Sectors
Glenwood invests $514m in Hanwha's advanced materials unit
Korean carve-out specialist Glenwood Private Equity has agreed to acquire a significant minority stake in the advanced materials unit of Hanwha Solutions, a listed subsidiary of Hanwha Group, for an enterprise valuation of KRW 680bn (USD 514.2m).
KKR leads $48m Series C for Indonesia's Privy
KKR has led a USD 48m Series C round for Privy, an Indonesia-based company that specialises in technology for providing legally binding digital signatures.
Wavemaker hits first close on SE Asia climate fund
Singapore’s Wavemaker Partners has hit a first close of USD 13m on its debut impact fund, which focuses on climate themes in Southeast Asia. The target is USD 25m.
Fortress to buy Sogo & Seibu from Japan's Seven & i
Seven & i Holdings, a Japanese retail conglomerate best known as the parent company of 7-Eleven, has agreed to sell department store operator Sogo & Seibu to Fortress Investment Group.
Singapore's Speeddoc gets $28m pre-Series B round
Bertelsmann Investments, Shinhan Venture investment, Mars Growth and Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India have participated in a USD 28m pre-Series B round for Singapore virtual healthcare platform Speedoc.
Australia's Perpetual rejects improved BPEA EQT, Regal bid
BPEA EQT – formerly Baring Private Equity Asia – and Regal Partners have increased their offer for Australia-based asset manager Perpetual only for the target company’s board to reject them once again.
Japan-based microfinance player gets $47m Series E
Gojo & Company, a Japan-headquartered microfinance institution that operates across Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, India, and Tajikistan, has raised USD 47.6m in Series E funding.
Investcorp leads $66m round for India dental chain
Investcorp has led a INR 5.45bn (USD 66.7m) investment in Global Dental Services (GDS), an India-based dental clinic chain that claims to be the largest business of its type in Asia and one of the top 15 globally.
Indonesia's Blibli completes $509m IPO
Indonesian e-commerce marketplace Blibli posted a small gain on its first day of trading on the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) following a IDR 7.99trn (USD 509) IPO, the second-largest of the year in Jakarta.
Local investors pump $54m into China's Rokid
Rokid, a China-based company specialising in augmented reality (AR) technology, has raised CNY384m（USD53mn）across two tranches, largely from state-linked investors.
China AR start-up with celebrity founder raises $55m
Meituan investment unit Dragonball Capital has led a CNY 400m (USD 55m) angel round for Thin Red Line, a China-based start-up that provides operating systems for augmented reality (AR) glasses.
Carlyle pursues take-private of Japan's Totoku Electric
The board of Japan-based electric wire manufacturer Totoku Electric has endorsed a tender offer from The Carlyle Group that values the company at approximately JPY 38.2bn (USD 261m).
China to Singapore: A VC invasion
Chinese venture capital firms are establishing and expanding operations in Singapore in response to challenges at home and to address the Southeast Asian market. Do they have staying power?
China battery maker WeLion secures $207m Series D
Beijing WeLion New Energy Technology, a China-based manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, has raised CNY 1.5bn (USD 207m) in Series D funding led by Chengtong State-Owned Enterprises Mixed Ownership Reform Fund.
Quona closes third financial inclusion fund on $332m
Quona Capital, which invests under a financial inclusion strategy across emerging markets, has closed its third fund on USD 332m, beating a target of USD 250m.
Chiratae reaches $93m first close on debut India growth fund
India-based venture capital firm Chiratae Ventures has achieved a first close of INR 7.59bn (USD 93m) on its debut growth fund, announcing that it was substantially oversubscribed.
Hong Kong vs Singapore: New economy IPOs
Hong Kong and Singapore are both keen to attract listings by high-growth technology companies. Some of the targets are the same, but the strategic positioning is different
GEF Capital backs India EV components supplier Electra EV
GEF Capital Partners, a spinout from Global Environment Fund, has invested USD 25m in Electra EV, an India-based electric vehicle (EV) components manufacturer controlled by Ratan Tata.
China's Giant Biogene trades up after $70m Hong Kong IPO
Giant Biogene, a China-based producer of skin treatments that use bioactive ingredients, gained nearly 10% on debut following a HKD 549.4m (USD 70m) Hong Kong IPO.
Dayone invests $63m in China liquor brand
China’s Dayone Capital has committed CNY 600m (USD 83m) to Guizhou Zhengong Spirits, a producer of mid- to high-end sauce-flavoured liquor, in what is described as an initial funding round.
India's 8i Ventures hits first close on Fund II
8i Ventures, an India-based early-stage venture capital firm, has achieved a first close of approximately USD 25m on its second fund. The overall target is USD 50m.
Investors endorse 'long Chinese' thesis - AVCJ webinar
The shift from “long China” to “long Chinese,” which has gained traction as a soundbite as investors look to back local entrepreneurs in overseas markets, was highlighted once again during AVCJ’s China Private Markets Outlook webinar.
Singapore digital family office platform raises $90m
Arta Finance, a digital family office start-up established by Caesar Sengupta, the Singapore-based former head of Google’s Next Billion Users initiative, has raised USD 90m in Series A funding.
L Catterton hits first close on debut renminbi fund
L Catterton, a global private equity firm dedicated to consumer-focused investments, has reached a first close on its debut renminbi-denominated fund. The overall target is CNY 2bn (USD 275m).