Media
NSSK sells Japanese manga publisher
NSSK has sold Bunkasha Publishing, a Japanese media group focused on manga comics in both print and digital formats, to local internet content provider Beaglee.
Asia-focused events platform Airmeet raises $12m
Sequoia Capital India has led a $12 million Series A round for US-based and Asia-focused virtual events platform provider Airmeet.
Cool Japan leads $40m Series C for Taiwan’s Vpon
Cool Japan Fund has led a $40 million Series C round for Vpon, a Taiwan-based big data and advertising services provider.
Korean wave: Killer content
From Oscar-winning films to record-breaking pop bands, Korean content has started to replicate its success in Asia in the West. Venture capital investors are looking for ways to ride the K-wave
India’s Lumikai launches gaming VC fund
Lumikai, an Indian venture capital firm, has launched a fund targeting local gaming and interactive entertainment start-ups. The size of the fund was not disclosed.
Trio of Indian short video apps raises funding
Indian short video apps Chingari, Mitron and Trell have all received venture capital backing as they look to slowly fill a void left by the suspension of ByteDance-owned TikTok’s operations in the country.
Tencent plots merger of China live-streaming platforms
Tencent Holdings has proposed a merger of Douyu and Huya – China’s two largest game-centric live-streaming platforms. Both NASDAQ-listed companies have a number of VC investors.
ByteDance acquires Chinese medical platform for $72m
ByteDance, the PE-backed owner of TikTok and the Toutiao news aggregation service, has acquired VC-backed Chinese medical information platform Baikemy for RMB500 million ($72 million).
India cosmetics brand MyGlamm acquires content platform
MyGlamm, an online Indian cosmetics brand, has agreed to acquire POPxo, a women-focused content platform, for an undisclosed sum. Both companies have several VC backers.
Korea, US-based serialized fiction app gets $63m
SoftBank Ventures Asia and Kakao have led a $63.2 million Series A round for Radish, a Korea and US-based producer and broadcaster of serialized fiction for mobile devices.
Singapore marketing SaaS player raises $32m
US-based technology investor Riverwood Capital has led a $32 million Series C round for Insider, a Singapore software start-up that helps companies develop better targeted marketing campaigns.
Korea e-sports player DRX secures $22.5m
Korean e-sports organization DRX has raised $10 million from a group of local investors. It coincides with a separate $12.5 million commitment from e-sports specialist ATU Partners.
Tencent buys Malaysia streaming platform Iflix
Tencent Holdings has agreed to acquire the assets of Malaysia-headquartered streaming platform Iflix, which was previously backed by a number of private equity and strategic players.
Australia's Canva raises $60m at $6b valuation
Canva, an Australian graphic design platform, has raised $60 million in VC funding, almost doubling its valuation to $6 billion. It attributed the growth to a shift online amid COVID-19.
Deal focus: Indonesia’s GoPlay changes the channel
Golden Gate Ventures is backing GoPlay, a media streaming spin-out from Indonesia's GoJek, to tap an underserved Southeast Asian audience with local recreations of popular international TV shows
Japan’s Daiwa backs Vietnam cinema operator
Japan’s Daiwa Securities Group has invested $8 million in Vietnam cinema chain operator Beta Media via its private equity unit.
Mercury buys Bauer Media’s Australia, New Zealand assets
Sydney-based private equity firm Mercury Capital has agreed to acquire the Australia and New Zealand assets of Germany’s Bauer Media, including an extensive magazine portfolio.
Singapore's One Championship raises $70m
One Championship, a Singapore-based mixed martial arts (MMA) organization backed by Sequoia Capital India, has raised $70 million in funding.
Golden Gate leads funding round for Gojek streaming service
GoPlay, the streaming service of Indonesian ride-hailing and online-to-offline (O2O) services platform Gojek, has raised funding led by Golden Gate Ventures.
Jio Platforms: Elephant in the room
India’s Jio Platforms has received substantial private equity backing as it looks to build a digital platform that is all things to all people, from cable to retail. Will it succeed?
Vertex leads $26.5m Series D for Taiwan’s M17
Vertex Ventures, the VC arm of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, has led a $26.5 million Series D round for Taiwan-based media streaming company M17 Entertainment.
Vista Equity to invest $1.5b in Reliance's India app platform
US-based Vista Equity Partners has agreed to invest INR113.67 billion ($1.5 billion) for a stake in Jio Platforms, a holding company for Indian internet and telecom assets, including Reliance Jio Telecom.
VC-backed Chinese AR start-up raises $26m in US IPO
WiMi Hologram Cloud, a PE-backed Chinese augmented reality (AR) technology developer, traded flat on its opening day on NASDAQ following a $26.1 million IPO.
China's Wanda exits Ironman to strategic, PE buyers
Wanda Sports Group, the sports, media and marketing subsidiary of Chinese real estate conglomerate Wanda Group, has sold the Ironman brand to two US-based investors for an enterprise valuation of $730 million.