Technology
China Q&A platform Zhihu raises $55m
Tencent Holdings has led a $55 million Series C round of funding for Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer platform similar to US-based Quora.
Intel Capital backs two Greater China start-ups
Intel Capital has invested in Taiwan-based internet of things (IoT) solutions provider Microprogram Information and Chinese imaging and video technology specialist Perfant Technology.
Taiwan AI start-up Appier raises $23m
Taipei-based artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Appier has raised $23 million in a Series B round of funding from UOB Venture Management, Sequoia India, Jafco Asia, TransLink Capital and MediaTek Ventures.
VCs say more is to come from the tech boom - AVCJ Forum
The technology boom has seen a large amount of capital enter start-ups in the online-to-offline (O2O) and mobile consumer spaces, and VC investors think there are still plenty of innovative start-ups worth backing.
Fund focus: Morningside scales up for growth deals
Morningside Venture Capital divides up the corpus of its $660 million fourth fund to address a China market increasingly characterized by early-stage and late-stage deals
Sequoia, Matrix commit $7.6m to India's TinyOwl
TinyOwl, an India-based mobile food-ordering platform, has raised INR500 million ($7.6 million) from existing investors Sequoia Capital and Matrix Partners.
Tsinghua Unigroup buys 25% stake in Taiwan’s Powertech
Tsinghua Unigroup, an investment arm of China’s Tsinghua University, has agreed to pay $600 million for a 25% stake in Taiwan’s Powertech Technology, becoming the largest shareholder in the chip testing and packaging company.
Japan female-focused video ad network raises $6.6m
Jafco, TBS Innovation Partners and strategic investors iStyle and Excite Japan have invested JPY800 million ($6.6 million) in Open8, a Tokyo-based start-up that a video ad platform targeted at women.
Morningside closes fourth China TMT fund at $660m
Morningside Venture Capital, a VC firm set up by Hong Kong’s Chan family – owners of property developer Hang Lung Group – has closed its fourth China-focused fund at $660 million.
CMC secures $1.3b China football rights deal
CMC Capital Partners, a China-focused PE firm that specializes in media and entertainment investments, has agreed an RMB8 billion ($1.3 billion) deal to broadcast matches in China’s domestic football league.
Singapore government joins Coursera's Series C
EDBI, the corporate investment arm of the Singapore Economic Development Board, has joined a Series C round of funding for US-based online education provider Coursera.
Q&A: CMC Capital Partners' Ruigang Li
Ruigang Li forged a career with Shanghai Media Group and then left to start media-focused private equity firm CMC Capital Partners. He explains why capital is entering the sector and where he sees it heading
Asia O2O services: The long tail
From taxi journeys to pedicures, online-to-offline services are changing consumption channels in Asia’s emerging markets. Some leaders have emerged, but much of the sector is still up for grabs
Q&A: GrabTaxi's Anthony Tan
GrabTaxi started out as an entry in business plan contest at Harvard Business School in 2011, where it placed second. Co-founder and CEO Anthony Tan explains how it has become Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing company
The billion-dollar club: Asia's tech unicorns
Asia accounts for one fifth of the global tech sector’s unicorn population as companies raise larger rounds at ever higher valuations. But as investor sentiment weakens, some of these behemoths should be concerned
Tiger, Matrix commit $9m Series A to India's RazorPay
Tiger Global has led a $9 million Series A round for India-based online payment gateway RazorPay, with participation by Matrix Partners.
China travel sites Ctrip, Qunar agree merger
China-based travel services companies Ctrip and Baidu-controlled Qunar have agreed an all-share merger that will create a single dominant player in the domestic hotel and air ticket booking market.
OrbiMed leads $50m round for India's Netmeds
Healthcare focused investment firm OrbiMed has led a $50 million round of funding for Indian online drug marketplace Netmeds.
Philips uncertain over Lumileds sale to China's Go Scale
Dutch electronics giant Philips has cast doubt on the sale of its LED components and automotive lighting unit to a Chinese private equity consortium as it emerged that US regulators were looking into the deal.
China O2O delivery start-up raises $13m
Matrix Partners and Lightspeed China Partners have committed $13 million in extended Series A round of funding to 123Feng.com, a Chinese start-up provides delivery services for e-commerce and food-ordering platforms.
China car servicing platform Tuhu raises further $50m
Tuhu, a Chinese B2C auto services platform, has raised $50 million in an extended Series C round of funding led by Hillhouse Capital.
GGV seeks $1.1b for VC investments in China, US
GGV Capital is planning to raise up to $1.1 billion across three vehicles – a core venture fund, a top-up vehicle and an early-stage fund – that will target start-up and growth-stage technology deals in China and the US.
Taikang Life leads $220m round for China’s Womai
Taikang Life Insurance has led a $220 million Series C round of funding for Womai.com, an online grocery shop under Chinese state-owned food conglomerate COFCO, valuing the company at approximately $1 billion.
Google invests in VC-backed Chinese start-up Mobvoi
Google has agreed to buy a significant minority stake in Mobvoi, a Chinese voice-activated mobile search services provider, as part of a $75 million Series C round of funding.