Sectors
Paytm founder backs $29m debut fund from India's Roots
Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the founder of Indian online payments platform Paytm, has joined the INR2 billion ($29 million) debut fund of Indian venture capital firm Roots Ventures as an anchor investor.
Indonesia’s KoinWorks raises $12m Series B
Indonesian P2P lending platform KoinWorks has raised S$16.5 million ($12 million) in Series B funding led by EV Growth and Quona Capital.
India's Unacademy secures $50m Series D
Indian education platform operator Unacademy has closed a $50 million Series D round from a group of investors including Sequoia Capital India.
Deal focus: KKR drives KCF ahead of schedule
KKR generates a healthy exit for its third pan-Asian fund by helping Korean copper components supplier KCF Technologies build up exposure to a booming electric vehicle market
VIG to make full exit from Korea's Samyang Optics
VIG has agreed to make a full exit from Korean camera lens manufacturer Samyang Optics – having taken the business public in 2017 – and will realize a 3.5x gross return on its investment.
Singapore's PE-backed Home Control files for HK IPO
Home Control International, a Singapore-based manufacturer of remote controls for television and smart devices owned by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA), has filed for an IPO in Hong Kong.
Deal focus: Weimai seeks healthcare monetization
Weimai plans to leverage a fresh $100 million funding round to bring new technologies to Chinese hospitals. This will include a growing focus on services outside the public health system
Bain agrees Japan human resources carve-out
Bain Capital Private Equity has agreed to acquire 100% of the human resources (HR) business and related subsidiaries of Japan corporate software developer Works Applications for an undisclosed sum.
Singapore's PE-backed Trax secures US retail tech bolt-on
Trax, a Singapore-based developer of retail computer vision and analytics solutions with several private equity backers, has acquired US-based shopping rewards app developer Shopkick for an undisclosed amount.
Chinese online art education business raises $40m
Chinese art education platform Yiqi Technology Group has raised $40 million in the first tranche of a Series C round led by Tencent Holdings. It is said to be the largest-ever funding round for a start-up in this space.
JD Logistics hits first close on China industry fund
JD Logistics, the delivery unit of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, has reached a first close on a renminbi-denominated fund that invests in smart logistics and related technologies. The full target for the vehicle is RMB1.5 billion ($218 million).
IIFL acquires Indian eyecare chain
IIFL Asset Management (IIFL AMC) has acquired a majority stake in Infigo Life Sciences, operator of a chain of eyecare centers in India.
MSPEA-backed AMTD subsidiary to list in US
AMTD International, the investment banking, asset management, and strategic investment division of Hong Kong-based financial advisor AMTD Group, has filed for an IPO in the US. Both companies are backed by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA).
Korea’s Stonebridge invests in Indonesia's CoHive
Korea’s Stonebridge Ventures has led a $13.5 million investment in CoHive, an Indonesian co-working space operator previously known as EV Hive that spun out from East Ventures.
CITIC Capital invests $20m in New Zealand travel business
CITIC Capital has invested NZ$30 million ($20 million) in Tourism Holdings, a New Zealand-listed travel services company that specializes in recreational vehicle rentals.
Unison buys Japanese hair treatment specialist
Unison Capital has acquired Pyuru, a Japanese producer of hair care and cosmetics products best known for a naturally-derived treatment for graying hair.
China GPs join Singapore's Novena for $150m healthcare fund
China-based GPs Sinopharm Capital and Cedarlake Capital have announced a $20 million investment in Singapore-based healthcare platform Novena Global Lifecare, along with a strategic partnership for a $150 million fund that will support Southeast Asian...
Affirma leads pre-IPO round for China's Dianrong
Affirma Capital – formed through a spin-out of Standard Chartered’s private equity business – has led a pre-IPO round of undisclosed size for Chinese P2P lending services provider Dianrong.
India's VC-backed Druva raises $130m
Druva, a provider of cloud data protection and management services founded in India, has raised a $130 million investment led by Viking Global Investors.
Peepul sells Indian UPS maker to Fuji
Peepul Capital has agreed to sell its entire stake in Consul Neowatt Power Solutions (CNPS), a maker of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) based in India, to Japan's Fuji Electric.
IDG leads $100m round for China healthcare platform Weimai
IDG Capital has led a $100 million funding round for Weimai, a Chinese healthcare-focused big data platform that helps hospitals and clinics in lower-tier cities automate everything from appointment registration to medical records management.
Trade war to trigger manufacturing revolution - M&A Forum
China-US trade tensions will drive a second wave in the One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR) as Chinese companies relocate lower-end manufacturing to new markets, according to Victor Fung, group chairman of Fung Group, a Hong Kong multinational with interests...
Profile: Ernest Higa
From lumber to fast food, Ernest Higa has found a market for US concepts in Japan. The entrepreneur – and oftentimes private equity collaborator – believes careful customization is the key to success
China's Haoqipei gets $60m Series D
Haoqipei, the operator of a B2B auto parts trading platform in China, has closed a $60 million Series D round led by Access Technology Ventures, with plans for a domestic expansion.