Southeast Asia
Africa-focused GP leads Series B for Singapore's Thunes
Africa-focused private equity firm Helios Investment Partners has led a $60 million Series B round for Singapore financial technology start-up Thunes.
Korea, Singapore investors back Vietnam's Do Ventures
Korea’s Naver and Woowa Brothers have joined Singapore’s Sea and Vertex Holdings as LPs in the debut fund from Vietnam-based Do Ventures.
Vision Fund leads $100m Series C for Singapore-founded Biofourmis
SoftBank Vision Fund has led a $100 million Series C round for Biofourmis, a Singapore founded and now US-based operator of a health analytics platform.
CVC to exit Softex Indonesia with 3.3x return - update
CVC Capital Partners will exit personal care products manufacturer Softex Indonesia after US multinational Kimberly-Clark agreed to acquire the business for approximately $1.2 billion.
Singapore's Livspace raises $90m Series D
Singapore-based home interiors renovation platform Livspace has raised a $90 million Series D round featuring TPG Growth and Goldman Sachs.
Xiaomi joins $54m Series B for Indonesia's PasarPolis
Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi has joined a $54 million Series B round for Indonesian financial technology provider PasarPolis.
TPG, KKR invest $220m in Singapore's PropertyGuru
Singapore-based real estate portal PropertyGuru has confirmed S$300 million ($220 million) in new commitments from existing backers TPG Capital and KKR.
Fund focus: MDI leads the way in Indonesia
MDI Ventures has seen a significant step-up in fund size because the success of Indonesia’s start-up ecosystem in recent years means investors need more firepower
Ekuinas exits Malaysia halal meats business
Malaysian government-backed private equity firm Ekuinas has sold Primabaguz, a local producer of premium halal meat-based products, to US-based Johnsonville International for MYR175 million ($42 million).
B Capital to support Yalochat's Asia expansion
B Capital has led a $15 million Series B round for Yalochat, a US-headquartered messaging-focused customer relations management platform, with plans to help it introduce its solutions to emerging markets in Asia.
OMERS names new Asia infrastructure head
Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) has appointed Prateek Maheshwari, an existing managing director at the firm, as its head of infrastructure in Asia.
Southern Capital secures Malaysia creamer carve-out
Southern Capital Group has completed the MYR1 billion ($240 million) acquisition of F&B Nutrition – a producer of sweetened creamer, an oil-based equivalent of condensed milk – from Malaysian food packaging player Can-One International.
Indonesia's MDI Ventures raises $500m fund
MDI Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of state-controlled Telkom Indonesia, has closed its latest fund at $500 million.
Sequoia backs Indonesia MSME app
Sequoia Capital India has joined a $9 million pre-Series A round for Indonesia’s BukuKas, a bookkeeping app for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Singapore's Anchanto raises $12m funding round
Anchanto, a Singapore-headquartered technology provider that helps with e-commerce enablement, raised S$16.6 million ($12 million) in a Series C round.
Duo of Indonesia fishery start-ups attracts funding
Northstar Group and Go-Ventures have led a Series B round of undisclosed size for Indonesia’s eFishery, while East Ventures has backed a $5.5 million Series A for fishing industry app Aruna.
Australia's Taronga Ventures launches in Singapore
Taronga Ventures, the venture arm of Australian real estate investment firm Taronga Group, has set up Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore.
Start-up profiles: Sustainability agendas
Early-stage innovators across the region are leveraging both enterprise and consumer-facing models to address sustainability challenges with one eye on rapid commercialization
Sequoia leads $20m Series A for Singapore's Incomlend
Sequoia Capital India has led a $20 million Series A round for Incomlend, a Singapore-based invoice trading platform that aims to democratize access to trade finance.
Q&A: Circulate Capital's Rob Kaplan
Rob Kaplan is CEO of Singapore’s Circulate Capital, which is dedicated to reducing oceanic plastic pollution. Its $150 million debut fund is backed by the likes of Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Unilever
MUFG launches Singapore venture debt business
Japan’s MUFG Bank has set up a Singapore-based venture debt business alongside Israeli financial technology start-up Liquidity Capital. Its debut fund has been set up with an initial $80 million.
VinaCapital completes exit from Vietnam dairy producer
Vietnam’s VinaCapital and Japan’s Daiwa PI Partners have sold the remainder of their interest in Vietnamese dairy producer International Dairy Products (IDP).
Sustainable food: Forces of nature
Environmental considerations are intrinsic to food innovation investment strategy, not a public relations bonus. Science, society, and myriad motivations color a range of perspectives
GPs & climate change risk: Material matters
Climate change risk is becoming a broader debate within private equity, taking in the long-term impact of floods, droughts, and fires on portfolios. Most GPs have yet to turn thought into action