Consumer
Alibaba's Tmall leads $300m round for PE-backed Yiguo
Tmall, Alibaba Group’s B2C e-commerce unit, has led a $300 million Series D round for Yiguo.com, a PE-backed Chinese grocery shopping platform. This is the fourth time an Alibaba entity has invested in the company.
Goldman backs China food delivery platform Meican
Goldman Sachs Investment Partners has participated in a Series D round of funding for Meican.com, a Chinese online food delivery services platform that targets the corporate market.
Creador invests in Malaysian bakery chain
Creador has invested MYR57 million ($13.3 million) in Bake With Yen (BWY), a Malaysian baking and confectionery ingredients supplier.
Blue Lake reaches $120m first close on China VC fund
Blue Lake Capital, a China-focused VC firm led by two former GGV Capital and Sequoia Capital executives, has reached a first close of more than $120 million on its second early-stage fund. The full target is $200 million.
India's Snapdeal calls off merger with Flipkart
Indian online marketplace Snapdeal has called off a planned merger with rival Flipkart and will pursue a restructuring plan to allow it to survive as an independent entity. Both companies have substantial PE and VC backing.
China First Capital to acquire Korean online education platform
Hong Kong-listed investment group China First Capital plans to acquire 54% of SJW International, a Korea-based online video English training platform, for about $135 million.
Singapore's Prestellar raises $100m VC fund
Prestellar Ventures, a Singapore-based GP backed by two Nepalese companies as well as Indian microfinance institution Satin Creditcare and India-focused investor Frontline Strategies, has raised a $100 million fund.
J-Star completes Japanese veterinary bolt-on
J-star has acquired Japanese veterinary chain VIS Corporation for an undisclosed amount in a bolt-on to existing portfolio company JVCC.
Fosun, Sanyuan to buy margarine maker from European GP
Chinese conglomerate Fosun Group has teamed up with Beijing Sanyuan Foods to buy French margarine maker St Hubert from Montagu Private Equity for EUR625 million ($734 million).
Expedia invests $350m in Indonesia's VC-backed Traveloka
Expedia has paid $350 million for an unspecified minority stake in Traveloka, an Indonesian online travel services company backed by a number of venture capital firms.
Advent buys stake in India's Dixcy Textiles
Advent International has invested an undisclosed amount in Indian innerwear maker Dixcy Textiles.
Joy Capital leads $105m round for China’s Shopex
Joy Capital, a Chinese VC firm that spun out from Legend Capital, has led a RMB700 ($105 million) Series D round for Shanghai ShopEx Network Technology, an e-commerce software and services provider.
Deal focus: VCs see potential in karaoke booths
Telephone booth-sized karaoke units in shopping malls are the latest penchant among China's emerging middle-class millennials. A group of VCs has invested $15 million in MiniKTV to support a nationwide roll-out
China-based English language learning app secures Series C
CMC Capital Partners and Wu Capital – a Beijing-based family office for Longfor Properties – have jointly led a Series B round of funding for Liulishuo, a language learning app powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Goldman, Accel invest $25m in India's FabHotels
FabHotels, an Indian technology-enabled budget hotel chain, has raised a $25 million Series B round led by Goldman Sachs, with participation by existing investor Accel Partners.
IDG leads $50m round for China online pet store
IDG Capital has led a Series B round of funding worth $50 million for Epet.com, a Chinese e-commerce platform that sells pet-related food products and other services.
Japan's Marubeni buys beef supplier from US GP
Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corp. has acquired Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, a US-based supplier of beef and pork products, from Sun Capital Partners.
Indian furniture rental company gets $10m Series B
RentoMojo, an Indian financial technology company that facilitates rentals of furniture and other household items, has raised a $10 million Series B round led by Bain Capital Ventures and fintech entrepreneur Renaud Laplanche.
Bain to make partial exit from Japanese mushroom producer
Bain Capital Private Equity has agreed to sell a 49% in Yukiguni Maitake, a Japanese mushroom producer, to domestic food company Shinmei. The size of the transaction was not disclosed.
China self-service karaoke booth operator raises $15m
Xingtang MiniKTV, a three-month-old Chinese start-up that operates self-service karaoke booths, has raised $15 million across three tranches of funding.
China smart convenience store operator raises $19m
Xiaomai, a Chinese cashier-free convenience store operator much like US-based Amazon Go, has secured RMB125 million ($19 million) in funding led by Aplus Fund and Chenshan Capital.
IoT in Asia: Things to come
A number of political factors have positioned Asia Pacific to be a global leader in internet-of-things development. Investors must now navigate an unwieldy field of technologies, markets and social drivers
Portfolio: Everstone Capital and Modern Foods
Everstone Capital’s purchase of Hindustan Unilever’s bakery business was its first corporate carve-out. It is now ready to introduce India to the new and improved Modern Foods
PAG backs Home Credit for expansion in China
PAG Asia Capital has agreed to invest approximately RMB2 billion ($296 million) in a Hong Kong unit of Czech-based consumer loans company Home Credit Group, with a view to supporting the company's expansion in China.