Southeast Asia
Vulcan Capital expands into Asia
Vulcan Capital, a US-based venture investor set up by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, has opened a Singapore office and earmarked $100 million for investment in Southeast Asia.
Sovereign investors and technology: Smart nations
Conservative sovereign wealth investors are increasingly comfortable making direct commitments to venture-oriented technology companies. The strategy appears to suit them but remains to be validated
Singapore's RedDoorz raises $70m
Singapore hotel management and booking platform RedDoorz has raised $70 million in Series C funding less than a month after closing a $45 million Series B.
VinaCapital invests in Vietnam logistics tech start-up
The venture capital arm of Vietnam’s VinaCapital has invested an undisclosed sum in local logistics technology start-up An Vui.
SSG targets wider array of distressed sellers for Fund V
SSG Capital Partners expects to source distressed assets from a wider variety of sellers – including other alternative investment firms and investment banks – during the life of its fifth Asia fund, which is on track to exceed its target of $1.5 billion.
Women entrepreneurs: Tales from the coalface
Women remain underrepresented in start-up ecosystems across Asia, but for those who have taken the plunge, there is potential to make a social impact that transcends their respective target markets
Macro and diversity: All hands on deck
As women participate in economies across Asia in larger numbers, investors must consider how this impacts their target markets. Gender-balanced portfolios will no longer be a nice-to-have
EDBI joins $89m round for US agtech player Inari
EDBI, the investment arm of Singapore’s Economic Development Board, has joined an $89 million Series C round for US agricultural technology developer Inari.
Singapore's Carro raises $30m for extended Series B
Singaporean auto marketplace operator Carro has raised $30 million from investors including SoftBank Ventures Asia as part of an extended Series B round.
TPG hires KKR's David Tan in Singapore
TPG Capital has engaged David Tan, a former director with KKR’s private equity team, as a managing director based in Singapore with responsibility for Southeast Asia.
MassMutual Ventures leads $33m round for Singapore's Aspire
The Southeast Asia arm of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance’s venture capital arm, has led a $32.5 million funding round for Singapore-based online banking platform Aspire.
Deal focus: Jollibee circles as Coffee Bean booms in Asia
The Philippines’ Jollibee Foods is set to buy US cafe chain The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to continue a massive Asian expansion effort. Exiting investor CDIB Capital attests to the opportunity set
Kaizen commits $10m to Vietnam's Yola
Indian education-focused GP Kaizen Private Equity has made its first investment in Vietnam, committing $10 million to English training company Yola.
Singapore hotel platform RedDoorz gets $45m Series B
Singapore-based hotel management and booking platform RedDoorz has raised $45 million in a Series B round led by China’s Qiming Venture Partners.
Gates Foundation, global insurers back Indonesia's Halodoc
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has made a rare direct investment in Southeast Asia, participating in an extended Series B round for Indonesian healthcare technology provider Halodoc.
Deal focus: Smartly plans pan-SE Asia robo advisory
Keir Veskivali defied the odds to introduce robo advisory services for retail investors to Singapore. Now he brought in VinaCapital to help take the business global
Bain forms Asia data center platform
Bain Capital has become the latest private markets investor to back a pan-Asian data center platform with the merger of existing portfolio companies covering China, Southeast Asia, and India.
Deal focus: Olympus backs big plans for Thailand's smallest bank
Olympus Capital has paid $91 million for a 25% stake in microfinance and micro-SME lending specialist Thai Credit Retail Bank. It wants to double the loan book and support digitization of services
PE investors exit The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to Jollibee
Advent International, CDIB Capital and Mirae Asset Private Equity are set to exit US-based cafe chain The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf after the Philippines’ Jollibee Foods agreed to pay $350 million for the company.
Asia legal tech: Order in court
Legal tech investment is quietly booming from a small base, with the under-digitalized nature of law firms presenting both an opening and an inhibitor. First-mover ecosystems are self-organizing quickly
Burda leads $40m Series B for Singapore's Hmlet
Germany’s Hubert Burda Media has led a $40 million Series B round for Singapore-based co-living operator Hmlet.
CDC makes first direct equity investment in Myanmar
UK government-backed CDC Group has made its first direct equity investment in Myanmar with a $30 million commitment to internet service provider Frontiir.
Deal focus: Igloohome puts smart home tech to work
Igloohome made its name providing smart locks for vacation rental properties listed on Airbnb and Booking.com. Breaking into the corporate security market is the next step
Deal focus: Greater Pacific to help Near monetize data points
Singapore's Near secures $100 million from Greater Pacific Capital with a view to expanding its suite of SaaS products that offer commercial insights by tracking consumer behavior