Technology
China property marketplace trades flat after $78m IPO
Chinese online real estate marketplace Fangdd Network raised $78 million in its US IPO, having reduced the size of the offering, and traded flat on its first day on NASDAQ.
Japan's Paidy secures $143m in funding
Paidy, one of Japan’s largest financial technology start-ups, has confirmed $143 million in new funding, comprising an extended Series C round and debt financing.
Fund focus: AirTree goes full service
AirTree Ventures raised $188 million for its third fund on the back of a hiring spree that has doubled headcount and added operational capabilities as the firm looks to nurture a new generation of Australian unicorns
Fund focus: J.P. Gan bucks VC fundraising trend
Having spent 12 years at Qiming Venture Partners, J.P. Gan has raised $352 million for his debut fund at Ince Capital Partners. More early-stage consumer internet deals will follow
China car finance player targets US IPO
Meili Auto, a Chinese car financing platform, has filed for US IPO. Its backers include Gaorong Capital, China International Capital Corporation (CICC), and Lingfeng Capital.
China media platform Lizhi pursues US listing
Lizhi, a Guangzhou-based audio streaming and social networking platform backed by Matrix Partners China and Morningside Venture Capital, has filed for a US IPO.
Chinese auto parts platform Casstime raises $80m
Sequoia Capital China and Source Code Capital have co-led a $80 million funding round – described as the first tranche of a Series C – for Chinese aftermarket car parts supplier Casstime.
China's Danke raises $190m, files for US IPO
China-based long-term apartment rental platform Danke has filed for a US IPO. It comes a fortnight after the company raised $190 million in Series D funding from CMC Capital Partners and Primavera Capital Group.
Kirwood leads Series C for New Zealand fintech player
Kirwood Capital, a private equity firm that makes growth investments in Australia and New Zealand-based companies with global expansion prospects, has joined a NZ$25 million ($16 million) Series C round or digital lending platform Harmoney.
Naspers VC unit backs India's ElasticRun
Prosus Ventures, a VC unit of South African internet conglomerate Naspers, has led a $40 million investment in Indian logistics technology developer ElasticRun.
PE-backed bitcoin mining company files for US IPO
Canaan, which claims to be China’s leading manufacturer of bitcoin mining equipment has filed for a US IPO. This follows failed attempts to list in Hong Kong and complete a reverse merger in Shenzhen.
KKR plans Asia tech fund
KKR plans to raise a growth-stage technology fund focused on Asia, expanding a strategy that is already operational in North America, Europe, and Israel.
Deal focus: China's XTransfer fills missing link in fintech
XTransfer has won backing from Alibaba and a string of venture capital investors to provide a bridge to payment services that so many small businesses in China are still forced to go without
Chinese VC in Africa: Cultural barriers
Chinese investors recognize the long-term potential in fostering technology-enabled business models in Africa, but reluctance to engage local stakeholders and develop local knowledge is holding them back
India motorcycle taxi platform Rapido gets $55m Series B
Chinese early-stage investor Shunwei Capital Partners has participated in a Series B funding round for Indian motorcycle taxi operator Rapido, drawing comparisons with the growth trajectory of Indonesia’s Go-Jek.
Singapore marketing tech player Mobikon raises $12.5m
Mobikon, a Singapore-based marketing technology provider for the restaurant industry, has received a $12.5 million Series B round led by Binny Bansal, co-founder of Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart.
Qiming leads $21m Series C for Chinese lingerie brand
Neiwai, a Chinese lingerie brand, has achieved a valuation of more than RMB1 billion ($142 million) following a RMB150 million Series C round led by Qiming Venture Partners.
L’Oréal makes LP commitment to Cathay VC fund
L’Oréal will support the second fund being raised by Cathay Innovation, the VC affiliate of Cathay Capital Private Equity. The company wants to build ties to the beauty tech start-up ecosystem in China, its second-largest market.
CDC backs Nepalese internet service provider
CDC Group has made its first equity investment in Nepal with a NPR1.35 billion ($12 million) commitment to WorldLink, the country’s largest private sector internet service provider.
China AI chatbot developer raises $45m
Emotibot, a Chinese provider of computer vision and emotional recognition solutions to e-commerce platforms, financial institutions, and call center operators, has raised $45 million in an extended Series B round of funding.
Huaxing, Hillhouse lead $50m round for China's Hetao 101
Hetao 101, a Chinese online education platform dedicated to computer programming for children, has raised $50 million in Series B funding.
Chinese online-offline retailer KK Group achieves unicorn status
Chinese retailer KK Group - formerly known as KK Guan - has raised a $100 million Series D led by an Alibaba Group-backed fund. N5 Capital, Matrix Partners China and Black Algae Capital all re-upped.
Portfolio: China Everbright and Terminus
China Everbright has turned a sub-scale consumer-facing smart door lock manufacturer into an internet-of-things platform catering to enterprise customers. Terminus is now building out its product base
Chinese enterprise software player Ekuaibao receives $50m
Ekuaibao, a Chinese software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider specializing in corporate reimbursements, has raised $50 million in an extended Series C round.