Sectors
Ince leads $30m round for China’s PhiGent Robotics
Beijing-based autonomous driving solutions provider PhiGent Robotics has raised a USD30m Series A round led by Ince Capital. Previous investors such as Atypical Ventures, 5Y Capital, and GSR Ventures re-upped.
China's BlueRun $819m across US dollar, renminbi funds
China-based BlueRun Ventures has closed its third US dollar-denominated China fund and third renminbi vehicle with aggregate commitments of CNY 5.5bn (USD 819m).
Hong Kong's Betatron hits $15m first close on VC fund
Hong Kong’s Betatron Venture Group has reached a first close of USD 15m on its latest fund, which will make early-stage investments across South and Southeast Asia. The target is USD 50m.
SBI, Kyobo Life seek $75m for Asia VC fund
SBI Ven Capital (SBIVC), an ex-Japan VC arm of SBI Holdings, is seeking USD 75m for its latest fund in partnership with Korea’s Kyobo Life Insurance and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
SPAC target Prenetics sinks on US debut
Hong Kong-based genomic and diagnostic testing business Prenetics slumped on its NASDAQ debut, unable to withstand struggling public markets public markets and weak investor appetite for businesses that merge with US-listed special purpose acquisition...
China industrial internet platform Xuelangyun raises $44m
Xuelangyun, a China-based industrial data service provider, has raised a Series B of CNY 300m (USD 44m) led by China Structural Reform Fund. Poly Capital and an intellectual property fund under Wuxi Guolian Development also participated.
Antler to invest $100m in SE Asia start-ups by 2025
Singapore-based VC firm Antler has committed to investing USD 100m in more than 300 Southeast Asian start-ups by 2025.
Apis backs Singapore B2B micropayments player DT One
Apis Partners has invested an undisclosed sum in DT One, a Singapore-headquartered B2B digital micropayments platform with a global customer base.
China outbound: Organic options
Tough domestic competition is encouraging Chinese tech start-ups to expand overseas – often organically, earlier in their lifecycles than before, and despite regulatory concerns
India's Multiples invests $88m in BDR Pharma
Multiples Private Equity has led a consortium in the acquisition of a 9.3% stake in India’s BDR Pharmaceuticals for INR 6.8bn (USD 88.5m).
India’s Fashinza gets $100m Series B
Prosus Ventures and WestBridge Capital have led a USD 100m Series B round for India’s Fashinza, a B2B marketplace and supply chain platform for the fashion industry.
Mithril, BlackRock invest $110m in Singapore’s GreyOrange
Mithril Capital, a VC firm launched by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, and BlackRock have provided USD 110m in growth funding to Singapore and US-based robotics player GreyOrange.
Vodafone New Zealand buys out PE partner in retail JV
Millennium Corp, a specialist technology, media, and telecom (TMT) investor operating in New Zealand and the Pacific region, has exited its 50% stake in Vodafone New Zealand’s retail stores.
Japan Industrial Solutions supports troubled local drug maker
Japan Industrial Solutions (JIS) has agreed to invest up to JPY 20bn (USD 155m) in Japan-based generic drug manufacturer Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical with a view to saving the troubled company.
Deal focus: Elevation targets Lumena uplift
Elevation Equity Partners sees Korean consumer electronics brand Lumena as a diamond in the rough, with high margins, quality products, and scope for domestic and international expansion
Deal focus: Mekong unconfined to consumer thesis
Having long eschewed industrial business models, consumer-focused Mekong Capital has made an exception in the name of environmental impact with Vietnam agricultural supplier Entobel
Fund focus: East Ventures expands its LP rolodex
Indonesia’s East Ventures reached beyond Asian LPs for the first time with its latest growth fund. It coincides with several other milestones that signal a new level of institutionalisation
Market volatility thwarts CVC pursuit of Australia's Brambles
CVC Capital Partners has abandoned its proposed acquisition of Australia-based container supplier Brambles, citing market volatility.
India e-commerce enabler Gokwik raises $35m
Gokwik, an Indian e-commerce enablement platform, has raised USD 35m in a Series B round led by Think Investments and RTP Global.
Eight Roads launches $250m India healthcare fund
Eight Roads Ventures has launched its first dedicated healthcare and life-sciences fund for India with a corpus of USD 250m provided entirely by its parent, Fidelity.
Indonesia's Sinar Mas launches smart city VC fund
The real estate arm of Indonesian conglomerate Sinar Mas has launched a smart city technology fund in partnership with East Ventures, Redbadge Pacific, and Prasetia Dwidharma.
India’s NIIF joins $128m round for Ather Energy
India’s National Investment & Infrastructure Fund (NIIFL) has participated in a USD 128m funding round for Ather Energy, a leading domestic manufacturer of two-wheel electric vehicles (EV).
Baring Asia makes Series A software investment
Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) has committed USD 10m in Series A funding for a significant minority stake in CBX Software, a Hong Kong-founded product lifecycle management platform provider.
ICG buys New Zealand's Canopy Healthcare
ICG has acquired Canopy Healthcare Group, a New Zealand-based healthcare platform that offers diagnostic imaging, medical oncology, and drug compounding services.
