Technology
VC-backed 51 Credit Card completes $129m HK IPO
51 Credit Card, a Chinese online credit card management platform backed by the likes of Tiantu Capital, GGV Capital, and Shunwei Capital, raised HK$1 billion ($128.5 million) in its Hong Kong IPO.
Bain-owned Lionbridge gets funding from Baidu, Sunshine Insurance
Lionbridge, a Chinese commercial vehicle leasing business controlled by Bain Capital Private Equity, has received RMB1 billion ($150 million) in funding led by Baidu and Sunshine Capital, an investment unit of Sunshine Insurance Group.
GIC advises caution, predicts rising global volatility
GIC Private’s investment performance declined for the third consecutive year, with the sovereign wealth fund once again warning of uncertainty driven by high asset valuations, increased risk of monetary policy tightening, and international trade tensions.
Emerging China VCs target differentiation in deal sourcing - AVCJ Forum
China’s emerging venture capital firms are seeking an edge in a competitive market through differentiated deal sourcing – offering a more personalized service than their more established counterparts or simply making bets that confound conventional...
Hong Kong's GoGoVan raises $250m
Hong Kong-based last-mile logistics company GoGoVan has raised $250 million from a group of investors led by China’s InnoVision Capital.
Itochu leads $55m Series C for Japan's Paidy
Itochu Corporation has led a $55 million Series C funding round for Japanese financial technology company Paidy.
Meituan-Dianping GP closes consumer fund at $300m
Longzhu Capital, a venture capital firm established by Chinese online-to-offline (O2O) services platform Meituan-Dianping, has closed its debut fund at RMB2 billion ($300 million).
China's Pony.ai adds $112m to Series A round
ClearVue Partners and Eight Roads Ventures have led a $112 million investment in China and US-based autonomous driving technology developer Pony.ai that brings the start-up’s total Series A funding to $214 million.
Yahoo acquires Japan's VC-backed Dely
Yahoo Japan has acquired Dely, the VC-backed Japanese start-up that operates online recipe-sharing service Kurashiru.
Chinese coffee shop chain raises $200m, achieves unicorn status
Luckin Coffee, a Chinese coffee shop chain established last year, has raised $200 million in Series A funding from GIC Private, Centurium Capital, Legend Capital, and Joy Capital. Centurium, a GP established by ex-Warburg Pincus China head David Li, is...
2Q analysis: Flipping out
Flipkart sets the tone as strategics deliver tech trade sale exits; Chinese internet players and healthcare are the trendsetters in investment; buyouts, venture stand out in Asia fundraising
Q&A: Openspace Ventures' Shane Chesson
Having co-founded NSI Ventures as an affiliate of Northstar Group, Shane Chesson took the business independent this year and renamed it Openspace Ventures. He discusses Southeast Asia’s macro outlook
Goldman leads $127m round for Chinese fitness app
Goldman Sachs has led a Series D funding round worth $127 million for Keep, a Chinese mobile app that provides fitness training programs.
Long Hill raises $252m for China VC fund, has yet to close
Long Hill Capital, a Chinese venture capital firm that spun out from New Enterprise Associates (NEA) in 2016, has raised $252.2 million for its second VC fund.
China’s Ganesh launches $250m India VC fund
Ganesh Ventures, a Chinese investor focused on India, has reached a first close of $30 million for a VC fund targeting $250 million.
Unicorn raises $250m for second China fund-of-funds
China-focused venture capital fund-of-funds Unicorn Capital Partners has closed its second fund at the hard cap of $250 million.
IndiaLends raises $10m Series B round
IndiaLends, a New Delhi-based financial technology company focused on credit and analytics services, has raised $10 million in Series B funding from India-focused Ganesh Ventures and UK-based ACPI Investment Managers.
L Catterton, JD to invest $175m in China’s Secoo
L Catterton Asia and Chinese online retailer JD.com have agreed to invest $175 million in Secoo, a Chinese e-commerce platform for luxury goods that is listed in the US.
Tencent prepares for IPO of PE-backed music business
Tencent Holdings has taken the first step towards a US listing for its music streaming business, in which PAG Asia Capital is a minority investor.
Jafco leads $11m round for Japan, US-based Trillium
Jafco has led an $11 million funding round for Trillium, a cybersecurity company focused on the autonomous vehicle industry based in Japan and the US.
Lightspeed closes second India fund at $175m
Lightspeed Venture Partners has closed its second India-focused fund at $175 million for investments in early-stage consumer and enterprise technology start-ups.
VC and supercomputing: Access denied
VCs continue to shun the field of supercomputing despite new commercial upside related to the rise of artificial intelligence. Asia, however, could offer a relatively competitive launchpad for start-ups in the segment
Xiaomi raises $4.7b in Hong Kong IPO
Chinese smart phone maker Xiaomi has raised HK$37 billion ($4.72 billion) in its Hong Kong IPO at a valuation of $54 billion – well below the totals it had originally targeted.
Eight Roads leads $15m Series B for China's Kyligence
Kyligence, a Chinese big data analytics business, has received $15 million in Series B funding led by Eight Roads, with participation from Cisco and several existing investors.