Southeast Asia
Temasek platform to help Singapore businesses go global
Temasek Holdings is backing Singapore’s efforts to attract and develop high-growth businesses with the formation of an investment platform that will support local companies with regional and global expansion ambitions.
Primavera leads Series C for Southeast Asia's Love Bonito
Primavera Capital Group has led a $50 million Series C round for Love Bonito, which claims to be Southeast Asia’s largest omnichannel womenswear brand.
General Atlantic leads Series C for Philippines-based Kumu
General Atlantic has led a Series C round of undisclosed size for Philippines-based social media start-up Kumu, bringing total funding to date to $100 million.
Deal focus: Biotech gets more cerebral
As opportunity appears to plateau in the most popular biotech segments, brain health could come to the fore. Neurology specialist Cerecin is tracking greater interest amid industry traction in the lab
SPACs: Longer menu
As the US recovers from a glut in SPAC fundraising, Asian jurisdictions are launching their own regimes. Not every start-up is a good fit for New York. Is Singapore or Hong Kong a good fit for them?
ADIA to lead pre-IPO round for Indonesia's GoTo
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has committed $400 million to Indonesia super app GoTo as the lead investor in a funding round ahead of the company’s much-anticipated IPO.
Q&A: 500 Global’s Christine Tsai
Christine Tsai, co-founder of 500 Global, formerly 500 Startups, reflects on how a planetary approach to seed-stage VC has changed the asset class, the developing world, and the firm itself
Korea GPs invest $40m in Singapore biotech player
A group of Korean private equity investors has committed $40 million in funding to Cerecin, a Singapore-based biotech developer focused on neurotherapeutics.
Singapore drone services player gets $26m Series B
H3 Dynamics, a Singapore-based autonomous drone data services and hydrogen air logistics start-up, has raised a $26 million Series B round led by Japan’s Sparx Asset Management.
Lightspeed joins $125m round for India virtual events platform
Lightspeed Venture Partners has joined a $125 million Series B round for India-based virtual events platform Hubilo.
3Q analysis: India advances
India technology investment continues to ramp up as China flatlines; international payments M&A drives Asia trade sale revival, but IPOs slump; fundraising remains slow
Deal focus: Digital brokerage Ajaib finds the right fit
Ajaib grew from nothing to become Indonesia’s fifth-largest stockbroker by volume in the space of six months. The newly appointed unicorn is now raising capital just as quickly
East, Vulcan lead $15m Series A for Singapore's Qapita
Qapita, a Singapore-based provider of software used by start-ups to manage cap tables and employee stock ownership plans (ESOP), has raised $15 million in Series A funding.
Indonesia fintech start-up Ajaib achieves unicorn status
Ajaib, an online stock-trading platform in Indonesia, has raised $153 million in a Series B funding round led by DST Global at a valuation of $1 billion.
Ribbit Capital backs Indonesia's Bank Jago
Global financial technology investor Ribbit Capital has thrown its weight behind Bank Jago, an Indonesia-based digital lender established by local private equity firm Northstar Group.
Singapore's Incomlend gets $60m for SME ESG financing program
Singapore’s Incomlend, a financial technology provider for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has raised $60 million for an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) financing program.
Vietnam NFT start-up Axie Infinity raises $152m
Andreessen Horowitz has led a $152 million Series B round for Vietnam-based non-fungible token (NFT) gaming start-up Axie Infinity, also known as Sky Mavis.
Indonesian e-commerce marketplace Ula raises $87m
Ula, a leading B2B e-commerce marketplace in Indonesia, has raised $87 million in a Series B round co-led by Prosus Ventures, Tencent Holdings and B Capital Group.
PE-backed Oyo targets $1.1b India IPO
Oyo, an India-focused budget hotel platform backed by the likes of SoftBank Vision Fund, is looking to raise up to INR84.3 billion ($1.1 billion) through a domestic IPO.
Thailand’s Ascend Money raises $150m
Bangkok-based Ascend Money has raised $150 million from a group of investors including Ant Group, at a valuation of $1.5 billion. It claims to be Thailand’s first financial technology unicorn.
EQT backs cybersecurity training business
EQT has invested in EC-Council, a cybersecurity training and certification business established by a Malaysian entrepreneur, through its Asia mid-market fund.
Singapore online banking player Aspire raises $158m
Singapore-based online banking platform Aspire has raised a $158 million Series B round with support from the likes of B Capital Group.
Deal focus: Southeast Asia’s four-trick credit pony
Advance Intelligence Group has used its core risk assessment technology to expand into lending and e-commerce transaction finance and services. Membership of Southeast Asia’s unicorn club is its reward
Singapore's Ninja Van raises $578m Series E
Singapore-based last-mile delivery start-up Ninja Van has raised a $578 million Series E round featuring Alibaba Group.