Technology
Indonesian insurtech player Qoala raises $13.5m Series A
Qoala, an insurance technology start-up in Indonesia, has raised $13.5 million in a Series A round led by Centauri Fund, a vehicle jointly run by KB Investment and MDI Ventures.
Deal focus: VCs back DataCanvas’ opensource solution
Chinese start-up DataCanvas wants to democratize artificial intelligence through a plug-and-play platform that lets companies customize algorithms. Financial institutions are the early adopters
Deal focus: SensorFlow’s coronavirus pivot
With hotel occupancy falling - and demand for its energy management solution taking a hit - SensorFlow moved quickly to make the revenue model sustainable. The company is now targeting vertical and geographic expansion
RTP Global leads round for Indian B2B agritrading platform
Bijak, an Indian business-to-business (B2B) platform for trading agricultural commodities, has raised $12 million in a Series A funding round led by RTP Global.
Q&A: Zenysis Technologies' Jonathan Stambolis
Zenysis Technologies develops artificial intelligence-enabled systems that help governments improve healthcare management. CEO Jonathan Stambolis explains how demand has increased in response to COVID-19
Deal focus: Kargo serves Indonesia’s logistics needs
Kargo Technologies, Indonesia's only pure online marketplace for the trucking industry, has responded to the coronavirus outbreak by focusing on the transportation of consumer staples
Fund focus: Coral targets Japan’s Series B gap
Having previously raised dedicated vehicles to support follow-on rounds for Japanese start-ups, Coral Capital has gone a step further with a fund dedicated to the strategy
Qiming leads round for Chinese display chip provider
Yunyinggu, a Chinese manufacturer of integrated circuits used in flat screen displays, has raised RMB200 million ($28 million) in Series C funding across two tranches.
Fund focus: Qiming’s triumph of quick thinking
Having overcome coronavirus disruption to close its seventh fund at $1.1 billion, Qiming Venture Partners is ready to go bigger on China healthcare
Deal focus: Huilianyi’s digitization drive
China Renaissance backed Huilianyi's $42 million extended Series C round with a view to capitalizing on widespread corporate adoption of electronic invoicing
Coronavirus & Australia VC: In SaaS we trust
Enterprise services start-ups with recurring revenue are well positioned, but mid-cap players could become vulnerable
Kuaishou backs Chinese online education platform Huohua Siwei
Huohua Siwei, a Chinese online education platform specializing in mathematics and science, has raised $30 million in an extended Series D round from local video-sharing giant Kuaishou.
Thailand’s InVent invests in Singaporean insurtech Igloo
InVent, a corporate venture capital firm affiliated with a Thai telecom operator, has led a $16 million funding round for Singaporean insurtech Igloo, formerly known as Axinan.
Chinese big data player DataCanvas raises $17m
Beijing ZetYun Tech, also known as DataCanvas, has raised RMB120 million ($17 million) in Series C funding across two tranches. Participants include Zhongguancun Frontier Fund, GF Qianhe, Delta Capital, and Shidake Investment.
GIC backs $1b Japan data center rollout
Singapore’s GIC Private and cloud services provider Equinix have agreed to jointly invest $1 billion in data centers in Japan.
Openspace, Gaw back Singapore's SensorFlow
Gaw Capital, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm with a real estate focus, and Openspace Ventures have co-led an $8.3 million funding round for SensorFlow, a Singaporean energy management solution provider.
Deal focus: Korean GPs seal semiconductor carve-out
Alchemist Capital Partners and Credian Partners' acquisition of MagnaChip Semiconductor’s foundry services group was the largest PE buyout in Korea during the first quarter. AVCJ and Mergermarket offer some insights
Coronavirus & Southeast Asia VC: Unpleasant surprises
Start-ups in Southeast Asia have few capital sources, so it helps that the region’s VCs are well-funded – assuming they are ready to invest
Coronavirus & North Asia VC: Diverging fortunes
Speed of response to COVID-19 has led to differing outcomes for VC investment in Korea and Japan. But structural issues are also a factor
Facebook takes 9.9% stake in Reliance's India app platform
Facebook has acquired a 9.9% stake in Jio Platforms, the holding company behind a number of apps and the parent of India's largest telecom operator.
Hong Kong's 8 Securities acquired by US player
8 Securities, a Hong Kong-headquartered app-based brokerage, has been acquired by SoFi, a financial technology company based in the US.
Coronavirus & India VC: Struggling to work
Investors don’t expect business activity in India to resume until the second half. Many start-ups will be desperate for capital before then
Coronavirus & China VC: Bifurcation point
China might be emerging from the grip of COVID-19, but many start-ups face a long battle. This is when VCs find out who the winners are
Northstar hits first close on fifth Southeast Asia fund
Northstar Group has reached a first close of approximately $260 million on its fifth Southeast Asia fund, which has an overall target of $800 million.