Media
Bain launches tender offer for Japan marketing business
Bain Capital has launched a tender offer for Japan-based television and direct marketing business Tri-Stage that values the company at approximately JPY 17.2bn (USD 137.3m).
Singapore parenting app raises $22m Series D
East Ventures has led a USD 22m round for Singapore’s Parentinc, which claims that its flagship brand, theAsianparent, is Southeast Asia’s largest parenting platform.
Korea Web3 gaming platform gets $34m
Krust Universe, a start-up incubation and investment unit of Korean internet giant Kakao, has led a USD 34m round for local Web3 gaming platform Iskra.
CPPIB leads $805m round for India's VerSe
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has led a USD 805m Series J round for India’s Verse Innovation, parent of media apps Dailyhunt and Josh. It is said to value the company at USD 5bn.
India's Games24x7 raises $75m, becomes unicorn
Malabar Investment has led a USD 75m funding round for Games 24x7, an India-based mobile games operator, at a valuation of USD 2.5bn.
Riverside backs Australia events software provider
The Riverside Company has invested an undisclosed sum in EventsAIR, an Australian events management software provider for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events.
Index, Coatue lead $110m round for Australia's Linktree
Index Ventures and Coatue Management have led a USD 110m round for Linktree, an Australian social media platform that drives audience engagement, at a valuation of USD 1.3bn.
India media tech supplier Amagi secures $95m
Amagi, an India-based broadcasting industry technology provider that claims an audience of more than 2bn people, has raised a USD 95m round led by Accel Partners at a valuation of at least USD 1bn.
India gaming, e-sports player Loco raises $43m
Indian game streaming and e-sports start-up Loco has raised INR 3.3bn (USD 43.3m) in Series A funding led by Korean blockchain specialist Hashed Ventures.
Flexibility first: Investing in the future of work
Investment in work-tech has soared as start-ups devise solutions for workforces that are increasingly distributed in terms of location, structure, and practice. Data, and knowing what to do with it, is key
Korean metaverse player closes Series A, hits $807m valuation
VA Corporation, a Korean virtual content provider that is positioning itself as a metaverse platform, has achieved a valuation of KRW 1trn (USD 807m) on closing a KRW 100bn Series A round.
India's Byju's raises $800m at $22b valuation
Indian education platform Byju’s has raised USD 800m at an estimated valuation of USD 22bn, with the company’s founder Byju Raveendran providing USD 400m.
CLSA launches $500m China growth fund
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has launched a China growth fund focused on healthcare, smart manufacturing, renewable energy, tech-enabled media. The target is USD 500m.
Silver Lake wins approval for New Zealand rugby deal
Silver Lake has won approval for a NZD 200m (USD 134m) investment in the commercial arm of New Zealand rugby, reflecting a recent upswing in global private equity involvement in sport in Asia.
New Zealand's Soul Machines raises $70m
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 has led a USD 70m round for New Zealand-based Soul Machines, which specialises in creating lifelike digital employees for customer engagement.
India consumer media: Showtime
Investors navigate slim margins and a complex cultural landscape as new digital channels help Indian media rebound from COVID-19. Sector leaders are flirting with global expansion, but is it too early?
India virtual events platform gets $35m Series B
Airmeet, a US-headquartered and Asia-focused virtual events platform with extensive operations in India, has raised USD 35m in Series B funding featuring Sequoia Capital India.
Deal focus: NPX adds tech to Korea's culture thesis
NPX Capital is creating a US-based media platform to tap rising global appetite for Korean entertainment. Early acquisitions emphasise artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the metaverse
VCs invest in Japan sports analytics start-up
Global Brain has joined a JPY 770m (USD 7m) pre-Series B round for Japan’s Run.Edge, a sports video search and analytics platform.
India edtech player Scaler raises $55m
Lightrock India has led a USD 55m Series B round for Scaler Academy, an Indian education technology start-up that operates an upskilling platform focused on IT professionals.
NPX invests $43m in Korean digital content provider
The private equity arm of US and Korea-based NPX Capital has invested USD 43m in Korean digital cartoon studio Copin Communications.
Hong Kong's Animoca Brands raises $359m at $5b valuation
US-based Liberty City Ventures has led a USD 359m round for Hong Kong blockchain media company Animoca Brands at a pre-money valuation of USD 5bn, more than double its valuation in October.
Metaverse: Too concrete to ignore
As lives lived online find a virtual world to call home, investors, brands, governments, corporations, and accountants follow them in. Real estate, avatars, and new ideas are in demand. Goggles are not
Deal focus: ACA seeks Asia-Europe sporting synergies
Japan’s ACA Group has acquired a Belgium-based KMSK Deinze as part of a multi-club investment strategy that will – in part – bring Asian players into the middle tiers of European football