Technology
Deal focus: Reworld turns gamers into creators
China's Reworld has a technology that lowers barriers to entry in online game design, allowing anyone to become a creator. Joy Capital is backing the company to take user-generated content to another level
Singapore's Antler launches India operation, targets $50m fund
Singapore-based start-up incubator Antler will launch operations in India later in the year and plans to raise upto $50 million to invest in start-ups in the country.
Sequoia, Hana lead Series A for micromobility start-up
Beam, a Singapore-headquartered ride-sharing platform for e-scooters, has raised $26 million in a Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital India and Hana Ventures.
Fund focus: China’s Glory wins VC backing
Glory Ventures counts several larger Chinese peers among the LPs in its latest renminbi and US dollar-denominated funds. They all want a glimpse of the firm’s deep technology pipeline
Deal focus: Wiz moves fast in Southeast Asia
Wiz.Ai has leveraged the accuracy of its talkbot to secure business from corporate customers in Southeast Asia with specific use-case needs. The company's $6 million Series A round will support further expansion
Q&A: ClearVue Partners' Harry Hui
Harry Hui, founder of ClearVue Partners, explains how this week’s investment in car wash operator 1km reveals an omni-channel approach to China able to carve through COVID-19
GGV leads round for Chinese community group buying business
Shihuituan, a China-based community group buying platform also known as Nice Tuan, has raised $81.4 million in an extended Series C round led by GGV Capital.
China's Didi raises $500m for autonomous driving unit
SoftBank Corporation’s second Vision Fund – which currently comprises balance sheet capital from its parent – has led a $500 million funding round for the autonomous driving technology business of Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing.
Japan agtech player raises $7m Series A
Japan’s Beyond Next Ventures has led a JPY800 billion ($7.4 million) Series A round for local cell-based agricultural technology specialist IntegriCulture.
China digital enterprise services provider raises $50m
Hillhouse Capital has led an extended Series A round of funding worth $50 million for Deepexi, a Chinese start-up that provides a suite of smart data services to enterprise customers.
Deal focus: Bobobox rethinks budget hotels
Bobobox's flexible solution to accommodation for frontline healthcare workers in Indonesia led to support from the Li Ka Shing Foundation and helped secure a Series A from Li's Horizons Ventures
Jio Platforms: Elephant in the room
India’s Jio Platforms has received substantial private equity backing as it looks to build a digital platform that is all things to all people, from cable to retail. Will it succeed?
Mitsubishi UFJ invests Japan vegetarian meat player
Mitsubishi UFJ Capital has joined a Series A round for Japanese plant-based meat producer Daiz that brings the company’s total funding to JPY1.2 billion ($11.2 million).
Singapore’s GoBear raises $17m
Singapore-headquartered GoBear, a financial services platform focused on Asian consumers, has raised $17 million from Netherlands-based Walvis Participaties and Aegon
Investors pump $265m into BYD semiconductor unit
BYD Semiconductor, a subsidiary of Chinese vehicle maker BYD, has raised RMB1.9 billion ($265 million) from 14 investors, including Sequoia Capital China.
Deal focus: Shiprocket joins the tribe
US-based Tribe Capital sees similar qualities in Indian logistics aggregator Shiprocket as in other software-as-a-service stalwarts
China smart logistics provider Galaxis raises $14m
Chinese logistics robot and intelligent equipment supplier Galaxis Technology has raised RMB100 million ($14 million) in Series D funding led by China Capital Investment Group.
China cybersecurity player Meichuang raises $21m
Hangzhou-based cybersecurity company Meichuang has raised a RMB150 million ($21 million) round led by CBC Capital and Sharewin Investment.
Southeast Asia talkbot secures $6m pre-A round
Singapore-based talkbot provider Wiz.Ai has raised $6 million in pre-A funding led by GGV Capital. ZWC Partners, Insignia Venture Partners, Wavemaker Partners, and Orion Fund also participated.
IFC set to back Endiya's second India fund
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) plans to invest $10 million in the second fund raised by Endiya Partners, an early-stage venture capital investor based in India.
IAG invests in Australia agtech player
Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has made an investment of undisclosed size in local start-up Digital Agriculture Services (DAS) via its VC unit Firemark Ventures.
Convergence co-founder joins MDI Ventures as CEO
Donald Wihardja, co-founder of Indonesia-focused Convergence Ventures, has become CEO of MDI Ventures, the corporate VC arm of state-controlled telecommunications giant Telkom Indonesia.
China’s Sensors Data secures $30m Series C-plus round
Chinese big data company Sensers Data has raised an extended Series C round of $30 million led by Xiang He Capital. Other investors include Morningside Venture Capital, DCM China, Warburg Pincus, Sequoia Capital China, Linear Venture, and FutureCap.
KKR to invest $1.5b in India's Jio Platforms
KKR has made its largest private equity investment in Asia to date with a commitment of INR113.6 billion ($1.5 billion) in Jio Platforms, the holding company for various internet and telecom assets owned by Indian oil-to-retail conglomerate Reliance Industries.