Southeast Asia
GIC appoints new Asia private equity head
GIC has named Hwee Loo Tan, a 22-year veteran of the Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund, as head of Asian private equity.
Deal focus: How to go global as a neighbourhood shop
Singapore’s Madly, a tech-enabled but e-commerce-averse jeweller, knows that future family heirlooms must be sold with a personal touch. In East Ventures, it felt a rare simpatico
Indonesia microfinance player Amartha raises $100m
Indonesia’s Amartha, a small business lender focused on rural women entrepreneurs, has raised USD 100m in debt financing from US impact investor Community Investment Management (CIM).
Hildrics Capital backs Malaysian rubber producer
Singapore-based private equity firm Hildrics Capital has acquired an 8.2% stake in Malaysia-listed GIIB Rubber, a supplier of gloves and industrial rubber-based components.
Philippines VC firm Kaya raises $12m across two funds
Philippines-based VC investor and venture studio Kaya Founders has achieved a first close of USD 12m across two early-stage funds. The target - for both vehicles - is USD 25m.
Proparco makes $35m LP commitment to Quadria healthcare fund – update
French development finance institution (DFI) Proparco has made a USD 35m fund commitment to Singapore’s Quadria Capital, a healthcare-focused GP active across South and Southeast Asia.
GP profile: 500 Global
500 Global’s emergence as a preeminent seed investor in Southeast Asia has played out against the backdrop of a broader transformation from US accelerator into international multi-stage venture capital firm
Start-up banking: Filling an SVB-shaped hole
Silicon Valley Bank was arguably the only institution globally to comprehensively service the unique banking needs of start-ups. In its absence, a mix of players are rising to the challenge
Northstar's managing partner to become CEO of GoTo
Patrick Walujo, a co-founder and managing partner of Northstar Group, has been appointed group CEO of Indonesian super app GoTo, with the Southeast Asia-focused private equity firm telling LPs it expects minimal impact to day-to-day business.
Hong Kong's AIA commits $200m to LeapFrog
Hong Kong-listed insurance company AIA Group has agreed to commit USD 200m to various funds managed by LeapFrog Investments, a UK-based impact investor with an extensive Asia footprint.
Sequoia shifts to independent partnerships, separate brands
Sequoia Capital’s China and India-Southeast Asia VC operations will be renamed HongShan and Peak XV Partners, respectively, as they formally separate from the US entity and become independent partnerships.
Deal focus: Evermos extends impact to social commerce
Indonesia’s Evermos has more than doubled its total funding as investors see promise in a social commerce model that prioritises cottage industries and underemployed women
EMIA backs Cambodia logistics provider
Singapore-based private equity investor Emerging Markets Investors Alliance (EMIA) has confirmed an investment of undisclosed size in Cambodia’s FWF Full Well and Nisshin Logistics.
Kazakhstan investor backs TVM SE Asia healthcare fund
Qazaqstan Investment Corporation (QIC), a private equity fund-of-funds set up by the Kazakhstan government, has invested in a Southeast Asia fund managed by TVM Capital Healthcare.
Singapore's Capillary Technologies gets $45m Series D
India-founded and Singapore-headquartered retail industry software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider Capillary Technologies has raised a USD 45m Series D round featuring India’s Avaatar Ventures.
Singapore's Temasek punishes staff for FTX investment
The investment and senior management of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings will receive reduced compensation in recognition of the write-down of an investment in collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX despite an independent internal review finding no evidence...
Dymon backs take-private of Singapore's Challenger Technologies
Dymon Asia Private Equity has launched a SGD 224m (USD 180m) take-private bid for Challenger Technologies in conjunction with the Singapore-listed electronics retailer's CEO.
Deal focus: KKR brings impact to the classroom
EQuest Education has enlarged its K-12 school footprint in Vietnam through a string of acquisitions. KKR continues to support this consolidation effort via its global impact investment strategy
Asia private credit: Muffled momentum
The conservative virtues of private credit relative to private equity have come into fashion in a risk-off world. But global participation in the Asian side of the story will be limited
Indonesia e-commerce player Evermos gets $39m Series C
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has led a USD 39m Series C round for Evermos, an Indonesian social commerce platform that positions itself as an impact play.
Singapore's Qualgro seeks $150m for Fund III
Qualgro Partners, a Singapore-headquartered venture capital firm, is looking to raise USD 150m for its third fund.
PE-backed CompareAsiaGroup merges with US-listed SPAC
CompareAsiaGroup, an Asia-focused financial products comparison platform also known as MoneyHero Group, has agreed to merge with a US-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) at an enterprise value of approximately USD 342m.
Digital bank Tyme wins funding for SE Asia, Africa expansion
Tyme Group, an emerging markets-focused digital banking group with operations in the Philippines and South Africa, has raised USD 77.8m in pre-Series C funding. A portion of the proceeds will be used for expansion into other markets in Southeast Asia....
Singapore's BandLab raises $25m
Singapore-based social music creation platform BandLab has raised USD 25m from Cercano Management, formerly Vulcan Capital, a vehicle established by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.