Sectors
KDDI invests $1m in Japan handiwork marketplace
KDDI Open Innovation Fund, the early-stage investment vehicle backed by Japanese telecoms giant KDDI, has invested JPY100 million ($1 million) in Creema, an online consumer-to-consumer (C2C) market for handmade items.
IDG leads $20m Series B for China's Dew Mobile
IDG Capital Partners has led a $20 million Series B round of investment in DewMobile, the Chinese start-up behind file transfer app Zapya.
China menstruation-tracking app gets $30m Series C round
Ceyuan Ventures has led a $30 million Series C round of investment in Dayima.com, a Chinese menstruation cycle-tracking mobile app.
GenNext leads Series B round for India's Covacsis
GenNext Ventures - the VC arm of Reliance Industries - has led a Series B round of investment in India-based enterprise software developer Covacsis Technologies.
PE consortium to build hog farms with China's COFCO Meat
KKR, Baring Private Equity Asia, Hopu Investments and Boyu Capital will invest in COFCO Meat, a subsidiary of Chinese agricultural conglomerate COFCO Group, to develop hog farms and meat processing plants.
Morningside, Qiming invest $15m in China social networking app
Morningside Technologies and Qiming Venture Partners have committed $15 million in Series A funding to Inbilin, a Chinese voice call social networking app.
L Capital adds ex-Reliance Retail CEO to advisory board
L Capital Asia, a PE firm backed by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, has added Bijou Kurien, former CEO India's Reliance Retail, as a member of the strategic advisory board.
Quadrant makes partial exit as iSentia IPO raises $264m
Shares in Australian media monitoring company iSentia gained nearly 20% on their trading debut after a A$283.6 million ($264.6 million) IPO facilitated a partial exit by Quadrant Private Equity.
KKR buys Korean commercial property
KKR has teamed up with Hong Kong-based hedge fund LIM Advisors to acquire a commercial property in Seoul’s central business district. It is the private equity firm’s first real estate deal in South Korea.
JD Capital, co-investors back China hair accessories maker
China’s JD Capital has invested RMB$60 million ($10 million) in a Series A round of funding for Cheeris, a Guangzhou-based hair accessories maker. The investment was made both from its renminbi and US dollar-denominated vehicles.
IDG invests $20m in China file transfer app
IDG Capital Partners has committed $20 million in Series B funding to Zapya, a Chinese file transfer mobile app.
India VC Reservoir reaches first close on maiden fund
India early stage investor Reservoir Investment Managers has reached a first close on its maiden fund, Exfinity Technology Fund - Series I (ETF-I).
Singapore payment platform Fastacash secures $4m
Singapore-based payment platform Fastacash has secured a $4 million Series B round of funding from Jagdish Chanrai, principal of Kewalram Chanria Group, and Golden Oriole Investments.
INCJ to invest $8m in Japan's Microwave Chemical
The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) will invest JPY800 million ($7.8 million) in Microwave Chemical (MWC), a Osaka University start-up seeking to commercialize innovative chemical processes using microwaves.
PE-backed Ozner Water targets $158m Hong Kong IPO
Ozner Water International, a Chinese water purifier manufacturer backed by SAIF Partners, Ares Management and Goldman Sachs, wants to raise up to HK$1.23 billion ($158 million) through a Hong Kong IPO.
Sequoia commits $15m to India gaming company
Sequoia Capital has provided $15 million in Series A funding to Octro, an India-based mobile games developer.
Australia's Ironbridge set for partial exit from Monash IVF
Australian GP Ironbridge Capital is on course to exit the majority of its stake in Monash IVF through an IPO.
MSPEA-backed Tianhe targets $818m Hong Kong IPO
Tianhe Chemicals Group, a Chinese specialty chemicals maker backed by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA), is seeking to raise up to $818 million through a Hong Kong IPO.
Rival bidder emerges for Fosun, Ardian target Club Med
Investindustrial - a fund led by Italian businessman Andrea Bonomi - has made a takeover bid for for Club Méditerranée (Club Med), which is already being courted by Chinese conglomerate Fosun International and PE firm Ardian.
China's Sailing, Sanpower buy bankrupt US retailer
Sailing Capital and Chinese retail conglomerate Sanpower Group have bought Brookstone, a US luxury-gadget retailer, for more than $173 million at a bankruptcy auction.
GIC, Insight buy US software firm, Warburg Pincus exits
Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Private has joined Insight Venture Partners in its $752 million purchase of iParadigms, a US maker of anti-plagiarism software, from Warburg Pincus.
Shunwei raises $525m for second China VC fund
Shunwei Capital Partners, a Chinese VC firm set up by Lei Jun (pictured), a noted angel investor and founder of mobile phone brand Xiaomi, has closed its second fund at $525 million.
SIGVC invests in China Resources' online drug platform
Shanghai International Group Venture Capital (SIGVC) has provided a RMB300 million ($48 million) Series A round funding for J1.com, an online drug store launched by China Resources Holdings.
China VC: The virtuous circle
China’s VC market is evolving as funds started by or raised from founders of first-generation internet firms. Concerns about conflicts of interest must be addressed, but the influence of their ecosystems will grow