Media
Ant Financial leads round for China VC news platform 36kr
36Kr.com, a Chinese news portal that covers venture capital and technology start-ups, has raised a Series D round of funding led by Ant Financial, an online finance affiliate of Alibaba Group.
Monk's Hill commits $5m to Hong Kong-based Playlab
Hong Kong-based mobile game studio Playlab has raised $5 million in Series B funding from Monk's Hill Ventures.
CMC Capital Partners to raise $1b China media fund
China’s CMC Capital Partners, a private equity firm set up by Ruigang Li, formerly president of Shanghai Media Group (SMG), is looking to raise $1 billion for a media-focused fund.
Media-for-equity: Outside the box
Media-for-equity investing has become a well-established niche market in Europe. To take hold in Asia, the model requires the right investors and the right customers
Gaja Capital invests $10m in India's SportzVillage
Gaja Capital has committed INR650 million ($10 million) to Indian fitness education start-up Junior Sports and Services, which manages the SportzVillage brand.
PE-backed IMAX China raises $248m in Hong Kong IPO
Private equity-backed movie theater operator IMAX China has raised HK$1.92 billion ($248 million) in its Hong Kong IPO after pricing shares towards the bottom end of the indicative range.
Apollo completes exit from India's Dish TV
Apollo Global Management has fully exited India-based direct-to-home TV service provider Dish TV, selling its remaining 3.58% stake for INR3.99 billion.
Comcast to buy majority stake in PE-owned Universal Studios Japan
Comcast Corp. has agreed to pay JPY183 billion ($1.5 billion) for a 51% stake in Universal Studios Japan (USJ), a theme park operator controlled by MBK Partners, Goldman Sachs, PAG, and US hedge fund Owl Creek Asset Management.
Standard Chartered PE ups stake in India's Prime Focus
Standard Chartered Private Equity has paid INR1.5 billion ($22.9 million) for a 9.74% stake in India's Prime Focus, a publicly listed company that provides creative and technical services to the visual entertainment industry. The purchase raises its stake...
PE firms set for part-exits as IMAX China targets $276m HK IPO
FountainVest Partners and CMC Capital Partners plan to make partial exits from IMAX China as the movie theater operator looks to raise as much as $276 million in a Hong Kong IPO.
CMC in $65m round for US VR tech developer Jaunt
Jaunt, a US-based start-up that develops virtual reality (VR) technology, has received a $65 million Series C round of funding led by Walt Disney, media-focused PE firm China Media Capital (CMC), TPG Growth, Evolution Media Partners and Participant Media.
CMC, Warner Bros agree Chinese language movie JV
Media-focused private equity firm China Media Capital (CMC) and Warner Brothers Entertainment will form a joint venture to produce Chinese language films.
Alibaba, Yunfeng, Sina launch sports business
Alibaba Group has set up sports unit alongside Chinese internet company Sina Corporation and Yunfeng Capital, a PE firm backed by Alibaba founder Jack Ma.
Warburg Pincus leads round for India's Capillary Technologies
Warburg Pincus has led a $45 million Series C round of funding for Capillary Technologies, an Indian cloud-based software provider that focuses on customer relationship management (CRM) solutions.
Wanda Cinemas buys stake in VC-backed online ticketing site
China’s largest cinema operator Wanda Cinemas has acquired a 20% stake in Mtime Holdings, a Chinese online movie ticketing platform backed by several VC investors.
PE-backed Focus Media finds new shell for backdoor listing
Private equity-backed Focus Media has found a new shell company – Shenzhen-listed communications equipment manufacturer Hedy Holdings – for its backdoor listing.
VC-backed Komli to sell India business to SVG
VC-backed digital media firm Komli Media has agreed to merge its India business with that of industry peer SVG Media. This follows the sale of Komli’s Southeast Asia unit to Malaysia-based Axiata Group.
Times Internet backs Coursera, supports India expansion
Times Internet, an Indian internet and mobile service provider that has backed several local start-ups, has joined a $49.5 million first close of a Series C round for US-based online education provider Coursera.
Kalaari leads funding round for YourStory
Indian tech business news website YourStory has raised a Series A round led by Kalaari Capital, with participation from Qualcomm Ventures, Ratan Tata and T.V. Mohandas Pai.
Alibaba, Tencent in $313m round for CMC’s smart TV start-up
Whaley Technology, a smart TV maker founded by Chinese media mogul Ruigang Li, has raised RMB2 billion ($313 million) in funding from Li’s media-focused fund CMC Capital Partners, Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings.
Guangdong Alpha buys VC-backed China comics site U17
Guangdong Alpha Animation and Culture, a Chinese animation and entertainment firm, has agreed to acquire online comics platform U17.com for RMB904 million ($141 million), paving an exit for several VC backers including Northern Light Venture Capital (NLVC).
Chinese investors acquire Japan’s SNK Playmore for $63.5m
Shenzhen-listed gaming firm Wuhu Shunrong Sanqi Interactive Entertainment and brokerage Orient Securities have acquired Japanese video game publisher SNK Playmore for $63.5 million.
Deal focus: CNS promises PE watershed in Taiwan
Most PE investors have secured profitable exits from Taiwan’s cable television industry. Now MBK Partners has joined the club, although like some of the others, the path to liquidity has not been smooth.
VC-backed mobile ad platform OptAim acquired by iClick
Online digital marketing platform iClick has acquired mobile advertising solutions provider OptAim, which is backed by Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI).