Technology
Deal focus: Rokid attracts interest as household AI heats up
The Series C round for smart household device manufacturer Rokid underlines investor interest in China-based artificial intelligence plays
Deal focus: Ziroom carves a rental niche
Ziroom receives $621 million in funding to build out its property management service that provides apartments for China's growing population of urban rentors
Atinum leads $9m round for Korean fintech player
Korean venture capital firm Atinum Investment has led a KRW10 billion ($9.4 million) funding round for domestic financial technology company Tera Funding.
Japan's UTEC raises fourth early-stage fund
University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC) has raised JPY15.5 billion ($142 million) for its fourth fund intended to support the development of research conducted at the university into start-ups.
China's Dianrong raises additional $70m for Series D
Chinese peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform Dianrong has raised an additional $70 million in Series D funding, taking the total round to $290 million.
China fintech: Follow the consumer
A crackdown on cash loans has undermined investor confidence in China’s fast-growing online consumer-lending market. However, VC players are confident that start-ups can find other angles
Southeast Asia logistics firm Ninja Van secures Series C
Ninja Van, a Singapore-headquartered last-mile logistics services provider with regional presence, has completed a Series C round of funding.
Profile: IvyCap Ventures' Vikram Gupta
Vikram Gupta, founder of IvyCap Ventures, helped shape India’s scholarly start-up ecosystem by interweaving a passion for entrepreneurialism with his roots in scientific academia
GLP leads $36m round for China's Songxiaocai
Warehouse operator Global Logistic Properties (GLP) has led a RMB230 million ($36 million) investment in Songxiaocai, a business-to-business (B2B) platform that provides agricultural wholesale services to Chinese retailers.
China's Shunwei Capital appoints new partner
Chris Lai, formerly a venture partner at China-focused Sinovation Ventures, has joined Shunwei Capital Partners, a VC firm set up by Xiaomi founder Lei Jun, as a partner.
VCs commit $30m to Japanese recipe-sharing start-up
SoftBank and YJ Capital have taken part in a JPY3.4 billion ($30.2 million) funding round for Japanese online food media start-up Dely.
Japan's Folio gets $63m in extended Series A
A group of investors including Goldman Sachs have invested JPY7 billion ($63 million) in Japanese stock trading app operator Folio.
Technology: Auto ambitions
Private equity firms and strategic investors are driving an automotive technology arms race in Asia
Temasek leads Series C for China home automation player
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has led a Series C round of undisclosed size for Rokid, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) developer focused on home automation devices.
Deal focus: VCs see value in secondhand luxury
Chinese online pre-owned luxury goods retailer Xinshang aims for scale with investments from GGV Capital, Joy Capital and Northern Light Venture Capital
Deal focus: Black Fish emphasizes focus on fintech
Lightspeed, Morningside, Jafco and Gobi contribute to the first institutional round of funding for Chinese financial technology player Black Fish
Fosun Capital leads $80m Series B for China's BingoBox
BingoBox, a Chinese unmanned convenience store operator, has raised an $80 million Series B round of funding led by Fosun Capital. Existing investors Prometheus Capital, Qiming Venture Partners, GGV Capital and Ventech China also took part.
Space technology: Starship enterprises
Space technology is being democratized outside its historical geographic and institutional spheres of development. As private investors get on board, a new range of risks and rewards is coming into focus
China apartment rental firm Ziroom raises $621m
Ziroom, a Chinese apartment rental service provider, has raised a RMB4 billion ($621 million) Series A round of funding led by Warburg Pincus, Sequoia Capital, and Tencent Holdings.
China's Bianlifeng acquires VC-backed Lingwa
Bianlifeng, a Chinese PE-backed cashier-free convenience store operator, has acquired a controlling stake in its peer Lingwa. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Morningside, Legend lead $112m round for China's Pony.ai
Pony.ai, a China and US-based start-up that develops autonomous driving solutions, has completed a $112 million Series A round of funding jointly led by Morningside Venture Capital and Legend Capital.
Tiger co-leads $20m Series B for India's Razorpay
Tiger Global and Y Combinator have led a $20 million Series B round for India-based online payment gateway Razorpay.
Xiaomi, VC-backed Chinese wearables maker targets US IPO
Huami, a Chinese wearables manufacturer that has a strategic relationship with smart phone maker Xiaomi and several venture capital backers, has filed for a US IPO.
India's Pi Ventures reaches $25m second close on AI fund
Indian early-stage investor Pi Ventures has announced a second close of $25 million on its debut artificial intelligence (AI)-focused fund.