Consumer
VCs back China female-focused consumer finance start-up
Shanghai Mime Financial, a consumer finance platform targeting the young females in China, has raised a Series C round led by domestic investors Haier Capital, Xiyu Capital and Panda Capital.
Grab buys VC-backed Indonesian e-commerce player Kudo
Southeast Asian ride-hailing app operator Grab has agreed to acquire Kudo, an Indonesian online-to-offline (O2O) e-commerce start-up backed by a number of venture capital firms.
KKR commits $250 million to second Vietnam consumer play
KKR has entered into a second partnership with Masan Group – just over a year after exiting the first with a more than 2x return – through a $250 million commitment to the Vietnamese conglomerate and its branded meat subsidiary.
PEP, CHAMP win approval for New Zealand acquisitions
Pacific Equity Partners’ (PEP) acquisition of food supplier Leader Products and CHAMP Private Equity’s purchase of several shipping and freight assets have won regulatory approval in New Zealand.
Park life: Chinese investors target theme parks
From Wanda Group to Walt Disney, China is filling up with theme parks. Investors see it as an opportunity to marry real estate development with the evolving consumption patterns
TPG buys majority stake in Vietnam school, Mekong exits
TPG Capital has agreed to acquire a controlling position in Vietnam Australia International School (VAS), facilitating an exit for existing backers Mekong Capital and Denmark-based MAJ Invest.
ClearVue leads $30m round for Chinese convenience store chain
Consumer-focused GP ClearVue Partners has led a RMB200 million ($30 million) Series B round of funding for I Believe, a Chinese convenience store operator.
Bain makes another partial exit from Japan's Skylark
Bain Capital Private Equity has sold nearly one third of its remaining stake in Japanese restaurant operator Skylark, generating proceeds of JPY34.9 billion ($314 million).
India's Kaizen reaches $44m first close on second fund
Indian education-focused GP Kaizen Private Equity has reached a first close of $44 million on its second fund.
MBK set for a second stint with Japanese jeweler Tasaki
MBK Partners has submitted a JPY31.5 billion ($286 million) buyout offer for Japanese jewelry retailer Tasaki & Co – a Tokyo-listed company it previously backed in 2008 and exited seven years later.
VCs invest $33m in Japan's Dely
Jafco, YJ Capital, and Gumi Ventures have taken part in a JPY3.7 billion ($33 million) funding round for Japanese online food media start-up Dely.
Singapore auto marketplace Carro gets $12m
A group of Southeast Asian VCs have committed $12 million to Singaporean automobile marketplace Carro as part of an operational expansion into artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled car financing services.
Sequoia, Fosun Kinzon invest $15m in India travel site Ixigo
Sequoia Capital has led a $15 million Series B round for Indian online travel marketplace Ixigo, with participation by Fosun Kinzon Capital, the investment arm of Chinese conglomerate Fosun International.
IFC-backed Minsheng Education gains after Hong Kong IPO
China’s Minsheng Education Group closed up 9.4% on its first day of trading in Hong Kong, following a HK$1.38 billion ($177 million) IPO in which the International Finance Corporation (IFC) participated as a cornerstone investor.
Alibaba assumes control of VC-backed online ticket platform
Alibaba Group has taken full ownership of Damai.cn, a leading Chinese online ticketing platform that previously raised funding from VC investors.
India's Flipkart raises $1b in downround – report
Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart has reportedly raised a $1 billion round of funding at a valuation of about $10 billion – a drop from $15 billion as of its previous round.
China travel sites Woqu, Lulutrip merge, raise $25m
Chinese outbound online travel platforms Woqu.com and Lulutrip – both of which have received several rounds of funding from VC and strategic investors – have agreed to merge. The combined entity has received $25 million in new funding.
Chinese car-trading platform Mychebao gets $100m Series C
PAG Asia Capital has led a $100 million Series C round of funding for Mychebao.com, a Chinese online auction platform for second-hand cars.
China's Makeblock gets $30m Series B round
Evolution Media China (EMC) and Shenzhen Capital Group have led a $30 million Series B round for Shenzhen-based education and robotics start-up Makeblock.
Productivity, innovation critical to a changing China - AVCJ Forum
China is adjusting to a slower growth model driven by consumption rather than investment, but significant gains can still be made through productivity and innovation, industry participants told the AVCJ China Forum.
Platinum to buy Staples' Australia, New Zealand business
US-based private equity firm Platinum Equity has agreed to buy the Australia and New Zealand businesses of business products supplier Staples.
Pioneer hits $180m hard cap on third New Zealand fund
New Zealand’s Pioneer Capital has hit the hard cap of NZ$260 million ($180 million) on its third growth fund, beating the target of NZ$210 million. It follows the first investment from the new vehicle in Havelock North Fruit.
Hong Kong PE buys into US-HK entertainment merger
Co-High Investment Management, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm focused largely on culture and media, has agreed to invest in a film production company formed through a US-Hong Kong merger.
VC-backed Fave buys Groupon Singapore
Malaysian VC-backed online-to-offline (O2O) e-commerce company Fave has agreed to acquire Groupon Singapore, extending a string of related bolt-ons in Southeast Asia.