Southeast Asia
Vickers Venture Partners raises $63m
Singapore’s Vickers Venture Partners has reached an S$86 million ($63.3 million) first close for its fifth fund, which is targeting early and expansion stage Asian companies.
Singapore-listed Keppel targets $1.5b for two PE funds
Singapore conglomerate Keppel Corporation has raised $410 million for two private equity funds – to be operated by its asset management arm – that have a combined target of $1.5 billion.
Asia-based diligence provider Poseidon bought by Exiger
The Poseidon Group, a Hong Kong and Singapore-based due diligence and business intelligence provider, has been acquired by global regulatory risk and compliance player Exiger.
Volatility drives opportunities in Southeast Asia - AVCJ Forum
Southeast Asia is expected to maintain a strong level of private equity investment opportunities thanks to continued regional volatility, leading industry players told the AVCJ Singapore Forum.
500 Startups raises $8.3m for enlarged Thai fund
US-based 500 Startups has received $8.3 million in LP commitments for its Thailand-focused early-stage fund 500 TukTuks after expanding its targeted scope on the back of increased investor interest.
IFC to support Unitus-backed emerging markets accelerator
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) plans to support an accelerator fund launched by Capria Ventures – an impact investment firm sponsored by Unitus – that will focus on South and Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Southeast Asia’s aCommerce raises further $10m
Southeast Asia-focused e-commerce solutions provider aCommerce has raised $10 million in new funding ahead of a planned Series B round. The latest commitment is led by MDI Ventures, a corporate VC fund run by Indonesian mobile operator Telkom.
GIC backs South Korea's Hyundai Logistics
Singapore’s GIC Private has invested in a real estate fund that acquired the Hyundai Logistics Distribution Center in South Korea.
Mekong invests $6.9m in Vietnam's Wrap & Roll
Mekong Capital has invested $6.9 million in Wrap & Roll, a Vietnamese cuisine restaurant operator aiming to expand internationally.
ASEAN integration: Gathering momentum
Continued economic integration with Southeast Asia could open the way for transformative investment opportunities, but private equity players must believe in the region’s potential before they take the plunge.
2Q analysis: Flattering to deceive?
China shores up Asia investment activity, driven by tech-related deals; robust VC fundraising in China, Southeast Asia masks weak region-wide activity; volatility prolongs the exits downturn
Vietnam redux
Vietnam's private equity sector is coming into its own; future success will require GPs to maintain consistent performance levels
Fragmentation factor: Deal-by-deal draws interest in Southeast Asia
Deal-by-deal investment is gaining traction in Southeast Asia due to a reluctance to back blind pool funds in the region and highly localized deal-sourcing. It is unclear whether the dynamic could, or should, remain
Q&A: Shaw Kwei & Partners' Kyle Shaw
Kyle Shaw, managing director of Shaw Kwei & Partners, discusses the value to be found in taking traditional yet complex industrial businesses and switching them to a high-end track.
Singapore VC: Get smart
Singapore’s smart nation urban development policy has attracted noticeable interest from the VC industry. The plan’s broad inclusiveness and lack of hard targets could bode well for its sustainability
Singapore’s Paktor raises $10m for Japan, Korea expansion
Paktor, a Southeast Asia-focused mobile dating app, has raised $10 million in a new round of funding led by Japan’s YJ Capital, the corporate venture arm of Yahoo Japan.
Singapore’s Hera backs social media content publisher
Singapore private equity firm Hera Capital has made an undisclosed equity investment in My Social Book, a company that publishes personalized hardback scrapbooks, diaries and photo albums based on customers’ timestamped social media resources.
CVC backs $1.1b Nirvana Asia take-private
CVC Capital Partners has offered to buy out Hong Kong-listed Nirvana Asia, Asia’s largest funeral services firm, in a cash and stock swap deal worth $1.1 billion.
Singapore's Aslan Pharma raises $23m pre-IPO round
Singapore-based biotech company Aslan Pharmaceuticals has raised $23 million in a pre-IPO financing round that attracted participation from a range of new investors, including a number of Taiwanese groups.
Singapore's Temasek sees portfolio decline due to market volatility
Temasek Holdings saw the biggest single-year drop in the value of its investment portfolio since the aftermath of the global financial crisis, with S$242 billion ($179 million) in assets for the 12 months ended March 2016 compared to a record high of...
Partners Group to open office in Manila
Switzerland-based global private markets investment manager Partners Group will open an office in Manila as part of its Asia expansion.
SCPE invests in Singapore food ingredients retailer
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) has invested in Singapore-based food ingredients retailer Phoon Huat.
First Reserve JV buys SE Asia oil industry servicing vessel
A joint venture controlled by energy-focused private equity firm First Reserve has acquired an 80% stake in a Southeast Asia servicing oil tanker for $166.3 million.
Armstrong, IFC back Vietnam hydropower producer
Armstrong Asset Management and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) will invest in Vietnamese hydropower company Gia Lai Electricity (GEC).