Southeast Asia
Hopu leads $100m Series D for Singapore’s Trax
Singaporean retail industry technology provider Trax has raised $100 million in Series D funding led by Hopu Investments.
Fidelity leads funding round for Malaysia's Iflix
Malaysia-based video streaming service Iflix has raised a funding round of more than $50 million led by Fidelity International.
Cocoon closes second SE Asia fund at $22m
Singapore-based venture capital firm Cocoon Capital has closed its second seed fund, targeting Southeast Asian enterprise technology start-ups, at S$30 million ($22 million).
Daiwa units form $30m Myanmar growth fund
The private equity and corporate investment units of Japan’s Daiwa Securities Group have established a $30 million fund that will target growth deals in Myanmar.
Realism on exits essential in Southeast Asia – AVCJ Forum
Exits remain challenging in Southeast Asian private equity, but LPs see a growing willingness among the region’s GPs to take this difficulty into account when planning their investments.
Profile: Traveloka’s Hendrik Susanto
Hendrik Susanto left a career in private equity and venture capital to head Traveloka’s inorganic growth strategy. The new role harnesses investment expertise to build a longer-lasting company
Visa joins Series F for Indonesia’s Go-Jek
Visa has confirmed its participation in an ongoing Series F round for Indonesia-based ride-hailing and online services platform Go-Jek that had raised about $1 billion as of February.
VinaCapital acquires Singapore fintech player Smartly
Vietnam’s VinaCapital has acquired the operations of Singapore financial technology platform Smartly for an undisclosed sum.
Investors challenged by governance in SE Asia – AVCJ Forum
Implementing institutional-class governance practices at portfolio companies remains a significant hurdle for Southeast Asia-focused buyout firms, industry participants told the AVCJ Singapore Forum.
Singapore’s Near gets $100m from Greater Pacific Capital
Near, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence (AI) services provider that supports enterprise analytics, has raised $100 million from UK private equity firm Greater Pacific Capital.
Deal focus: TheAsianparent plans baby business boom
Singapore mother-and-child online services provider theAsianparent is planning an expansion by tracking the fastest birth rates around the region. Fosun is backing the agenda
Gobi, AirAsia unit invest $11m in Malaysia's EasyParcel
Gobi Partners has joined Teleport, the cargo and logistics platform of AirAsia, to commit $10.6 million in Series B funding to Malaysia-based e-commerce logistics and parcel delivery service EasyParcel.
Singapore smart city supplier Igloohome gets $15m
Igloohome, a Singapore-based smart city supplier for enterprises in real estate and infrastructure, has raised a $15 million round co-led by Wavemaker Partners, Insignia Ventures Partners, and Seeds Capital.
Southeast Asia PE: Integration angst
Slow progress in the effort to improve Southeast Asia’s multilateral economic cooperation reveals deep rooted challenges for investors, including cultural and regulatory barriers
Singapore's Novena buys VC-backed China hair salon chain
Singapore-based healthcare platform Novena Global Lifecare has completed a $350 million merger with Xingkedou, a VC-backed Chinese hair salon operator that specializes in fast turnaround services.
Fosun leads Series C for Singapore's theAsianparent
Fosun RZ Capital, the VC arm of Fosun, has led a Series C round of undisclosed size for Singapore-based theAsianparent, which claims to be Southeast Asia’s largest mother-and-child online platform.
Culture is key to a sustainable spin-out - AVCJ Forum
Making a private equity spin-out work is as much about cultivating a transparent culture within the team as identifying an underserved market segment, industry participants told the AVCJ USA Forum.
Q&A: Jupiter Impact Partners' Melissa Kang
Melissa Kang helped raise Morgan Stanley’s first global impact fund before striking out on her own with Jupiter Impact Partners. She explains why Southeast Asia should prove fertile ground for the strategy
Temasek trims investment pace as performance stutters
Annual divestments by Singapore’s Temasek Holdings exceeded investments for only the second time in a decade against a backdrop of challenging market conditions and weaker returns.
Southeast Asia buyouts: Flexibility first
Southeast Asia has yet to deliver a consistent stream of large-cap buyout deals. Private equity investors must be creative, flexible and patient in trying to crack the market
Southeast Asia exits: Greener pastures
Southeast Asia’s internal growth and rising appeal among global investors in recent years have fed expectations that PE and VC exits will follow. The logic is sturdy but detailed projections are elusive
Southeast Asia's Provident Capital seeks $250m for Fund II
Provident Capital, a Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm that is primarily active in Indonesia, is looking to raise $250 million for its second fund.
TPG affiliate co-leads $25m round for Singapore's Taiger
TPG Capital affiliate PacificBridge Asset Management and MCM Investment Partners, a Hong Kong-headquartered merchant bank and asset manager, have led a $25 million Series B round for Singapore artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Taiger.
Southeast Asia VC: Waiting for the breakout
Fundraising has accelerated in Southeast Asia’s venture capital space in recent years, but the ecosystem remains fragile. Expansion will be difficult until GPs can prove the viability of the market to LPs