Media
India's Kuku FM gets $24m Series C
Indian audio content platform Kuku FM has raised USD 24m in Series C funding led by local growth-stage investor The Fundamentum Partnership and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Singapore metaverse player raises $13m seed round
Singapore-based ZTX, which claims to be Asia’s largest metaverse platform, has raised a USD 13m seed round led by US web3 investor Jump Crypto.
Japan's Mixi launches $50m India VC fund
Japanese social media company Mixi has set up a USD 50m corporate venture capital fund targeting Indian start-ups.
India skills training player Disprz raises $30m Series C
Indian enterprise learning and upskilling start-up Disprz has raised a USD 30m Series C round featuring US-based Lumos Capital, a specialist in the education and workforce segments.
RTP leads $17m round for India internet provider
RTP Global has led a USD 17m round for India’s Wiom, a home internet provider for middle and lower-middle-income customers.
US sports, media-focused GP backs Australia's PMY Group
Bluestone Equity Partners, a US private equity firm specialising in sports and media, has made an investment of undisclosed size in Australia’s PMY Group, an IT provider for stadiums and arenas.
Asia-based football investment platform backs England's Charlton Athletic
ACA Football Partners (ACAFP), an investment platform established by professionals from Singapore-based ACA Investments, is part of a consortium that has acquired English football club Charlton Athletic.
Deal focus: Evermos extends impact to social commerce
Indonesia’s Evermos has more than doubled its total funding as investors see promise in a social commerce model that prioritises cottage industries and underemployed women
Praxis invests $170m in Korea's Beyond Music
Korean private equity firm Praxis Capital has led a USD 170m investment in local music rights investment and management company Beyond Music.
Indonesia e-commerce player Evermos gets $39m Series C
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has led a USD 39m Series C round for Evermos, an Indonesian social commerce platform that positions itself as an impact play.
Singapore's BandLab raises $25m
Singapore-based social music creation platform BandLab has raised USD 25m from Cercano Management, formerly Vulcan Capital, a vehicle established by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
Australia cybersecurity start-up raises $20m
Australian cybersecurity start-up Fivecast has closed a USD 20m Series A round led by Ten Eleven Ventures, a US-based specialist in cybersecurity.
Deal focus: Hong Kong’s Gryfyn issues web3 passport
Gryfyn, the latest project from Hong Kong’s Animoca Brands, has attracted several VC investors, most of which are not existing backers of its parent. The mission is simple: expand the metaverse
D Capital agrees Japan digital marketing carve-out
Japanese mid-market private equity firm D Capital has agreed to buy the local operations of Catalina, a US-headquartered digital marketing company undergoing its second restructuring in four years.
Polaris picks up Japan advertising, recruitment assets
Polaris Capital Group has acquired Sendenkaigi, which claims to be Japan’s leading publisher of marketing and communications-related content, as well as its recruitment-focused subsidiary.
Deal focus: K-wave media savvy explores new markets
Korean audience interaction technology provider Bemyfriends hopes a sizeable Series A round led by Cleveland Avenue, a lifestyle-focused VC firm in the US, will jumpstart a global expansion
Korea audience engagement platform Bemyfriends gets $29m
Korea’s Bemyfriends, an audience engagement platform for brands and creators, has raised USD 29m in Series A funding, with the latest tranche provided by US-based VC firm Cleveland Avenue.
Deal focus: Digital marketing piggybacks e-commerce boom
Malaysian digital marketing specialist Involve Asia is making hay as regional e-commerce shows no signs of slowing. Fresh VC support will guide inorganic expansion amidst erratically trendy user behaviour
US investor secures control option for Melbourne football club
Shareholders in Australian football club Melbourne Victory have approved a proposal that allows US-based investor 777 Partners to take a majority stake.
Japan's JGIA targets Wow World take-private
Japan Growth Investments Alliance (JGIA) has won board approval from Tokyo-listed Wow World Group for a take-private that values the business communications technology provider at JPY 6bn (USD 46.4m).
IMM commits $121m to Korea cloud business
IMM Investment is providing KRW 150bn (USD 121m) in Series A funding for Korean cloud computing business NHN Cloud at a valuation of KRW 1trn.
Bain targets $236m buyout of Japan's Impact HD
A Bain Capital-backed take-private of Japanese one-stop field marketing services provider Impact HD, which values the company at approximately JPY 30.7bn (USD 236.3m), has won board support.
GIC, PIF invest $924m in Korea's Kakao Entertainment
Singapore’s GIC and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) have agreed to invest a combined KRW 1.15trn (USD 924m) in Korean internet giant Kakao’s entertainment division.
PAG invests $500m in China's iQiyi
PAG has invested USD 500m in China-based online video streaming platform iQiyi through a private placement of senior convertible notes.