Sectors
Singapore food tech start-up raises $10m seed round
Singapore-based Next Gen, which markets a vegetarian chicken brand called Tindle, has raised $10 million in what is being called the largest-ever seed round in the food tech space.
Lunar buys majority stake in Hong Kong IVF business
Chinese middle-market buyout firm Lunar has agreed to acquire a women’s health and IVF business from Mason Group, a Hong Kong conglomerate with interests in financial services and healthcare, for HK$268 million ($34.5 million).
Hillhouse launches China sports retail JV with US-based Fanatics
Hillhouse Capital has established a China joint venture with Fanatics, a US-based sports retailer that specializes in licensed sports apparel.
Blackbird, King River lead Series B for Australia's Lexer
Blackbird Ventures and King River Capital have led a A$33.5 million ($26 million) Series B investment in Australian retail industry data services provider Lexer.
China EV battery maker raises $542m Series A
Svolt Energy Technology, formerly the battery business unit of Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor, has raised a RMB3.5 billion ($542 million) Series A round featuring a string of government-linked investors.
Tiger leads $100m Series C for India's Infra.Market
Tiger Global Management has led a $100 million Series C round for India’s Infra.Market, valuing the construction materials marketplace at $1 billion.
VCs flock to Chinese chip designer Moore Threads
Moore Threads, a Chinese chip designer established as recently as last October by a team from Nvidia, has closed two funding rounds amounting to several billion renminbi.
FountainVest buys China logistics business
FountainVest Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in China-based CJ Rokin Logistics from Korea’s CJ Logistics for KRW733.8 billion ($661.3 million).
Everstone exits India bakery business
Everstone Capital has exited Indian bread brand Modern Foods to a local subsidiary of Grupo Bimbo, a global strategic headquartered in Mexico, for an undisclosed sum.
Private equity & cybersecurity: Dark clouds
From fraudulent drawdown notices to ransomware, private equity firms and their portfolio companies are increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Training and vigilance are paramount
China's WuXi Diagnostics raises $150m
WuXi Diagnostics, a joint venture China diagnostics business set up by Hong Kong-listed pharmaceutical outsourcing giant WuXi AppTec and US-based Mayo Clinic has completed a $150 million Series B funding round.
LeapFrog names co-head of healthcare
Asia and Africa-focused impact investor LeapFrog Investments has recruited Biju Mohandas as a partner and global co-lead for healthcare.
China's Fresh Capital hits $93m first close on Fund II
Fresh Capital, a Shanghai-based venture capital firm, has reached a first close of RMB600 million ($93 million) on its second renminbi-denominated fund.
VC-backed Appier files for Japan IPO
Appier, a Taiwan-based advertising technology provider, has filed for a JPY26.4 billion ($250 million) Japan IPO. It sets up exits for several VC investors, including Sequoia Capital.
Fund focus: LPs endorse Ocean Link's China tourism, tech thesis
Ocean Link has raised $580 million for a second fund targeting China travel, tourism and consumer technology assets, but the firm believes co-investment could take aggregate deployment to $1.4 billion
China’s Clover Biopharmaceuticals gets $230m Series C
Chengdu-based Clover Biopharmaceuticals has raised $230 million in Series C funding led by GL Ventures and Temasek Holdings. Oceanpine Capital, OrbiMed, and Delos Capital all re-upped.
Primavera-led consortium takes control of Zhaopin
A consortium led by Primavera Capital has agreed to acquire a controlling position in Chinese recruitment website Zhaopin at an implied valuation of A$2.2 billion ($1.7 billion).
China's AnchorDx completes $40m Series C
AnchorDx, a China-based medical technology developer focused on DNA sequencing and diagnostics, has raised a $40 million Series C round led by OrbiMed and WuXi Huiying Investment.
KKR commits $723m to Korean shipping services business
KKR has made a pre-IPO investment of KRW800 billion ($723 million) in Hyundai Global Service (HGS), the aftersales marine services arm of Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings (HHIH).
Japan's Kyulux raises $34m extended Series B
Japan-based Kyulux, which develops advanced lighting technology used in digital screens, has raised JPY3.6 billion ($34.3 million) from a group of VCs and strategic investors.
MBK exits China's Apex International
MBK Partners has agreed to sell Apex International, China’s second-largest air freight forwarder, to Swiss logistics giant Kuehne + Nagel.
CPE leads $300m round for China's ANE Logistics
ANE Logistics, one of China’s top three less-than-truckload (LTL) logistics players, has raised $300 million in funding led by CPE. Greater Bay Area Fund, Hong Kong-listed NWS Holdings, Liumai Capital, and Huagai Capital also took part.
B Capital launches SPAC
B Capital Group, a US-based venture capital firm with a presence in Singapore and a significant Asia portfolio, is looking to raise $300 million for a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
Temasek backs China industrial SaaS player
Temasek Holdings has led a RMB500 million ($77 million) round for Black Lake Technologies, a China-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider for manufacturers.