Southeast Asia
LP interview: Verlinvest
Verlinvest has built strong consumer sector presence in Asia through PE fund commitments and direct deals. Nicholas Cator, an executive director at the family office, says the latter are more important than the former
Deal focus: EMIA rethinks financial services in Cambodia
Emerging Markets Investment Advisors is backing iCare Benefits to develop workable credit schemes for low-income consumers in Southeast Asia through partnerships with employers and product suppliers
Zombie start-ups: On the same side
Zombie companies present a special challenge for VC investors, whose exit goals may not match the aims of the founders. Successful GPs will try to ensure a positive experience for all parties
Secondary investors pay $600m for LP stakes in IDG VC funds
IDG Capital has completed a secondary deal worth nearly $600 million, selling down LP positions in at least seven funds managed by affiliates in India and Vietnam as well as by the GP itself in China. These holdings were acquired as part of the purchase...
Singapore's Gordian Capital spins out Qualgro VC fund
The team behind Qualgro ASEAN, a venture capital fund established under Singapore asset manager Gordian Capital in 2015, has spun out to form an independent VC firm.
Crescent Point backs Philippines-based LBC Express
Singapore-based private equity and special situations firm Crescent Point has agreed to invest $50 million in Philippines-listed logistics services company LBC Express.
Southeast Asia tourism: Thinking small
Travel start-ups in Southeast Asia are attracting scattered but enthusiastic interest from venture capital investors. Success in navigating the sector’s early days will be a matter of niche targeting
Fund focus: Thailand gets serious about fintech
Expara Thailand and Premier Advisory Group have been appointed to manage two funds with a combined corpus of $44 million that are intended to push forward the country's financial technology agenda
EMIA invests Cambodia unit of iCare Benefits
Emerging Markets Investment Advisers (EMIA) has acquired a significant minority stake in the Cambodia division of iCare Benefits, a Singapore-based company that provides employers with worker benefit programs.
IFC set to back Morgan Stanley's $300m Thailand fund
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is considering an investment of up to $25 million in a Thailand-focused fund launched by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA).
Fund focus: Intudo targets SE Asia's sea turtles
Intudo has raised $10 million for a venture capital fund that will bring fast-growing start-ups from Silicon Valley and China to Southeast Asia
Bolt-on acquisitions: Buying growth
Bolt-on acquisitions enable private equity firms to bring down the cost of investments through multiple arbitrage and leveraging synergies. But in a climate of heady valuations, are GPs thinking too big?
OPIC to invest $195m in India, Indonesia
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a development finance institution (DFI) backed by the US government, has approved $195 million for investments in India and Indonesia.
Canadian AI player raises $102m Series A for Asia push
China’s Tencent Holdings and Korea’s Hanwha Investment have backed a $102 million Asian expansion drive by Canadian artificial intelligence developer Element AI. It is said to be the largest Series A round ever raised by an AI company.
Thailand sets up $44m in VC funds
Thailand’s Government Savings Bank and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) have jointly established two venture capital funds worth a combined THB1.5 billion ($44 million).
Intudo closes debut Indonesia-focused VC fund
Intudo Ventures, a newly-formed Indonesia-focused VC firm, has raised $10 million for its debut fund that will co-found and invest in early-stage companies.
Campbell Lutyens adds former GIC executive to advisory board
Placement agent and secondary transaction advisor Campbell Lutyens has appointed Kok-Peng Teh, formerly head of the special investments division at GIC Private, to its advisory board.
Thailand's Kasikorn Bank launches $29m fintech fund
Beacon Venture Capital, the VC arm of Thailand-based Kasikorn Bank, has launched a fund aimed at financial technology start-ups with a corpus of THB1 billion ($29 million).
Deal focus: CounterTack locks up funding for security
At a time when websites have never seemed more vulnerable, CounterTack has a software solution that can plug holes in online security systems. It has raised $20 million in Series D funding to support expansion
Singapore's VC-backed MoneySmart gets $10m Series B
MoneySmart, a personal finance portal backed by Golden Gate Ventures, has received a $10 million Series B funding round led by Japanese shopping price comparison site operator Kakaku.
Qualgro leads $8m Series B for Singapore's Wavecell
Singapore-based cloud communications platform Wavecell has raised an $8.2 million Series B round led by Qualgro, a VC firm active in Southeast Asia and Australia.
Fund focus: Safe hands
With $9.3 billion in dry powder, KKR aims to capitalize on growing big-ticket opportunities in the region. The large and rapid fundraise is further evidence of the flight to quality among LPs
Gobi leads $6m round for Malaysia's Carsome
Gobi Partners has led a $6 million funding round for Malaysia-based online used car purchasing platform Carsome.
Warburg Pincus invests $300m in emerging markets TMT platform
Warburg Pincus has invested $300 million in Princeton Growth Ventures (Princeton GV), a telecom, media and technology (TMT) buy-out platform that seeks to acquire assets in emerging markets.