Consumer
EBay buys 5.5% stake in India's Paytm Mall
EBay has acquired a 5.5% stake in Paytm Mall, the e-commerce arm of Indian online payments platform Paytm.
Profile: Traveloka’s Hendrik Susanto
Hendrik Susanto left a career in private equity and venture capital to head Traveloka’s inorganic growth strategy. The new role harnesses investment expertise to build a longer-lasting company
Visa joins Series F for Indonesia’s Go-Jek
Visa has confirmed its participation in an ongoing Series F round for Indonesia-based ride-hailing and online services platform Go-Jek that had raised about $1 billion as of February.
Deal focus: TheAsianparent plans baby business boom
Singapore mother-and-child online services provider theAsianparent is planning an expansion by tracking the fastest birth rates around the region. Fosun is backing the agenda
Investors target China's lower-tier cities - AVCJ Forum
Private equity and venture capital firms are seeking investments that target China’s lower-tier cities, which continue to see rapid consumption growth despite the economic slowdown at national level.
PAG buys Australia's Craveable Brands from Archer
Australian quick service restaurant chains Oporto, Red Rooster and Chicken Treat have their third consecutive private equity owner after PAG Asia Capital bought the business from Archer Capital.
Fosun leads Series C for Singapore's theAsianparent
Fosun RZ Capital, the VC arm of Fosun, has led a Series C round of undisclosed size for Singapore-based theAsianparent, which claims to be Southeast Asia’s largest mother-and-child online platform.
Affinity seeks exit from Virgin Australia frequent flyer business
Affinity Equity Partners has begun a process to exit its 35% interest in the frequent flyer business of Virgin Australia.
QIA leads $150m round for India’s Byju’s
Indian educational technology developer Byju’s has raised $150 million in a funding round led by Qatar Investment Authority, the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar.
Chinese GPs back Nigeria’s OPay
Nigeria-based online services platform OPay has raised a $50 million funding round with participation by a number of Chinese investors, including IDG Capital, Source Code Capital, Sequoia Capital China, Meituan-Dianping, and GSR Ventures.
SSG pursues recapitalization of Australia’s Retail Food Group
Australia’s Retail Food Group (RFG) has received a A$160 million ($111 million) recapitalization proposal from Asia-focused special situations investor SSG Capital Partners.
Mitsubishi expands commitment to Go-Jek's Series F
Indonesia-based ride-hailing and online services platform Go-Jek has received a fresh investment of undisclosed size from Mitsubishi Corporation - as well as two other units of the Japanese conglomerate - as part of its ongoing Series F round.
Quadrant set for debut deal from Australia growth fund
Australia’s Quadrant Private Equity has made the first investment from its new growth fund, with an agreement to acquire domestic auction sites Graysonline and AreYouSelling for A$60 million ($42 million).
LionRock teams up with Li Ning for China sports fund
LionRock Capital, an Asian PE firm that counts Italian football club Inter Milan among its previous investments, has launched a sports-focused fund with retailer Li Ning participating as an anchor LP.
Morgan Stanley-backed Feihe files for Hong Kong IPO
Feihe, a China-based dairy products manufacturer backed by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA), has filed for an IPO in Hong Kong.
Next to buy Australia hospitality equipment business
Australia’s Next Capital has agreed to privatize local hospitality industry equipment provider Silver Chef in a deal worth at least A$27 million ($19 million).
Temasek invests $300m in Li & Fung's logistics unit
Temasek Holdings has invested $300 million in Li & Fung’s logistics operation after the Hong Kong-based multinational abandoned plans to spin-out the asset through an IPO.
Invesco commits $300m to Southeast Asia's Grab
Southeast Asian ride hailing and online-to-offline (O2O) services platform Grab has received a $300 million commitment from global investment manager Invesco as part of its ongoing $6.5 billion Series H round.
India's Unacademy secures $50m Series D
Indian education platform operator Unacademy has closed a $50 million Series D round from a group of investors including Sequoia Capital India.
Singapore's PE-backed Trax secures US retail tech bolt-on
Trax, a Singapore-based developer of retail computer vision and analytics solutions with several private equity backers, has acquired US-based shopping rewards app developer Shopkick for an undisclosed amount.
Chinese online art education business raises $40m
Chinese art education platform Yiqi Technology Group has raised $40 million in the first tranche of a Series C round led by Tencent Holdings. It is said to be the largest-ever funding round for a start-up in this space.
CITIC Capital invests $20m in New Zealand travel business
CITIC Capital has invested NZ$30 million ($20 million) in Tourism Holdings, a New Zealand-listed travel services company that specializes in recreational vehicle rentals.
Unison buys Japanese hair treatment specialist
Unison Capital has acquired Pyuru, a Japanese producer of hair care and cosmetics products best known for a naturally-derived treatment for graying hair.
Profile: Ernest Higa
From lumber to fast food, Ernest Higa has found a market for US concepts in Japan. The entrepreneur – and oftentimes private equity collaborator – believes careful customization is the key to success
