Technology
Chinese social e-commerce player raises $100m Series B
Fresh Buddy, a Chinese social e-commerce app that focuses on fresh produce, has raised a $100 million Series B round led by Genesis Capital.
India's PE-backed Byju's raises $400m
Indian online education start-up Byju’s has raised a $400 million funding round led by Naspers Ventures, an investment arm of South African media conglomerate Naspers.
India's Licious raises $25m Series D
Delightful Gourmet, operator of Indian online fresh meat and seafood ordering platform Licious, has raised $25 million in Series D funding to support its geographical expansion.
Japan's Axelspace gets $23m Series B
Axelspace, a Japanese start-up focused on ready-to-launch microsatellite technology, has raised a JPY2.6 billion ($23 million) Series B round led by Global Brain and property developer Mitsui Fudosan.
Singapore's Jungle increases target for Fund III
Singapore-based Jungle Ventures has raised the target for its third Southeast Asia-focused VC fund from $150 million to $200 million.
Deal focus: Deputy punches the new timeclock
Employment management services company Deputy has raised what is said to be Australia’s largest ever Series B round as investors look to bring new technologies into long-outdated business processes
Korea's Viva Republica raises $80m at $1.2b valuation
Kleiner Perkins and Ribbit Capital have led an $80 million funding round for Viva Republica that values the Korean financial technology start-up at about $1.2 billion.
Grab invests $100m in India's Oyo
Southeast Asian ride-hailing player Grab has invested more than $100 million in India-based online hospitality platform Oyo.
China's Gaorong closes fourth US dollar fund at $500m
Chinese venture capital firm Gaorong Capital has raised $500 million for its fourth US dollar-denominated fund. The majority of commitments came from existing LPs, with two endowments coming in as new investors.
PE and aquaculture: Fishtech of the future
Rising consumer demand for high-quality products and the emergence of technologies that allow greater efficiency are driving investor interest in Asia’s previously overlooked aquaculture industry
Japan Post Capital leads $26m Series E for Sansan
Japan Post Capital has led a JPY3 billion ($26.4 million) Series E round for Sansan, a Tokyo-based company that applies cloud technology to business card management services.
Taiwan start-ups must think globally - AVCJ Forum
Taiwanese entrepreneurs should leverage local technology talent and use their home market as a testing ground for products and services that have global appeal, industry participants told the AVCJ Taiwan Forum.
ChrysCapital acquires US health-tech player
Indian private equity firm ChrysCapital has acquired a majority stake in GeBBS Healthcare Solutions, a California-based developer of enterprise technology for the healthcare sector.
Hellman & Friedman makes $1.8b bid for NZ online marketplace
Hellman & Friedman has submitted a bid to acquire 100% of New Zealand-listed online auction and e-commerce company Trade Me for NZ$2.6 billion ($1.8 billion).
Salesforce launches $100m Japan VC fund
Enterprise software giant Salesforce has launched a $100 million fund via its venture investment unit that will focus on cloud-based technologies in Japan.
Google joins Series C round for Japan's Abeja
Google has participated in a Series C round for Japanese corporate analytics player Abeja, taking the company's cumulative funding to JPY6 billion ($53 million).
Singtel Innov8 leads $16m round for Australia's Data Republic
Singtel Innov8, the venture arm of Singapore telecom giant SingTel, has led a A$22 million ($16.2 million) Series B round for Australian cybersecurity technology company Data Republic.
Cool Japan leads $44m round for Spiber
Cool Japan Fund has led a JPY5 billion ($44 million) round for Spiber, a domestic biotechnology developer focused on synthesizing protein-based materials that simulate characteristics of spiderwebs.
Steadview, Vy lead $50m Series D for India's UrbanClap
Hong Kong-based hedge fund Steadview Capital and existing investor Vy Capital have led a $50 million Series D round for Indian local services marketplace UrbanClap.
Morgan Stanley's Matsuyama joins Carlyle Japan
The Carlyle Group has named Tomofumi Matsuyama (pictured), a former executive at Morgan Stanley, as a managing director of its Japan buyout team.
Golden Gate commits $18m to Malaysia
Singapore-based Golden Gate Ventures has committed to invest MYR75 million ($18 million) in Malaysian technology start-ups and opened a new office in the country.
India fintech: Corporations act
Stakeholders foresee progress and problems as global strategic investors make their first bets in the Indian fintech space. There is little expectation of replicating the China story
China's 360 Enterprise Security raises $180m pre-Series B
Chinese B2B internet security services provider 360 Enterprise Security Group has raised RMB1.25 billion ($180 million) in a pre-Series B round of funding.
India's VC-backed Drivezy raises $20m Series B
Drivezy, a vehicle sharing marketplace based in India, has raised a $20 million Series B round led by existing investor Das Capital, with participation by Japan’s Yamaha Motor Co.