Technology
Indian fintech player Groww raises $21m
Groww, an Indian financial technology provider focused on mutual fund investment services, has raised a $21.4 million Series B round led by US-based Ribbit Capital.
Korea fintech player Tera Funding gets $18m
Korean financial technology provider Tera Funding has secured an $18 million Series B round from a group including SBI Investment Korea and KB Investment.
Deal focus: China’s CRCI targets industrial upgrades
In teaming up with China-based Estun Automation to acquire a European industrial technology asset, China Renaissance Capital Investment is pursuing a different kind of growth capital deal
China healthcare AI: A learning process
Most healthcare-focused artificial intelligence start-ups in China focus on image-based diagnosis assistance, but deep learning-based drug discovery might be the key application
Lightspeed, Tiger lead $67m Series B for India's OkCredit
Lightspeed Venture Partners and Tiger Global Management have led a $67 million Series B round for Indian financial technology player OkCredit.
CDH joins Series D for Chinese AI truck player
CDH Investments has participated in the $120 million second tranche of a Series D round for TuSimple, a China and US-based developer of autonomous driving technology for trucks.
YBF Ventures, Honeywell launch real estate tech accelerator
Australia’s YBF Ventures and US conglomerate Honeywell have teamed up to launch a Sydney-based technology start-up accelerator for the real estate sector.
Australia's Quadrant buys control of online beauty retailer
Quadrant Private Equity has completed the fourth investment in six months from its newly established growth fund, with the purchase of a majority interest in Australian online beauty retailer Adore Beauty.
Baidu Ventures joins Series B for China retail AI player
Baidu Ventures has joined a Series B round of undisclosed size for SandStar, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) developer focused on the retail sector. It brings total investment to date to $25 million.
Vertex raises $275m for China venture fund
Vertex China, a venture capital firm affiliated to Temasek Holdings-owned Vertex Holdings, has closed its fourth fund on target at $275 million.
Qiming leads $37m round for Hong Kong biotech player
Qiming Venture Partners has led a $37 million Series B round for Insilico Medicine, a Hong Kong-based drug development company that uses artificial intelligence (AI).
Tencent, Sequoia lead $100m Series C for China’s Smart Fabric
Smart Fabric, a start-up that seeks to digitize China’s textile industry, has received a $100 million Series C round jointly led by Tencent Holdings and Sequoia Capital China.
Deal focus: Jingling seeks to stand out from the crowd
China’s Jingling contemplates an expansion of its social e-commerce strategy after securing a $100 million Series C round and de-risking its business model
Hong Kong's WHub launches crowdfunding platform
WHub, a Hong Kong-based start-up services provider and accelerator, has launched the territory’s first licensed equity crowdfunding platform for technology entrepreneurs.
PAG commits $300m to China's LexinFintech
PAG has agreed to invest $300 million in LexinFintech, a US-listed financial technology platform provider based in China.
China’s Sky9 raises $440m for early-stage, growth funds
Sky9 Capital, a VC firm established by former Lightspeed China executive Ron Cao, has closed its second venture fund at $321 million and also raised $119 million for a growth vehicle.
CPPIB confirms $115m investment in India's Delhivery
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has confirmed it has invested $115 million in Indian e-commerce logistics services provider Delhivery.
Temasek, Kuehne + Nagel launch early-stage logistics fund
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has launched a $50 million fund focused on early-stage logistics technology start-ups alongside Switzerland supply chain industry giant Kuehne + Nagel.
Boyu leads $300m round for Chinese apartment rental player
Boyu Capital has led a $300 million Series A round of funding in Cjia.com, a serviced apartment brand created by Huazhu Hotels Group and IDG Capital.
AI risk: Watching the watchers
Facial recognition specialist Megvii is leading the integration of artificial intelligence into daily life in China. As business details come to light, investor concerns around this process are crystalizing
Legend leads round for Chinese community group buying business
Legend Capital has led a $100 million investment in Tongcheng Life, a social e-commerce business incubated by Hong Kong-listed online travel agency Tongcheng-Elong.
Tencent invests $120m in Chinese CRM provider
Tencent Holdings has committed $120m in Series E funding to Xiaoshouyi, a Chinese customer relationship management (CRM) software provider that has several VC backers.
Profile: CCV's Wei Zhou
Wei Zhou, founder of China Creation Ventures, turned a mid-career pitstop and a fateful encounter in the US into a bridge between his early work as a technologist and his ultimate calling as an investor
China social e-commerce: Saturated society
The success of Pinduoduo drew dozens of companies – start-ups and established retailers – into China’s social e-commerce space. Investors are now looking for new twists on the model, or just looking elsewhere
