Technology
Chinese satellite developer receives $37m angel round
Chang Guang Satellite Technology, a China-based commercial satellite developer, has raised RMB250 million ($37 million) in angel funding, underlining growing investor interest in space-related technology.
Internal affairs: China VCs and relationship management
Recent troubles in China’s autonomous driving space highlight the challenges venture capital investors face in picking the right founders to back and then managing those relationships in a productive way
Japan Airlines launches $70m VC fund
Japan Airlines (JAL) has provided $70 million for a venture capital fund focused on transportation technology start-ups. It will be managed by US-based TransLink Capital.
Accel-KKR invests $16m in Australia's Humanforce
Accel-KKR, a US-based private equity firm created by Accel Partners and KKR, has invested A$22.5 million ($16.1 million) in Australian workforce management solutions provider Humanforce.
Hong Kong's Integrated leads $10m round for India's Rapido
Hong Kong-based investment firm Integrated Capital has led a $10 million Series A round for Indian motor scooter taxi start-up Rapido.
VCs commit $15m to Japanese AI specialist
A group of venture capital firms, including SBI Investment, have invested $15 million in a Series B round for Cinnamon, a Japanese artificial intelligence (AI) company focused on office automation.
Asia start-ups: Global reach
Asian start-ups are under increasing pressure to head off competition by pursuing global expansion agendas in their earliest stages of development. They must pay careful attention to social disparities
BP Ventures backs China EV player
BP Ventures, the venture capital arm of BP, has made its first investment in China, leading a Series A round for electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions provider PowerShare.
Chinese AI start-up AInnovation raises $59m
Beijing-based artificial intelligence (AI) solutions provider AInnovation has raised RMB400 million ($58.9 million) in Series A funding led by CICC Alpha, a subsidiary of China International Capital Corporation.
Deal focus: Singapore Life delivers insurance update
Singapore Life has accelerated plans to digitize the insurance and wealth management industry following a $33 million Series B from Aberdeen Standard Investments and Aflac
Japan’s TEPCO backs $100m Southeast Asia cleantech fund
Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), Singapore’s WEnergy Global, and ICMG Partners, a start-up accelerator with bases across Asia and the US, have launched a $100 million fund focused on clean energy innovation in Southeast Asia.
China's sharing economy: Shared dilemma
With Ofo teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, bike-sharing and the broader concept of the sharing economy in China is being called into question. The survivors will be sustainable and suitably differentiated
Redpoint China raises $400m across two new funds
Redpoint China Ventures has closed a $300 million fund focusing on early-stage investments and a $100 million opportunity fund looking to invest in growth-stage companies.
India's Truebil raises $14m in equity and debt
Indian used car trading platform Truebil has raised INR1 billion ($14 million) in equity and debt from investors including Shunwei Capital, Kalaari Capital, and Inventus Capital.
SoftBank invests $150m in India's FirstCry
SoftBank Vision Fund has committed $150 million to Indian online baby and child-focused retailer FirstCry as the first tranche in a planned $400 million Series E round.
Japan's SBI invests $15m in Swiss blockchain player
SBI Crypto Investment, a unit of Japan’s SBI Holdings formed to back digital asset-focused start-ups, has invested $15 million in Tangem, a Switzerland-based producer of blockchain smart card wallets.
Indonesia's Warung Pintar gets $27.5m Series B
Warung Pintar, an Indonesia-based smart kiosk start-up, has raised IDR390 billion ($27.5 million) in Series B funding from a group of investors including East Ventures.
GPs commit $15m Series B to China's Ekuaibao
Ekuaibao, a Chinese corporate cost management software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider has raised $15 million in a Series B round of funding led by Mandra Capital, with participation from existing investors DCM Ventures and Future Capital.
Bain makes tender offer for Japan's Kosaido
Bain Capital Private Equity has launched a tender offer for Japan-listed printing and IT solutions provider Kosaido that values the target company at approximately JPY15.2 billion ($139 million).
Apax invests $200m in India, US-based Fractal Analytics
Apax Partners has agreed to pay $200 million for a significant minority stake in India and US-based data analytics provider Fractal Analytics.
SoftBank Vision Fund to invest in India's Delhivery
SoftBank Vision Fund is planning to purchase a stake of up to 38% in Indian e-commerce logistics services provider Delhivery.
China early-stage investment round-up
Venture capital deals involving DCM, Sinovation Ventures, Langsheng Investment, United Capital, Shenzhen Capital, Capital Fortune Investment, Tiantu Capital, IDG Capital, Shunwei Capital, and Sky9 Capital
Aberdeen Standard backs insurtech specialist Singapore Life
Aberdeen Standard Investments has committed $13 million to financial technology start-up Singapore Life, taking the company’s total capital raised to date to $97 million.
Baring Asia, Onex to list Clarivate through reverse merger
Baring Private Equity Asia will list Clarivate Analytics – an education business it acquired from Thomson Reuters in conjunction with Onex Corporation – through a merger with a special purpose investment vehicle that trades in New York.