Sectors
Sailing, Sanpower-owned Brookstone files for bankruptcy
US specialty retailer Brookstone, which was acquired in 2014 by Sailing Capital and Chinese retail conglomerate Sanpower Group, has filed for bankruptcy again and will close its 102 retail stores located in shopping malls.
Australia's OneVentures launches $74m venture debt fund
Australia’s OneVentures has partnered with Israel-based Viola Credit to launch a A$100 million ($74 million) venture debt fund that is said to be the first vehicle of its kind in Australia.
Chinese second-hand goods trading platform raises $65m
Sequoia Capital China has led an extended Series B round worth $65 million for Xiangwushuo, a Chinese online trading platform for second-hand goods. The company, which was founded as recently as 2017, has now raised $110 million in cumulative funding.
Technology risk: Big brother
Advanced technologies experiencing rapid commercialization such as artificial intelligence will be subject to a range of social and regulatory risks. Investors must not ignore the debate on ethical deployment
Legend Capital invests in talent agency CAA's China unit
Legend Capital has taken an equity interest in the China unit of Hollywood talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), having facilitated a merger with Momentum Sports, a sports marketing and consulting business in which it is an investor.
CVC invests $255m in China toll road operator
CVC Capital Partners has agreed to invest HK$2 billion ($255 million) in RKE International Holdings, a Chinese toll road operator and subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed property development and infrastructure conglomerate Road King Infrastructure (RKI).
Actis confirms $150m exit from China diagnostics business
Actis has confirmed that it made a full exit from Chinese in vitro diagnostics (IVD) business Beijing Chemclin Biotech, also known as Kemei Biotechnology, for $150 million.
NSSK acquires Japanese hotel operator
Japanese private equity firm NSSK has acquired hospitality business Hotel Castle Inn Group for an undisclosed sum.
BlackRock buys Taiwan solar portfolio
BlackRock Real Assets has agreed to acquire a 28-project solar power portfolio in Taiwan for an undisclosed sum.
Chinese electric car maker Xpeng raises $587m
Primavera Capital Group and Morningside Ventures have led a RMB4 billion ($587 million) Series B-plus funding round for Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng Motors, working alongside the company’s chairman and CEO, Xiaopeng He.
Q&A: iCapital Network's Lawrence Calcano
Launched in 2013 and backed by a string of placement agents, iCapital Network leverages technology to give high net worth investors access to alternatives. CEO Lawrence Calcano discusses the democratization of capital raising
Automation and investment: Channeling the flow
Investors are beginning to experiment with automation in various aspects of the deal-making process. Results to date are encouraging but lack detailed cost-benefit insight
India's PE-backed Muthoot files for IPO
Indian microfinance services provider Muthoot Microfin, part of the Muthoot Pappachan Group, has filed for an IPO that will provide a partial exit for several investors, including US private equity firm Creation Investments.
India bus-hailing app Shuttl gets $11m
Amazon India has led an $11 million Series B funding round for India-based bus-hailing app operator Shuttl, with participation by several other VC investors.
SE Asia's Grab raises $2b in Toyota-led funding round
Southeast Asia-focused ride-hailing business Grab has raised $2 billion in its latest round of funding led by Japan’s Toyota Motor Corporation and involving a number of other global investors.
Australian SME lender Judo Capital raises $104m
Australian financial services start-up Judo Capital has raised A$140 million ($104 million) to provide loans to domestic small to medium-sized enterprises (SME).
China’s 51Zhaoyou gets $150m in Series C funding
Chinese B2B oil trading platform 51Zhaoyou.com has raised $150 million across two tranches of Series C funding.
PE and tech investment: The late show
Private equity firms are participating in late-stage rounds in Asia’s technology space as they look to gain a toehold in start-ups with the potential to transform economies. But do the valuations make sense?
Tech investment case study: True North and Seedworks
True North aimed to set Indian seed maker Seedworks apart from its competitors by leveraging digital technology. Two years into its investment the private equity firm is seeing its initiatives pay off
China's Kemei Biotechnology raises $294m round
Legend Capital and Huaxing Healthcare Fund – a private equity arm of financial advisor China Renaissance – have led a RMB2 billion ($294 million) investment in Beijing Kemei Biotechnology, a Chinese in vitro diagnostics business.
TPG leads $100m round for India's Five Star
TPG Capital has led a $100 million funding round for Five Star Business Finance, a non-banking finance company (NBFC) focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in south India.
Accel, Sequoia lead $100m round for US, India-based Freshworks
Freshworks, a cloud business software developer based in India and the US, has raised a $100 million funding round led by Accel Partners and Sequoia Capital.
SBI leads $15m Series A for Singapore's AntWorks
SBI Investment has led a $15 million Series A funding round for AntWorks, a Singapore-based supplier of enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) and smart automation products.
Back office technology: Clearing cobwebs
Technologies credited with completely transforming the financial sector have yet to make a dent on day-to-day operations in private equity. The status quo, however, will not last