Sectors
Fund focus: Equis’ infrastructure overhaul
Swapping a traditional fund for a less familiar corporate vehicle represented a gamble for Equis, but the Asian infrastructure manager was confident its approach would make sense to a subset of investors
Taiwan & tech tensions: Silicon island
Taiwan’s technology sector must play an awkward balancing game amid US-China tensions. This could be a surprisingly favorable position for opportunistic investment and global diversifications
Chinese vision therapy start-up Elumninex raises $50m
Chinese eye disease specialist Elumninex Biosciences has raised a $50 million Series A round led by GL Ventures, Lilly Asia Ventures (LAV), and Quan Capital.
Anacacia backs Australia's Pump Haircare
Anacacia Capital has acquired a controlling stake in Pump Haircare, an Australian organic hair products brand that is looking to further expand its online distribution channels.
Apis invests $35m in India's Cashfree
Apis Partners has invested $35 million in Indian digital payments services provider Cashfree as part of a Series B round also featuring Smilegate Investment and Y Combinator.
DST leads $200m Series E for India's Cars24
Russia’s DST Global has led a $200 million Series E round for Indian used car platform operator Cars24 at a valuation of more than $1 billion.
Warburg Pincus set for another partial exit from ESR
Warburg Pincus has agreed to make another partial exit from ESR, the pan-Asian logistics real estate platform it established in 2011 and took public last year, which will see its stake fall to 4.56%.
China trucking platform Manbang raises $1.7b
Manbang Group, China's so-called "Uber for trucks" that matches shippers with drivers and fleet operators, has raised a $1.7 billion round led by SoftBank Vision Fund, Sequoia Capital China, Permira and Fidelity.
Sequoia leads $46m Series D for Chinese chip maker Yunyinggu
Yunyinggu, a Chinese manufacturer of integrated circuits used in flat screen displays, has raised RMB300 million ($46 million) in Series D funding led by Sequoia Capital China.
CDH hits first close on China data center fund
CDH Investments has reached the first close of RMB1.5 billion ($228 million) on a data center industry fund. Part of the Chinese GP's mezzanine strategy, the vehicle has a full target of RMB2 billion.
Cross-border e-commerce player Wish files for US IPO
Wish, a cross-border e-commerce platform that connects Chinese merchants who primarily sell products through domestic channels like Alibaba Group’s Taobal and Tmall with consumers in the US and Europe, has filed for a US IPO.
500 Startups launches Cambodia division
500 Startups has launched a Cambodian unit in partnership with Khmer Enterprise, a start-up ecosystem support arm of the local government’s Entrepreneurship Development Fund.
Baring Asia leads $198m round for Chinese coding start-up
Codemao, a Chinese online education platform that teaches coding to children, has raised RMB1.3 billion ($198 million) in Series D funding led by Baring Private Equity Asia.
India's Reliance Retail marks close of $6.4b fundraise
Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries has announced the completion of a funding round for its retail unit with INR472.7 billion ($6.4 billion) in commitments from eight investors.
India's True Balance gets $28m Series D
Indian financial technology provider True Balance has raised a $28 million Series D round from a group including SoftBank Ventures Asia.
PE-backed Antengene trades flat after $359m HK IPO
Antengene, a China-based drug developer that previously raised $238 million across three private funding rounds, closed roughly flat on its first day of trading in Hong Kong following a HK$2.78 billion ($359 million) IPO.
Aggression pays off in times of crisis - AVCJ Forum
Going on the offensive is the best response to COVID-19 - taking advantage of market uncertainty to make new investments and help portfolio companies complete bolt-on acquisitions - the AVCJ Forum heard.
China cloud database specialist PingCap raises $270m
PingCap, a China cloud database service provider, has raised a $270 million Series D round led by GGV Capital, Access Technology Venture, Anatole Investment, Jeneration Capital and 5Y Capital.
PE-backed Perfect Diary jumps 75% on debt after $616m IPO
Yatsen Holding, the parent company of Chinese cosmetics brand Perfect Diary, gained 75% on its first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange following a $616.9 million IPO.
Macquarie, Armitage-backed Nuix to list in Australia
Macquarie and Armitage Associates are both set to make partial exits when analytics software provider Nuix completes its Australia IPO.
Sequoia, Matrix back $200m Series A for China’s D3 Bio
D3 Bio, a Chinese drug developer that studies and specifically targets areas where existing approaches to care are not delivering satisfactory outcomes, has raised $200 million in Series A funding.
KKR buys majority stake in New Zealand animal health business
KKR has acquired Argenta, a New Zealand-based animal health services provider, for an undisclosed sum.
Large LPs willing to explore riskier growth options – AVCJ Forum
Institutional investors looking to diversify their growth portfolios are increasingly turning to technology and emerging managers, the AVCJ Forum heard.
Investcorp acquires Singapore food company Viz Branz
Investcorp has agreed to acquire Singapore-based Viz Branz, a cereal and beverage brands maker and distributor in China and Southeast Asia, for an undisclosed sum.
