Technology
ClearVue leads round for China smart vending machine business
ClearVue Partners has led a Series B round of unspecified size for Chinese smart vending machine operator Citybox. The consumer-focused GP also participated in the company’s $15 million Series A in September.
AVCJ Awards 2017: Deal of the Year - Late Stage Technology: Ofo
Ofo and Mobike dominate China’s bike-sharing industry, having raised billions in funding. Investors in Ofo believe they are backing the more sustainable model
Warburg Pincus invests in India's CAMS
Warburg Pincus has invested in Indian financial services provider Computer Age Management Services (CAMS).
AVCJ Awards 2017: VC Professionals of the Year: JP Gan & Nisa Leung
J.P. Gan and Nisa Leung, managing partners at Qiming Venture Partners, discuss the latest trends they are seeing in China’s consumer internet and healthcare spaces
Carlyle growth fund buys India BPO player
The Carlyle Group has acquired Indian healthcare business process outsourcing (BPO) provider Visionary RCM Infotech through its latest Asia growth fund, Carlyle Asia Growth Partners V (CAGP V).
SoftBank, Mubadala in $4b round for China's Didi Chuxing
Chinese ride-hailing app operator Didi Chuxing, which has received substantial PE and VC backing, has raised $4 billion in a new round of funding from investors including SoftBank Group and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala.
Crescent sells Australia's GroundProbe to Orica
Australia's Crescent Capital Partners has sold domestic mining services technology supplier GroundProbe to explosives and blasting equipment company Orica for A$205 million ($157 million).
AVCJ Awards 2017: Deal of the Year - Early Stage Technology: SenseTime
A university spin-out focusing on technology commercialization, SenseTime has become popular among investors seeking artificial intelligence exposure
GLP, BOCGI invest $70m to China logistics player G7
Warehouse operator Global Logistic Properties (GLP) and Bank of China Group Investment (BOCGI), a direct investment arm of Bank of China, have committed $70 million to G7 Networks, a Chinese manufacturer of smart devices for the logistics sector.
OTPP sells Australia data center assets for $793m
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) has agreed to sell Australian data center business Metronode to US-based peer Equinix for A$1.04 billion ($793 million).
PE-owned Global A&T Electronics files for bankruptcy
Global A&T Electronics, a Singapore-headquartered provider of assembly and test services for semiconductor chips that is controlled by Affinity Equity Partners and TPG Capital, has filed for bankruptcy in the US.
China AI chip maker Think Force raises $68m
Shanghai Think Force Electronic Technology, a China-based artificial intelligence (AI) chip maker, has raised a RMB450 million ($68 million) Series A round of funding from Yunfeng Capital, Sequoia Capital China, and Hillhouse Capital.
Microequities backs New Zealand's Fergus
Microequities Venture Capital Fund, a vehicle set up by Equity Venture Partners and Microequities Asset Management, has invested A$3.5 million ($2.7 million) in New Zealand software company Fergus.
Square Peg invests in Australia's Airwallex
Square Peg Capital has invested A$8 million ($6 million) in Airwallex, an Australia-based cross-border payments company that closed its Series A round seven months ago.
Five trends for 2018
AVCJ looks at how its 2017 predictions turned out and identifies some key themes for the year ahead
US, India-based MindTickle raises $27m Series B
US and India-based training and networking platform operator MindTickle has raised $27 million in Series B funding led by Canaan Partners.
Accel leads $10m round for India's HomeLane
Accel Partners has led a $10 million Series C round for Indian interior design start-up HomeLane.
Deal focus: An EV ecosystem play
WM Motor Technology's recent Series B round makes it one of the best-funded electric vehicle start-ups in China. The company has ambitions to build an EV ecosystem
VCs in $45m round for Chinese tech news site 36kr
Gobi Partners and China Prosperity Capital have led a RMB300 million ($45 million) round of funding for 36Kr Media, a Chinese online technology news platform.
Rakuten, Techstars launch Singapore accelerator
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has launched a Singapore-based accelerator program in conjunction with Techstars. It is Techstars’ first program in an Asian city.
Finstar commits $50m to Southeast Asia fintech program
Finstar Financial Group, a Russia-based private equity firm focused on financial technology, will invest $50 million in an existing portfolio company as part of a Southeast Asian mobile consumer lending agenda.
Japanese start-up gets $90m for space trips
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has joined a $90.2 million round for Japanese lunar exploration company iSpace. It is said to be the largest Series A raised in the country to date.
Vertex leads $50m round for China's Guoxiaomei
Vertex Ventures China has led an initial Series C round of funding worth $50 million for Guoxiaomei, a self-service smart shelf operator.
Western Digital drops challenge to Bain consortium's Toshiba deal
Western Digital Corporation has dropped its legal challenge to the acquisition of Toshiba Memory Corporation (TMC), the Nand flash memory unit of Toshiba Corporation, by Bain Capital Private Equity-led consortium.