Sectors
Deal focus: Chatbots position for cross-border expansion
Cathay Innovation, an affiliate of Cathay Capital, sees voice recognition services as a key area of B2B growth. Singapore’s AI Rudder is hoped to prove this idea on a global scale
Flexibility first: Investing in the future of work
Investment in work-tech has soared as start-ups devise solutions for workforces that are increasingly distributed in terms of location, structure, and practice. Data, and knowing what to do with it, is key
China 3D content platform Xverse raises $120m
Xverse, a Shenzhen-based 3D user-generated content platform has raised USD 120m across a Series A and a Series A extension, led by GL Ventures and Sequoia Capital China, respectively.
Korean metaverse player closes Series A, hits $807m valuation
VA Corporation, a Korean virtual content provider that is positioning itself as a metaverse platform, has achieved a valuation of KRW 1trn (USD 807m) on closing a KRW 100bn Series A round.
Tiger Global leads Series A for New Zealand's ArchiPro
Tiger Global Management has led a NZD 35m (USD 24m) Series A round for New Zealand’s ArchiPro, a platform that connects homeowners with interior design and construction professionals.
J-Star exits Japan nursing care provider
J-Star has exited dementia-focused nursing care provider Platia to Bain Capital-owned counterpart Nichii Gakkan for an undisclosed sum.
India's Byju's raises $800m at $22b valuation
Indian education platform Byju’s has raised USD 800m at an estimated valuation of USD 22bn, with the company’s founder Byju Raveendran providing USD 400m.
Source Code leads Series B for China's Fair Robotics
Fair Robotics, a China-based collaborative robot developer, has raised a USD 50m Series B round led by Source Code Capital.
Singapore financial crime AI start-up gets $40m
Singapore’s Silent Eight, a compliance and financial crime risk investigation platform, has raised a USD 40m Series B round led by US-based TYH Ventures.
Farallon calls on Toshiba to reconsider PE buyout
Farallon Capital Management, a minority shareholder in Toshiba Corporation, has called on the company to reconsider bringing in a private equity investor amid mounting opposition to a two-way spinoff.
BPEA generates $333m through Coforge partial exit
Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA) has made another partial exit from Indian IT solutions business Coforge, generating INR 25.6bn (USD 333.5m) in proceeds and reducing its position in the company below 50%.
China's Cloudview reaches $316m first close on renminbi fund
Cloudview Capital, a Chinese GP that previously operated as a joint venture with ICBC International, has completed a first close on its second renminbi-denominated Fund with CNY 2bn (USD 316m) in commitments.
China smart text processing start-up raises $92m
Data Grand, a China-based specialist in text recognition and processing robotics, has raised CNY 580m （USD 92m）in Series C round featuring China Merchants Securities, CITIC Securities, GF Securities, and China Securities.
India fintech player Money View gets $75m Series D
Money View, an India-based financial technology start-up involved in lending, card issuance, and buy now, pay later products (BNPL), has raised US 75m in Series D funding at a valuation of USD 625m.
Nepal's Dolma hits second close on Fund II
Nepal’s Dolma Fund Management has reached a second close of USD 50m on its second impact fund with the addition of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) as an LP.
Warburg Pincus buys majority stake in India's Imperial Auto
Warburg Pincus has acquired Imperial Auto Industries, one of India’s oldest automotive parts manufacturers, for an undisclosed sum.
East leads $20m round for Singapore's Mighty Jaxx
Singapore-based toy figurine manufacturer Mighty Jaxx has raised USD 20m in an extended Series A led by East Ventures. Crypto specialist Mirana Ventures also participated.
Singapore’s Cake DeFi launches $100m corporate VC arm
Singapore-based decentralised finance platform Cake DeFi has earmarked USD 100m for a venture capital program that will target web3, gaming, and financial technology start-ups globally.
KKR-backed massage chair business files for Hong Kong IPO
V3 Brands Asia, a KKR-backed holding entity for OSIM, which claims to be Asia’s number one brand in the premium massage chairs market, has filed for an IPO in Hong Kong.
Tiger Global, Coatue lead Series B for Singapore's AI Rudder
Tiger Global Management and Coatue Management have led a USD 50m Series B round for Singapore-based voice artificial intelligence start-up AI Rudder.
China's Pony.ai hits $8.5b valuation with Series D
Chinese autonomous driving technology supplier Pony.ai has closed the first tranche of a Series D round at a valuation of USD 8.5bn. This represents a 65% increase from the Series C.
Warburg Pincus buys control of Indonesian insurer
Warburg Pincus has acquired stakes in two Indonesian insurance businesses from Spain-headquartered multinational insurance company Mapfre for EUR 56.6m (USD 62.9m).
Dymon pursues take-private of Singapore healthcare business
Dymon Asia Private Equity has made a take-private offer for Singapore-listed healthcare services provider Singapore O&G that values the company at approximately SGD 141m (USD 103.3m).
AVCJ Awards 2021: Deal of the Year – Mid Cap: Danggeun Market
A social, hyperlocal overlay has made Korea’s Danggeun Market a subversively complex e-commerce play. As the company scales and experiments, it reflects new confidence in its home market