Southeast Asia
KKR invests $144m in Southeast Asia's PropertyGuru
KKR has committed S$200 million ($144 million) in Series D funding to PropertyGuru, a Singapore-based online property portal that has several existing private equity investors.
SE Asia-focused Chinese fintech player gets $70m Series C
Akulaku, a Chinese consumer finance platform that primarily serves customers in Southeast Asia, has raised $70 million in a Series C round led by fintech company Finup Group. Sequoia Capital India, Blue Sky Venture Capital, and Qiming Venture Partners...
Australia’s Pemba to exit Heavy Maintenance Group
Pemba Capital Partners – an Australian middle-market GP formerly known as RMB Capital Partners – has agreed to sell heavy equipment specialist Heavy Maintenance Group (HMG) to Malaysia’s Sime Darby for A$58 million ($41 million).
Asia corporate VC: Company towns
Acceleration of development in the technology space is giving rise to a new generation of corporate VC investors. Building an identity separate from their parents is crucial to the success of these emerging firms
Booking invests $200m in Southeast Asia's Grab
Booking Holdings, which operates multiple online travel sites, has invested $200 million in Southeast Asia ride-hailing app Grab as part of a strategic partnership.
Deal focus: Mandaya targets shifting healthcare demand
Kendall Court backs Mandaya Medical's bid to capture the demand for quality healthcare among Indonesia's growing middle class
Philippines start-ups: Cultural baggage
The Philippines is said to be at a tipping point where growing investor interest is set to culminate in the country’s first global start-up success story. A subtle malaise, however, is offsetting expectations
Q&A: Wellington Management's Michael Carmen
Michael Carmen, a senior managing director and PE lead portfolio manager at Wellington Management, discusses the growing opportunity in the late-stage pre-IPO market and the challenges for investors
Warburg Pincus backs Indonesia tax compliance business
Warburg Pincus has led a $25 million Series B round of funding for OnlinePajak, an Indonesia-based company that operates an online tax reporting platform.
Fund focus: MSPEA takes on Thailand
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia raises $440 million for its first vehicle aimed at the so-far underpenetrated Thailand market
ADB invests $25m in Mizuho SEA fund
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to invest $25 million in Exacta Asia Investment II (Exacta II), a Southeast Asia-focused vehicle launched last year by Japan’s Mizuho Bank.
MSPEA closes debut Thailand fund at $440m
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) has reached a final close on its debut Thailand-focused fund with more than $440 million in commitments. The vehicle, launched in partnership with Bangkok Bank, had an initial target of $300 million.
Kendall Court invests $55m in Indonesia hospital operator
Kendall Court has invested $55 million in Mandaya Medical, a healthcare-focused subsidiary of Indonesian conglomerate Selaras Group, via convertible preference shares.
Sequoia India establishes separate VC, growth teams
Sequoia Capital India has split its investment staff, creating separate teams for India and Southeast Asia focused on venture and growth capital investments. The firm's China and US affiliates already employ a similar strategy.
Global Brain leads round for SE Asia's Omise
Thailand-based financial technology company Omise has raised a funding round of undisclosed size led by Japanese venture capital investor Global Brain.
Profile: Apis' Matteo Stefanel
Matteo Stefanel discovered a passion for financial services early in his career. This led to the formation of Apis Partners, which seeks to back the sector’s most innovative entrepreneurs in Asia and Africa
Asia fintech: Follow the leader
China has set a compelling example for establishing a diversified and deeply penetrated digital banking industry in a developing economy. India and Southeast Asia are taking notes
Gobi launches $10m Indonesia early-stage fund
China and Southeast Asia-focused VC firm Gobi Partners has launched a $10 million fund aimed at early stage investments in Indonesia.
Indonesia's Kejora targets $100m for growth fund
Indonesian venture capital firm Kejora Ventures is seeking $100 million for a growth fund that will participate in Series B and C rounds for local start-ups. Initial commitments have come from several Korean investors, reflecting the country’s strong...
Shaw Kwei closes fourth Asian fund at $812m
Shaw Kwei & Partners, a middle-market private equity firm that primarily focuses on the industrial, manufacturing and services sectors in Asia, has closed its fourth fund at $812 million.
Philippines investors defy systemic risks – AVCJ Forum
Industry participants at the AVCJ Philippines Forum praised the country’s macro fundamentals but attributed slow maturation of the local investment environment to a range of complex underlying factors.
Gobi, Core Capital launch $10m Philippines VC fund
Gobi Partners, a VC firm focused on early-stage Chinese and Southeast Asia companies, has made its first foray to the Philippines through the launch of a $10 million fund. It is partnering with Core Capital, a recently-established VC player based in Manila.
Microsoft to invest in PE-backed ride-hailing platform Grab
Microsoft has made a strategic investment in Grab as part of a wider arrangement that will see it collaborate with the Southeast Asia-focused ride-hailing business on digital services.
Singapore's One Championship receives $166m Series D
Sequoia Capital has led a $166 million Series D funding round for One Championship, a Singapore-based mixed martial arts (MMA) organization that stages tournaments across the region.