Indonesia-focused GP Saratoga Capital has lost two of its five partners, with Eri Reksoprodjo departing the firm at the end of December and Nigel Khoo scheduled to leave in February.
Creador, SMRT seek buyout of Malaysia’s Masterskill Education
Creador and SMRT Holdings have agreed to buy a 30.75% stake in Malaysia-based Masterskill Education Group from the major shareholder for MYR69.4 million ($19.2 million) and now plan on completing a full buyout of the business.
Xeraya, Spruce in $150m first close on second life sciences fund
Khazanah Nasional-controlled Xeraya Capital and Spruce Capital Partners have reached a first close of $150 million on MLS Capital Fund II, successor to the vintage Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund, which is now fully allocated.
Rocket Internet, PLDT set up online payments platform
Rocket Internet and Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) have agreed to form a joint venture mobile payments platform with a focus on emerging markets.
CVC returns $2b to investors from Asia deals in 2014
CVC Capital Partners returned $2 billion to investors from Asia-based investments in 2014 after completing three full or partial exits – which contributed $1 billion of the proceeds – in December.
Thai Union buys Bumble Bee from Lion Capital for $1.5b
Thai Union Frozen Products, the world’s largest producer of canned seafood, has agreed to buy Bumble Bee Seafoods from US-based GP Lion Capital for $1.5 billion.