Technology
Demonetization drives surge in Indian fintech investment
India’s demonetization policy has been the principal driver for a surge in financial technology investment in the country, according to research by Accenture and CB Insights.
China credit assessment player gets $160m Series D
Chinese financial technology company Wecash has closed a $160 million Series D round led by Orix Asia Capital and Hong Kong-based property investment and development firm SEA Group.
Toyota launches $2.8b car technology investment program
Toyota Group has confirmed it will establish a Tokyo-based investment program that will commit more than JPY300 billion ($2.8 billion) to autonomous driving development.
TA Associates completes exit from Australia's SpeedCast
TA Associates has made a full exit from SpeedCast, the satellite telecommunications provider it acquired in 2012 and listed in Australia two years later.
Indonesia's Go-Jek secures $1.5b Series E round
Indonesian ride-hailing and delivery platform Go-Jek has closed its Series E round at $1.5 billion with contributions from the likes of Tencent Holdings, JD.com, Meituan-Dianping, Google, Temasek Holdings, BlackRock, and Samsung Venture Investment.
Tencent leads $818m round for China's Chehaoduo
Chehaoduo, a Chinese online auto services provider that runs consumer-to-consumer (C2C) used car trading platform Guazi, has raised $818 million in a Series C round of funding led by Tencent Holdings.
Future Fund seeks Australia venture capital exposure
Australia’s Future Fund is close to making its first commitment to a local venture capital manager as part of ongoing efforts to take advantage of technological disruption in the global economy.
Sea's Nick Nash to step down, launch VC firm
Nick Nash (pictured), group president of Singapore-headquartered mobile internet and gaming platform Sea, will step down at the end of 2018 to launch his own regional VC firm.
Corporate VC funds foreshadow auto sector M&A wave
A raft of specialist fundraising activity by technology and automotive corporates suggests start-ups in nascent areas of the mobility industry could benefit from a near-term uptick in M&A activity.
Deal focus: Lightspeed boosts Udaan's B2B drive
Lightspeed India Partners renews its commitment to B2B online marketplace Udaan and its emphasis on data-derived trustworthiness
Auto technology: Investment vehicles
New and old players are vying for market share as the global automotive industry experiences a multifaceted reboot. Investment inroads abound, but there is much uncertainty in the evolution
VCs back Chinese mapping technology developer
Kuandeng Technology, a Chinese start-up developing precision mapping technology for self-driving cars, has completed a Series A round of funding led by IDG Capital.
NAB Ventures backs $7m round for Australia's BrickX
NAB Ventures, a unit of National Australia Bank (NAB), has joined a A$9 million ($7 million) Series A funding round for BrickX, a domestic financial technology start-up focused on the real estate sector.
China's Danke Gongyu raises $100m Series B
CMC Capital Partners and Banyan Capital have jointly led a $100 million Series B round of funding for Danke Gongyu, a China-based start-up that provides apartment rental services.
Anthem seeks up to $50m for Myanmar fund
Anthem Asia has launched a Myanmar-focused private equity fund with a view to raising up to $50 million for investment in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Chinese fund abandons Xcerra deal, cites CFIUS problems
Sino IC Capital, a technology-focused PE fund manager backed by the Chinese government, has become the latest investor to fall foul of US regulators following the termination of its acquisition of semiconductor and electronics manufacturer Xcerra.
Chinese dating app Momo buys VC-backed Tantan
Chinese mobile dating app operator Momo, which has been listed on NASDAQ since 2014, has agreed to buy 100% of VC-backed industry peer Tantan in a cash and stock deal.
Taiwan's KKday secures $10.5m Series B
KKday, a Taiwan-based start-up that helps tourists find local activities, has secured $10.5 million Series B round of funding led by Japanese travel agent HIS, with participation from existing backer MindWorks Ventures.
Lightspeed backs $50m Series B for India's Udaan
Lightspeed Venture Partners and DST Global founder Yuri Milner have backed a $50 million Series B round for Indian B2B e-commerce start-up Udaan. It follows a $10 million Series A led by Lightspeed in 2016.
Warburg, Sequoia join $20m investment in India's Capillary
Capillary Technologies, an Indian cloud-based software provider that focuses on customer relationship management (CRM), has raised $20 million from existing investors including Warburg Pincus and Sequoia Capital.
China's Toutiao acquires VC-backed selfie app Faceu
Chinese private equity-backed online content platform Toutiao has acquired Faceu, a camera app that has received funding from IDG Capital and Lightspeed China Partners.
Singapore to launch $76m IP commercialization vehicle
Singapore will support local start-ups through a S$100 million ($76 million) intellectual property (IP) commercialization fund, with Temasek Holdings set to provide at least half the capital.
Dell Foundation in $13.5m round for Indian edtech start-up
Indian education technology start-up IMAX Program has received a $13.5 million funding round from a group of venture investors including the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF).
Indonesia's Go-Jek scales up with Series E round
Indonesian ride-hailing and delivery platform Go-Jek is set to achieve a post-deal valuation of more than $5 billion through a funding round that was expected to reach $1.5 billion but has seen the addition of several strategic backers.