Technology
Deal focus: Patsnap leverages innovation boom
Sequoia Capital and Shunwei Capital Partners support Patsnap's push to provide intellectual property analytics services to Asian corporates looking to expand into new markets with minimal legal fuss
Draper Nexus raises $175m for US-Japan fund
US-Japan cross-border investment firm Draper Nexus Venture Partners has closed its second fund at $175 million.
China’s Ctrip to acquire VC-backed UK travel site Skyscanner
China’s largest online travel site Ctrip.com has agreed to buy Skyscanner, an airfare comparison website backed by VC investors, in a deal valuing the UK-based company at approximately GBP1.4 billion ($1.74 billion).
Sequoia, Mayfield in $19m Series C for India's Knowlarity
Sequoia Capital India and Mayfield have participated in a INR1.3 billion ($19.3 million) Series C round for Indian cloud telephony solutions provider Knowlarity Communications.
Vertex leads $5.5m round in Singapore's Spacemob
Vertex Ventures, the VC arm of Singapore's Temasek Holdings, has led a $5.5 million seed round for Singapore-based co-working space developer Spacemob.
Sequoia invests $5m in India's Vymo
Sequoia Capital India has committed $5 million in Series A funding to Vymo, an enterprise sales assistant based in India and the US.
Foxconn backs Chinese image recognition software developer
Megvii Technology, a China-based image recognition software developer, has received $20 million from Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology as part of its Series C round of financing.
Japan's LifeRobotics raises $9m Series B round
Japanese industrial robotics developer LifeRobotics has raised a JPY1 billion ($9 million) Series B round led by Global Brain.
VCs commit $5.2m to Australian big data start-up Instaclustr
Sydney-listed growth-stage investor Bailador Technology Investments has led a A$7 million ($5.2 million) funding round for domestic IT company Instaclustr alongside two domestic VCs.
Fund focus: Long Hill aspires to specialization
With the support of his former employer, New Enterprise Associates, Xiaodong Jiang has gone independent with Long Hill Capital. Early-stage healthcare and consumer services are now in his sights
RRJ invests in China HNA’s internet finance platform
RRJ Capital has led a $200 million Series A round for Jubaohui, an internet finance platform established by Chinese conglomerate HNA Group.
China video app developer Yixia raises $500m round
Chinese social media platform Weibo Corporation has led a $500 million Series E round of funding for Yixia Technology, a Beijing-based video app developer.
India's Quikr buys Sequoia, Kalaari-backed Grabhouse
Indian classifieds site Quikr has purchased Grabhouse, a rental property listing platform backed by Sequoia Capital and Kalaari Capital.
Whiz Partners invests $22m in Japanese IT developer
Japan-based private equity firm Whiz Partners has agreed to invest JPY2.4 billion ($22 million) in Tokyo-listed software and marketing products developer Albert.
IFC proposes $20m investment in China's Huochebang
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank, is considering a commitment of up to $20 million to China-based online logistics platform Huochebang.
Sequoia, Shunwei invest in Singapore’s Patsnap
Sequoia Capital China has led a Series C round of funding for Singapore-based Patsnap, a web-based intellectual property analytics and management software developer.
Taiwan's HTC launches $1.5b VR investment fund
HTC and the Shenzhen municipal government have agreed to set up a Chinese virtual reality (VR) research institute and a RMB10 billion ($1.5 billion) investment fund for the technology.
China fitness app Hotbody secures $15m
Chinese fitness app developer Hotbody has raised approximately RMB100 million ($15 million) in a new round of funding led by domestic GP Haodao Capital, with participation from existing investor Ameba Capital.
Deal focus: Treasure Data helps businesses reach the cloud
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan ventured outside its domestic comfort zone to support Treasure Data, and thereby help Japanese corporates get to grips with big data
Japan's Seven Dreamers receives $60m Series B round
Seven Dreamers Laboratories, a Japan-based manufacturer of personal-use devices, has raised a $60 million Series B round of funding from Panasonic, SBI Investment and construction company Daiwa House Industry.
China used car trading platform Souche raises $100m
Souche Holdings, a Chinese online second-hand car trading platform, has raised a $100 million Series C round of funding led by Alibaba Group’s financial services affiliate Ant Financial and car rental services provider Ucar.
China’s Advantech leads $15m round for AI start-up
Advantech Capital, one of two parallel funds launched by executives from Chinese GP New Horizon Capital, has led a $15 million Series A round of funding for Petuum, a US-based artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solution developer.
China's CIC to step up overseas direct investments
Sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation (CIC) plans to accelerate the pace of its overseas direct investments, with a view to supporting Chinese economic modernization.
China VCs tell start-ups to focus on sustainability - AVCJ Forum
China VC investors are reminding portfolio companies to pursue profitability rather than sky-high paper valuations as the market continues to rationalize following an explosion of activity in recent years.