Technology
Sony partners Japan's Daiwa for $186m VC fund
Sony has joined Daiwa Capital Holdings, a subsidiary of Japan’s Daiwa Securities Group, for a JPY20 billion ($186 million) VC fund targeting start-ups in high growth industries.
US-India cross-border: Taking the leap
US-India cross-border deals present a tempting opportunity for Indian GPs, but managing investments in another market requires careful use of resources and a level of commitment that not all firms can match
Genesis nets $850m for second China tech growth fund
Genesis Capital, a Chinese GP established by Richard Peng, who previously led investments for Tencent Holdings, has closed its second US dollar-denominated fund at the hard cap of $850 million.
Japan's TDK sets up VC arm, $50m fund
Japanese electronics giant TDK Corporation has established a venture capital unit with the launch of a $50 million fund that will focus on early-stage start-ups.
SoftBank invests $250m in India's Ola Electric
SoftBank has invested $250 million in Ola Electric, an electric vehicle (EV) company that spun out from Indian ride-hailing platform Ola earlier this year. The new investment reportedly brings Ola Electric’s valuation to over $1 billion.
China-US decoupling: Silicon curtain
Evidence is mounting that US and Chinese ecosystems for advanced technologies are careening toward an antagonistic decoupling. Investors are philosophical and pragmatic
IFC, Corisol lead $70m Series D for India's 1mg
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Switzerland-based family office Corisol Holdings have led a $70 million Series D round for Indian online healthcare services platform operator 1mg Technologies.
Cathay Innovation leads $35m round for China AI player Laiye
Cathay Innovation, the venture affiliate of Cathay Capital Private Equity, has led a $35 million extended Series B round of funding for Laiye Technology, a Chinese artificial technology (AI) start-up. Existing investors Lightspeed China and Wu Capital...
Chinese state-owned steel trading platform raises $291m
Ouyeel, which claims to be China’s largest online-to-offline (O2O) trading platform for the steel industry, has raised RMB2 billion ($291 million) in Series B funding at a post-deal valuation of RMB10 billion.
Deal focus: Peepul’s power grab pays off with CNPS exit
Peepul Capital has secured an exit from Indian power supply maker CNPS, selling the business to Japan's Fuji Electric seven years after acquiring a majority stake
China GPs back US health-tech player in $22m Asia push
China’s 6 Dimensions Capital and Yonghua Capital have joined a $22 million Series C round for US-based Ultivue that will help the medical technology developer expand into Asia.
Invesco commits $300m to Southeast Asia's Grab
Southeast Asian ride hailing and online-to-offline (O2O) services platform Grab has received a $300 million commitment from global investment manager Invesco as part of its ongoing $6.5 billion Series H round.
Tiger leads $30m Series B for India fintech start-up
Open Financial Technologies, an India-based online financial services start-up aimed at small businesses, has raised a $30 million Series B round led by Tiger Global Management.
Paytm founder backs $29m debut fund from India's Roots
Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the founder of Indian online payments platform Paytm, has joined the INR2 billion ($29 million) debut fund of Indian venture capital firm Roots Ventures as an anchor investor.
Indonesia’s KoinWorks raises $12m Series B
Indonesian P2P lending platform KoinWorks has raised S$16.5 million ($12 million) in Series B funding led by EV Growth and Quona Capital.
VIG to make full exit from Korea's Samyang Optics
VIG has agreed to make a full exit from Korean camera lens manufacturer Samyang Optics – having taken the business public in 2017 – and will realize a 3.5x gross return on its investment.
Singapore's PE-backed Home Control files for HK IPO
Home Control International, a Singapore-based manufacturer of remote controls for television and smart devices owned by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA), has filed for an IPO in Hong Kong.
Deal focus: Weimai seeks healthcare monetization
Weimai plans to leverage a fresh $100 million funding round to bring new technologies to Chinese hospitals. This will include a growing focus on services outside the public health system
Singapore's PE-backed Trax secures US retail tech bolt-on
Trax, a Singapore-based developer of retail computer vision and analytics solutions with several private equity backers, has acquired US-based shopping rewards app developer Shopkick for an undisclosed amount.
Chinese online art education business raises $40m
Chinese art education platform Yiqi Technology Group has raised $40 million in the first tranche of a Series C round led by Tencent Holdings. It is said to be the largest-ever funding round for a start-up in this space.
JD Logistics hits first close on China industry fund
JD Logistics, the delivery unit of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, has reached a first close on a renminbi-denominated fund that invests in smart logistics and related technologies. The full target for the vehicle is RMB1.5 billion ($218 million).
Affirma leads pre-IPO round for China's Dianrong
Affirma Capital – formed through a spin-out of Standard Chartered’s private equity business – has led a pre-IPO round of undisclosed size for Chinese P2P lending services provider Dianrong.
India's VC-backed Druva raises $130m
Druva, a provider of cloud data protection and management services founded in India, has raised a $130 million investment led by Viking Global Investors.
Peepul sells Indian UPS maker to Fuji
Peepul Capital has agreed to sell its entire stake in Consul Neowatt Power Solutions (CNPS), a maker of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) based in India, to Japan's Fuji Electric.