Sectors
VC-backed Gunosy commits $5m to Indonesia's Kurio
Gunosy, a listed Japanese news app backed by VC firms Jafco and B Dash Ventures, has committed IDR67 billion ($5 million) to Kurio, a similar company based in Indonesia.
China's HNA to invest $184m in Le Sports Series B round
Chinese conglomerate HNA Group has agreed to invest RMB1.2 billion ($184 million) in Le Sports, a unit of LeTV Holdings, as part of a Series B funding round for the company.
Tencent leads $100m round for China Douyu TV
Douyu TV, a Chinese online platform that features live videos of people playing games, has completed a $100 million round of funding led by Tencent Holdings.
Vertex leads $5m investment in Singapore's InstaRem
Singapore-based fintech start-up InstaRem has raised a $5 million Series A round led by Vertex Ventures, the VC arm of Temasek Holdings.
Deal focus: European GPs net 17x return on China play
Punch Powertrain took advantage of gaps in China's auto supply chain to become the leading independent transmission supplier. It has turned out to be a hugely successful investment for Gimv and Capricorn Venture Partners
China fintech: Transition time
Capital continues to flow into China’s internet finance industry, but competition and regulation are changing the dynamics. VC investors can do well, provided they stay ahead of the game
China unicorns: Which bubble?
Differentiated business models and strong underlying consumer demand are integral to identifying a start-up that can reach a $1 billion valuation - and retain it once the bubble bursts
AID Partners to list HMV in Hong Kong via reverse merger
AID Partners is poised to list the HMV Asia business in Hong Kong through a reverse merger, a couple of weeks after making a partial exit from the music and movie retailer to Japan’s World Innovation Lab (WiL).
Japan hiking app provider Yamap raises $1.5m
Japan-based Hiking app provider Yamap has raised JPY170 million ($1.5 million) in a Series A funding round led by mobile gaming services company Colopl.
Deal focus: Mandarin sees Chinese future for Italian machinist
When Italian machine parts manufacturer Marval came to Mandarin Capital Partners with an investment opportunity, the private equity firm had been quietly enhancing its profile on a canvass of multiple macro developments.
Profile: Trifecta's Rahul Khanna
Rahul Khanna drew on his experiences in Silicon Valley to identify and then fill a gap in India’s VC landscape. The result was Trifecta Capital, the country’s first venture debt fund
CPPIB, Kotak form $525m India distressed asset vehicle
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) will partner with Kotak Mahindra Group to invest up to $525 million in distressed assets in India.
Australia's Asciano accepts Qube-Brookfield joint $6.8b bid
Australian rail freight and cargo port operator Asciano has accepted a joint takeover offer from consortiums led by Qube Holdings and Brookfield Asset Management worth A$9 billion ($6.8 billion).
Japan design firm Goodpatch raises $3.5m
Goodpatch, a Japan-based user interface design company that focuses on digital products, has received a Series A round of funding worth JPY400 million ($3.5 million).
Carlyle buys Japanese software group WingArc1st
The Carlyle Group has agreed to take a 100% stake in Japanese enterprise output management (EOM) and business intelligence (BI) software provider WingArc1st.
China Everbright, Catalyst back 3D printing player
China Everbright and Israel-based Catalyst Private Equity have led a $25 million investment in 3D printing company XJet.
China co-working space operator raises $31m
UrWork, a co-working space for Chinese start-ups, has raised RMB200 million ($31 million) in an extended Series A round of funding.
New Horizon, Gimv agree sale of Punch Powertrain to China's Yinyi
Several PE investors, including China’s New Horizon Capital and Europe-focused Gimv, have agreed to sell Belgium-based Punch Powertrain to Chinese real estate developer Yinyi Group at a valuation of around EUR1 billion ($1.1 billion).
India cloud enterprise start-up Icertis raises $15m
Icertis, a provider of cloud-based contract management software based in India and the US, has raised a $15 million Series B round.
Hony leads $77m round for China boutique entertainment studio
Hony Capital has led a RMB500 million ($77 million) Series B round for Shanghai-based boutique entertainment studio Linmon Pictures.
CMC Holdings buys stake in US-based Imagine Entertainment
CMC Holdings, an investment platform launched by Ruigang Li, founder of media-focused PE firm CMC Capital Partners, has invested in Hollywood production house Imagine Entertainment.
Streaming media provider Iflix gets $45m for SE Asia rollout
Malaysia-based VC-backed internet television service Iflix has attracted $45 million of strategic investment from fellow Netflix rivals, including European broadcaster Sky, to expand the company’s business across Southeast Asia.
Legend, Hony back WeWork in Asia push
China’s Legend Holdings and Hony Capital have led a Series F round for an Asian expansion by WeWork, a US provider of collaborative workspaces for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Shanghai Chengtou commits to Hony's Fund VIII
Shanghai Chengtou Holding, a Shanghai-listed property developer which is also a portfolio company of Hony Capital, has committed RMB400 million ($62 million) to the GP’s latest China fund.