Sectors
Indonesia VCs, incubators form lobbying alliance
Eight Indonesian venture capital firms and incubators have come together to form a lobbying group known as the Alliance of Venture Capitals in Indonesia (AVCII). Members include CyberAgent Ventures, East Ventures, GEPI, Grupara, Ideosource, Jakarta Founders...
SMBC, IGPI invest $1.3m in Japanese game design platform
SMBC Venture Capital and Industrial Growth Partners (IGPI) have invested JPY130 million ($1.3 million) in Mugenup.com, a start-up that crowd-sources design talent to work on projects for game developers.
TPG-backed China Grand Auto plans $500m Hong Kong IPO – report
TPG Capital-backed China Grand Automotive Group reportedly plans to raise at least $500 million through a Hong Kong IPO early next year.
Nalanda Capital invests in India's Info Edge
Nalanda Capital has invested more than INR268 million ($3.9 million) in listed online classifieds company Info Edge India. The PE firm bought 1.7 million shares on the secondary market for around INR300 apiece.
Japan's Rakuten leads $23m Series B round for e-commerce app Slice
Rakuten Group - Japan's largest e-commerce firm - has led a $23 million financing round for the Silicon Valley-based start-up behind online shopping app Slice.
Morpheus Fund invests $6m in TVC Skyshop
India’s Morpheus Fund has invested INR420 million ($6.17 million) for an 8% stake in direct-to-consumer retailing platform, TVC Skyshop.
Fenox leads Tech in Asia Series B round
Fenox Venture Capital has led a Series B round of investment in digital media company Tech in Asia. Existing investors, East Ventures and Simile Venture Partners, also took part in the round. Financial details were not disclosed.
JFDI.Asia launches latest accelerator program
Joyful Frog Digital Incubator (JFDI.Asia) - a Singapore-based accelerator - has launched its latest 100-day program with an intake of 10 new start-ups. The teams were chosen through an open competition that attracted 321 applications.
PE-backed Australian fashion retailer enters administration
Bleach Group, the Australian parent of fashion brands Insight, Something Else and Ksubi, has been placed into voluntary administration. The company received growth capital investment from US-based Breakwater Investment Management in late 2012.
Simcere accepts Hony-backed take-private bid worth $490m
Chinese drug developer Simcere Pharmaceutical Group has agreed to a management buyout offer from a consortium led by its chairman and Hony Capital that values the company at approximately $490 million. Simcere is now expected to de-list from the New York...
Korea launches fund class to support overseas contractors
South Korea plans to launch specialist private equity funds as a means of encouraging financial institutions to support local firms competing for overseas construction contracts. The government hopes that $8.6 billion can be raised through these funds...
Rabo, Proparco invest $21m in India's Prabhat Dairy
Rabo Equity’s India Agribusiness Fund has invested another INR800 million ($12 million) in Prabhat Dairy, while French development finance institution Proparco has committed INR600 million to the company.
SIG Asia leads $18m round for China photo app Camera360
SIG Asia Investment (SAI), an affiliate of US financial group the Susquehanna International Group, has led a $18 million Series B round of funding for Camera360, a photo-editing mobile app. Existing backers Matrix Partners China and Gobi Partners also...
Billabong posts $777m loss, brand value drops to zero
Distressed Australian surfwear retailer Billabong International- which is currently negotiating a A$325 million ($290 million) refinancing deal with a consortium led by Altamont Capital Partners - has booked a net loss of A$860 million, while cutting...
JAFCO invests $3m in Japan online laundry service
JAFCO Ventures has invested JPY300 million ($3 million) in White Plus, the Japanese start-up behind Lenet, an online laundry delivery service.
Qiming invests in China mobile games developer Cachejoy
Qiming Venture Partners has invested in a Series B round of funding for Cachejoy, a Chinese mobile gaming developer also known as Beijing Tiangua Online Technology. The size of the round was not disclosed.
KKR, TPG drop out of ParknShop bidding – report
KKR and a consortium featuring TPG Capital consortium have reportedly been dropped from the auction of ParknShop, the Hong Kong supermarket chain owned by Hutchison Whampoa.
AMP Capital reaches first close on second infra debt fund
AMP Capital has reached a first close of more than $300 million on its latest infrastructure debt fund. The vehicle has a full target of around $1 billion, roughly twice the size of its predecessor, which closed to new investors in June of last year....
Taiwan GPs: Cross-strait strategies
Taiwanese GPs are looking for investments in the higher growth markets of mainland China. But how do they differentiate themselves from Chinese private equity firms chasing similar deals?
Tech giants and VC: When the chips are down
Taiwan has a long history as a tech manufacturing powerhouse, but with the decline of the PC times have changed. Can the wavering tech giants re-invest themselves and what can VC do to help?
Lloyds sells Australia loan portfolio to Bain credit affiliate
Bain Capital credit affiliate Sankaty Advisors has agreed to pay Lloyds Banking Group A$371 million ($335 million) for loans held by BOS International Australia. It is the latest in a series of divestments from the BOS loan portfolio after KKR and Allegro...
MBK Partners to buy ING Life Korea for $1.65b
North Asia buyout firm MBK Partners has agreed to buy ING Group’s South Korean life insurance division for approximately KRW1.84 trillion ($1.65 billion) as the Dutch insurer continued its Asia divestment plan. ING will retain a 10% stake in the business...
TPG takes 23% stake in India's Shriram City Union NBFC
TPG Capital has acquired a direct 22.65% stake in Shriram City Union Finance (SCUF) following a restructuring of the non-bank financing company’s (NBFC) holding vehicles.
TPG to invest $108.6m in China Xinyuan Real Estate
TPG Capital plans to invest $108.6 million in Xinyuan Real Estate, a US-listed Chinese property developer, by subscribing to a combination of convertible notes and common shares.