Consumer
Korea cross-border consumer: Dining out
Restaurant chains can potentially ride on the tailwinds generated by demand for Korean cultural exports, but strong execution is ultimately the key factor in overseas expansion
Grab commits $500m to Vietnam tech ecosystem
Grab, a Southeast Asia-focused ride-hailing app operator backed by a number of PE and VC firms, has committed to invest $500 million in Vietnam’s technology ecosystem in the next five years.
Chinese calligraphy tuition platform raises $28m
Hexiaoxiang, a Chinese online education service that teaches calligraphy to kindergarten and primary school children, has closed a Series B funding round worth RMB200 million ($28 million).
TA invests in Unison-backed Gong Cha - update
TA Associates has acquired a controlling stake in Gong Cha, the Taiwan-based bubble tea chain backed by Unison Capital.
KKR joins round for Chinese online education platform
KKR and GGV Capital have led a $85 million funding round for Huohua, a Chinese online education platform specializing in mathematics and science.
CITIC joins $34m round for Japanese e-commerce platform
CITIC Capital has participated in a JPY3.6 billion ($34.1 million) funding round for Active Sonar, operator of Reclo, a Japanese online re-selling platform for luxury brands.
Fosun invests $18m in Chinese pet services player
Fosun Group has agreed to invest RMB130 million ($18.4 million) in Pet Doctor, a Chinese one-stop pet services platform that supplies everything from software for pet hospitals to consultations for pet owners.
Chinese e-commerce sourcing partner xyb2b gets $100m
Xyb2b.com, a B2B platform that helps Chinese e-commerce companies source products from overseas, has completed an extended Series B round of funding worth $100 million.
Ant Financial, Primavera back Chinese vending machine provider
Beijing Ubox Online Technology, a Chinese vending machine manager, has received RMB1.6 billion ($226 million) in funding from Ant Financial Services Group and Primavera Capital Group.
Singapore-based Play closes debut gaming fund at $40m
Play Ventures, a Singapore-based VC firm focused on gaming start-ups in Europe, Asia, and North America, has closed its debut fund at $40 million.
Tencent re-ups in China B2B trading platform Yijiupi
Tencent Holdings has invested $80 million in Yijiupi, a China-based online B2B trading platform that is looking to continue its expansion from liquor into other consumer goods categories.
Chinese hotel marketing platform receives $42m
Zhiketong – a WeChat-based direct sales and marketing service for high-end hotels – has completed its Series C round, having raised RMB300 million ($42.5 million) across three tranches.
CPPIB cleared to invest in India's Delhivery
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has been cleared to acquire a stake of up to 8% in Indian e-commerce logistics service provider Delhivery.
Chinese social e-commerce player raises $20m
Wanwu Xinxuan, a Chinese social e-commerce start-up that specializes in products for infants and children, has raised $20 million in a Series B round of funding led by local consumer sector-focused venture capital firm Fresh Capital.
Singapore's RedDoorz raises $70m
Singapore hotel management and booking platform RedDoorz has raised $70 million in Series C funding less than a month after closing a $45 million Series B.
PEP to acquire APAC business of US-based Horizon
Australia’s Private Equity Partners (PEP) has agreed to pay A$340 million ($230 million) for the Asia Pacific division of US automotive industry equipment supplier Horizon Global.
Twitter leads $100m round for India's ShareChat
Twitter has led a $100 million round for Indian social networking platform ShareChat with support from private equity investor Trustbridge Partners.
Jade Invest part exits China's Latt Liv to JD.com
Jade Invest has confirmed a partial exit from Chinese lifestyle goods retailer Latt Liv, selling a “strategic stake” to e-commerce giant JD.com. Financial terms have not been disclosed.
China's PE-backed Zhihu raises $434m Series F round
Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer platform, has raised a $434 million Series F round led by domestic search engine Baidu and short video site Beijing Kuaishou Technology.
Naspers leads $125m round for India's Meesho
Naspers has led a $125 million round for Indian e-commerce platform Meesho with support from Facebook and a number of existing VC investors.
Women entrepreneurs: Tales from the coalface
Women remain underrepresented in start-up ecosystems across Asia, but for those who have taken the plunge, there is potential to make a social impact that transcends their respective target markets
Macro and diversity: All hands on deck
As women participate in economies across Asia in larger numbers, investors must consider how this impacts their target markets. Gender-balanced portfolios will no longer be a nice-to-have
Japan Post Capital leads $29m Series E for SmartNews
Tokyo-based news app operator SmartNews is said to have achieved unicorn status following a JPY3.1 billion ($29.2 million) Series E round led by Japan Post Capital.
Singapore's Carro raises $30m for extended Series B
Singaporean auto marketplace operator Carro has raised $30 million from investors including SoftBank Ventures Asia as part of an extended Series B round.