Technology
GGV to spin off Asia operation
GGV Capital’s Asia business will sever ties with the firm’s international operation – switching to separate partnerships and a distinct brand – as venture capital continues to feel the impact of the US and China’s conflicting technology agendas.
India's Unitus combines with US affiliate Capria
India-based impact investor Unitus Ventures has combined with its US affiliate Capria Ventures, with the unified entity to operate globally under the Capria name.
India's Kuku FM gets $24m Series C
Indian audio content platform Kuku FM has raised USD 24m in Series C funding led by local growth-stage investor The Fundamentum Partnership and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Cybersecurity: PE urged to go post-quantum
Private equity firms with masses of information, long histories, and long futures will be vulnerable to code-cracking quantum computers perceived as lurking on an inevitable near-term horizon
Fund focus: Vertex emphasizes realisations
Growth rounds for cashflow positive companies have facilitated most of Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India’s exits – and laid the ground for its recent USD 541m fundraise
Fund focus: Pi Ventures triples its deep tech firepower
While deploying its debut fund, India-based machine learning specialist Pi Ventures realised it was in fact a deep tech generalist. LPs have come along for the ride
China's Canton Biologics raises $41m Series C
Chinese pharmaceutical industry services provider Canton Biologics has completed a CNY 300m (USD 41m) Series C round led by state-owned SDIC Venture Capital.
India's Kae Capital raises $50m opportunity fund
Indian seed investor Kae Capital has confirmed closing an opportunity fund with USD 50m in commitments less than a year after closing its third flagship fund at USD 94m.
Hong Kong virtual insurer Bowtie gets $35m Series B
Hong Kong digital life insurance company Bowtie has closed a USD 34.9m Series B round led by the local unit of Sun Life Financial.
KKR buys stake in Singtel's Asia data centre business
KKR has agreed to acquire a 20% stake in Singtel’s Asia data centre business for SGD 1.1bn (USD 800m) via its infrastructure strategy.
Kedaara backs India's K12 Techno Services, Peak XV part-exits
Kedaara Capital has acquired a significant minority stake in India-based education technology business K12 Techno Services, facilitating a partial exit for Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India).
MDI merges SE Asia programmes, launches $200m fund
MDI Ventures, an investment firm supported by Telkom Indonesia, has merged two existing programmes to form Ascent Venture Group, which is looking to raise USD 200m for deployment in Southeast Asia.
Vertex raises $541m for Southeast Asia, India
Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India (VVSEAI), an early-stage investor affiliated with Temasek Holdings-owned Vertex Holdings, has closed its fifth fund with USD 541m in commitments.
Hong Kong's C Capital secures $250m for latest PE fund
C Capital, an investment firm established by Adrian Cheng, scion of Hong Kong’s New World Development, has closed its latest private equity fund with around USD 250m in commitments.
Fund focus: 500 Global scales up in Southeast Asia
By investing early and building a diversified portfolio, 500 Global emerged from the technology valuation corrections somewhat unscathed. This gave the firm impetus when raising its third Southeast Asia fund
IFM backs New Zealand energy SaaS platform Tally
IFM Investors has committed approximately NZD 50m (USD 29m) to New Zealand-based energy sector software provider Tally Group alongside existing investors SilverTree Equity and Pioneer Capital.
PE-backed Zhaogang to list via Hong Kong SPAC merger
Zhaogang, a private equity-backed Chinese B2B steel-trading platform, is on course to become the first company to list in Hong Kong through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
India-US cross-border GP Pentathlon Ventures targets $55m
Pentathlon Ventures, a US-India cross-border early-stage investor focused on B2B software-as-a-service (SaaS) has launched its second fund with a target of USD 55m.
Japanese warehouse robot start-up raises $84m
SBI Investment has led a JPY 12.3bn (USD 84m) Series C round for Japanese industrial robotics supplier Mujin, advancing expansion plans in Europe and the US.
Global Brain, Globis lead $93m round for Japan's Josys
Global Brain and Globis Capital Partners have led a USD 93m Series B round for Josys, a Japan-based IT services provider specializing in helping companies manage devices.
China's GTA Semiconductor raises $1.85b
GTA Semiconductor, a China-based semiconductor foundry specialising in chips for the automotive industry, has raised CNY 13.5bn (USD 1.85bn) in funding from unnamed investors.
GP profile: Quona Capital
Financial innovation-focused Quona Capital operates across global developing markets with a compact team and a strict returns-focused impact agenda. Asia dominates the growth narrative
500 Global raises $143m for Southeast Asia
500 Global has raised USD 100m for its third Southeast Asia-focused early-stage fund and USD 43m for a vehicle that will target growth-stage start-ups in the region.
India's Anicut hits $36m second close on VC fund
Indian early-stage investor Anicut Capital has achieved a second close of about INR 3bn on its latest fund. The target is INR 5bn with a greenshoe of INR 250m.