Industrials
Alternative fuels: Burning questions
From the landfill to the inside of atoms, the alternative fuels angle on energy transition gives investors a range of risk profiles to consider. Developed economies are the primary playgrounds
Energy transition case study: Axilone
Energy accounts for a relatively small portion of cosmetics packaging producer Axilone’s overall costs, but rising prices in Europe prompted owner Trustar Capital to accelerate transition efforts
Deal focus: Allegro pumps up in New Zealand
Australia’s Allegro Funds has made its first investment from its largest fund to date, flexing new capacity to invest at scale with petrol station chain Gull New Zealand
China's Black Sesame completes Series C with $500m haul
Black Sesame Technologies, a China-based chipmaker specializing in autonomous driving applications, has closed a Series C extension led by SummitView Capital. This brings the size of the overall round to USD 500m.
Australia hydrogen player gets $29m Series A
Australia’s Virescent Ventures, a VC firm spun out earlier this year from Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), has led a AUD 40m (USD 29m) Series A round for local hydrogen energy start-up Hysata.
Allegro buys New Zealand fuel retail business
Australia’s Allegro Funds has agreed to acquire 100% of petrol station chain Gull New Zealand, the largest independent operator of its kind locally, for NZD 552m (USD 327m).
Omnivore exits India agtech player Eruvaka
Indian agriculture technology specialist Omnivore Partners claims to have achieved the country’s largest exit in the sector to date with the sale of aquaculture start-up Eruvaka to Dutch strategic Nutreco.
Deal focus: China start-up mines 3D printing’s micro potential
Supported by a string of Chinese investors, Boston Micro Fabrication has carved a niche serving global manufacturers that want 3D printing solutions for very small components
Skip Capital, Stonepeak pursue Australia's Genex Power
Australia-listed renewable energy producer Genex Power has rejected an initial AUD 320m (USD 225m) buyout offer from Skip Capital and Stonepeak Partners, but it is open to further advances.
Centurium leads $200m round for China textile tech specialist
Centurium Capital has led a USD 200m investment in NTX, a Shanghai-based textile technology start-up that aims to serve as an eco-friendly supply chain partner to fashion and apparel brands.
Potentia agrees $623m exit from Australia's Micromine
Australia’s Potentia Capital has agreed to exit its position in local mining software provider Micromine to UK-based industrial software player AspenTech in a deal worth AUD 900m (USD 623m).
Third close brings Circulate's cleantech fund to $53m
Circulate Capital, a Singapore-based environmental technology impact investor, has reached a third close on its second fund with USD 53m in commitments to date.
Apax buys Australia automotive auctions platform
Apax Partners has acquired a majority position in Australian vehicles and industrial equipment marketplace Pickles Auctions.
Shenzhen Capital leads Series C for miniature 3D printing player
Shenzhen Capital Group has led a USD 43m Series C round for China and US-based Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF), which specialises in microscale 3D printing systems.
PAG buys majority stake in China solvents business
PAG has agreed to pay HKD 2.68bn (USD 340m) for a 51% interest in a solvents business under Hong Kong-listed petrochemical products manufacturer Yip’s Chemical.
Deal focus: Hahn & Co takes GP-led secondaries to new high
Hahn & Company has closed a USD 1.5bn single-asset continuation fund for Korea's Ssangyong C&E, giving it more time to complete the company's transition from cement maker to broader environmental services player
Matrix leads Series B for China's SpeedBot Robotics
Matrix Partners has led a CNY 300m (USD 44m) Series B round for SpeedBot Robotics, a China-based start-up specialising in vision-guided intelligent robotics.
China's Jaka Robotics raises $150m Series D
Prosperity7 Ventures, a USD 1bn venture capital fund established by Saudi Arabia state oil giant Saudi Aramco, has continued its run of robotics investments in Asia by joining a USD 150m Series D for China’s Jaka Robotics.
Deal focus: SJL fills Korea’s cross-regional gap
Steve Lim launched SJL Partners to help Korean corporates pursue M&A in the US and Europe, having seen global GPs pass on such opportunities. Meridian Bioscience is the latest addition to the portfolio
Deal focus: Dayone champions lithium-ion alternative
In throwing its support behind Enpower Greentech, Dayone Capital hopes the Chinese company can turn solid-state batteries into a commercially viable reality for electric vehicles
Deal focus: GPs go big on China biosynthesis
Advances in synthetic biology and China’s carbon-neutral ambitions have prompted investors to re-examine bio-manufacturing plays. Mojia Biotech is among the beneficiaries
Navis exits Hong Kong's Texon to global strategic
Navis Capital Partners has exited its entire controlling position in Hong Kong footwear components supplier Texon to UK-listed Coats Group for an enterprise value of USD 237m.
Deal focus: Carlyle targets consumerism in ceramics
The Carlyle Group, like many investors, sees premiumisation as a natural outcome of the expansion of India’s middle class. It could be the first to test this thesis in the local building materials industry
Carlyle makes growth investment in India's Varmora Granito
The Carlyle Group has acquired a significant minority stake in Varmora Granito, an India-based manufacturer of tiles, bathware, and sanitaryware products, for an undisclosed sum.