Sectors
Chinese commercial rocket launch player raises $43m
Chinese commercial space launch start-up LandSpace has secured RMB300 million ($43 million) in an extended Series B round led by China Growth Capital.
Deal focus: L Catterton enters Japan with Owndays
In its debut Japan investment, L Catterton plans to help eyewear maker Owndays expand its customer-friendly business model outside its home market
Coatue leads $70m round for China, US-based Agora
Agora.io, a real-time voice and video communication platform established by Tony Zhao, formerly CTO of Chinese social networking player YY.com, has received $70 million in Series C funding led by Coatue Management.
Vision Fund invests $2b in Korea’s Coupang
SoftBank Vision Fund has committed $2 billion to South Korean e-commerce business Coupang, reportedly valuing the company at $9 billion.
China tech IPOs: Battle of the bourses
China has rolled out another proposal for a start-up friendly listing regime in Shanghai, this time with presidential imprimatur. PE investors are skeptical as to how quickly it could challenge Hong Kong
CITIC Capital buys control of cooking sauce brand Amoy
CITIC Capital has acquired a controlling stake in Amoy Food, a Hong Kong-based manufacturer of cooking sauces owned by Japanese food and beverage maker Ajinomoto, for an undisclosed sum.
GGV leads $108m round for Chinese e-commerce platform
Chinese community e-commerce platform Xiaoqule has raised $108 million in a Series A round of funding led by GGV Capital and Vertex Ventures.
Blackbird joins $7m round for New Zealand's Sunfed
Blackbird Ventures has joined a NZ$10 million ($7 million) funding round for Sunfed Meats, a New Zealand-based company that specializes in meat-like vegetarian foodstuffs.
Chinese financial education business receives $115m Series C
Golden Education, which claims to be China’s largest professional financial education provider, has received RMB800 million ($115 million) in Series C funding led by Hillhouse Capital and Morgan Stanley.
HarbourVest backs secondary restructuring of Capital Today investment
HarbourVest Partners has led a secondary transaction worth approximately $420 million that enabled Capital Today China Group to take out an investment from its first fund – Yifeng Pharmacy – and roll it into a new vehicle as a means of extending the...
Chinese GP buys Germany's Cordenka for $274m
BMC Europe Fund I, a PE vehicle launched earlier this year with support from Shanghai International Group (SIG), has completed its first investment with the acquisition of German industrial textiles manufacturer Cordenka for EUR240 million ($274 million).
China's Alphamab gets $100m Series A
China’s Alphamab Oncology has completed a $100 million Series A funding round from a group of investors including PAG Growth Capital, Advantech Capital, and OrbiMed.
Korean GPs worry about valuations, wage hikes - AVCJ Forum
South Korean private equity investors warned the AVCJ Forum that valuations and an increase in the minimum wage could play havoc in the market next year following what has so far been a relatively benign 2018.
Blackstone agrees $792m sale of Australia chemicals business
The Blackstone Group has agreed to sell Ixom, a chemicals business it carved out from Australia’s Orica three years ago, to Keppel Infrastructure Trust (KIT) for approximately A$1.1 billion ($792 million).
IDG, Matrix back $20m round for Singapore's KuCoin
IDG Capital, Matrix Partners, and Neo Global Capital have jointly invested $20 million in Singapore-based cryptocurrency services company KuCoin.
Australia's Future Fund leads $140m round for Rocket Lab
Australia’s Future Fund has led a $140 million Series E round for Rocket Lab, a US-based space technology company that operates primarily in New Zealand.
Investors seek new openings as China tech matures – AVCJ Forum
Investors in China’s technology space must learn to play contrarian angles as consumer-facing segments become increasingly difficult to penetrate.
GPs need industry networks to source China buyouts - AVCJ Forum
Private equity firms should establish deep connections within target industries if they are to take advantage of China's emerging buyout opportunity, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
China’s Ucommune gets $200m in Series D round
Chinese co-working space operator Ucommune, formerly named UrWork, has raised $200 million in Series D funding led by All-Stars Investment, with participation from CEC Capital.
Talent acquisition the biggest challenge for Asia PE – AVCJ Forum
Finding talented personnel to source and execute investments remains the biggest challenge facing Asia’s private equity industry, GPs told the AVCJ Forum.
Hillhouse co-leads $93m Series B for US biotech firm
Hillhouse Capital and Quan Capital have led a $93 million Series B round for NextCure, a US-based biopharmaceutical company focused on cancer and other diseases.
China's Gobi Partners enters Pakistan
China’s Gobi Partners has made its first investment in Pakistan by leading a $1.5 million Series A round for online travel services start-up Sastaticket.
Digital tools essential for modern day due diligence - AVCJ Forum
PE and VC investors in Asia are becoming more sophisticated in their approach to due diligence, with digital tools an increasingly important part of the skill set, the AVCJ Forum heard.
EDBI joins $50m round for US-based WalkMe
Singapore’s EDBI has joined a $50 million Series F round for US-based enterprise software provider WalkMe that will drive an Asia Pacific expansion.
