Technology
Sequoia leads $12.5m round for China app tech developer
Sequoia Capital has led a $12.5 million Series B round for Easemob.com, a Chinese provider of mobile communication services, with participation from SIG China and Matrix Partners China.
Chinese celebrities in VC: Profile booster
Chinese celebrities are entering the venture capital space, offering start-ups endorsement as well as financial support. But can a pop star’s cachet translate into long-term sustainable growth?
Fund focus: GSR fuels its global ambition
Bringing overseas technology to China is a popular investment thesis among GPs. However, while the likes of Fosun International and Hony Capital have completed several cross-border deals, this is not their sole proficiency. GSR Capital is therefore an...
Deal focus: NSI Ventures in robot kitchen play
The old proverb is that necessity is the mother of invention, but in an age of robotics it seems that simple inconvenience is enough to give birth to the next great innovation. Such is the case with the Rotimatic, a “robot” invented specifically to...
P2P lender China Rapid Finance gets $35m Series C round
Broadline Capital has led a $35 million Series C round of funding for peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform China Rapid Finance. The investment gives the business a pre-money valuation of $1 billion.
New Zealand’s Booktrack receives $5m Series B round
Booktrack, a New Zealand-based company that provides movie-style soundtracks and ambient audio for eBooks, has raised $5 million in Series B funding led by Coent Venture Partners and Sparkbox Ventures.
India's furniture retailer Pepperfry raises $100m
Online furniture retailer Pepperfry has raised $100 million in Series D funding from a group of investors including Goldman Sachs and Zodius Technology Fund.
VCs invest $4.4m in Japanese filter technology start-up
The state-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), shipping conglomerate investment arm Tsuneishi Partners and Future Venture Capital (FVC) have together invested JPY550 million ($4.4 million) in NanoMist Technologies, creator of a filtering...
Japan's VC-backed Metaps files for IPO
Metaps, a Japanese mobile software developer and IT services start-up backed by a slew of VC investors, has filed for its Tokyo IPO and is expected to raise as much as JPY3.8 billion ($30.6 million).
GSR, Go Scale raise $1b for M&A fund, seek to deploy $5b – update
GSR Capital and its affiliate Go Scale Capital has raised $1 billion for a cross-border buyout and M&A fund, which it hopes will translate into $5 billion worth of dry powder once debt financing and co-investment are factored in.
China P2P lending site Firstp2p raises $41m
Firstp2p, a Chinese online peer-to-peer (P2P) financing site, has raised a $41 million Series B round of funding from San Shan Capital, CITIC Capital and China Equity.
China after-school tutoring app raises $24m
Entstudy.com, a Chinese after-school tutoring mobile app, has raised $24 billion in an extended Series B round from two domestic VC firms: Kun Ling Capital and Sharing Capital.
GGV leads round for China B2B drug retail platform
GGV Capital has led an extended Series A round of funding for Ypzdw.com, a Chinese online B2B drug retail platform. Existing investor Matrix Partners China also participated.
VC-backed China parenting site Babytree raises $300m
Chinese online beauty products retailer Jumei International has led a $300 million round of funding for Babytree, a Chinese parent-focused social platform backed by several VC investors.
DCM closes second Android fund at $100m
DCM has raised $100 million for its second Android-focused fund, which will target start-ups building apps for Google’s mobile operating system.
Leading Capital backs take-private for China’s Mecox Lane
China health, beauty and lifestyle products retailer Mecox Lane has received a take-private offer from majority shareholder Cnshangquan in conjunction with private equity firm Leading Capital. It values the business at approximately $52 million.
Singapore's Qoo10 raises $82.1m Series A
Singapore-based Giosis, which manages e-commerce site Qoo10, has raised $82.1 million in a Series A round led by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH).
Singapore flatbread machine maker raises $11.5m
Zimplistic, the kitchen robotics start-up behind automatic flatbread maker Rotimatic, has raised $11.5 milllion in Series B funding from NSI Ventures and RBVC, the venture capital arm of German electronics multinational Robert Bosch.
Tiger Global, Flipkart commit $12m to India's NestAway
Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart and its backer Tiger Global have together invested INR760 million ($12 million) in online home rentals start-up NestAway.
China angels: Divine intervention
Angel investors, both unsophisticated amateurs and industry-savvy professionals, are flooding into China’s tech sector in search of stellar returns. Everything looks great as long as the market keeps on going up.
Deal focus: Fastacash brings payments everywhere
Digital networks are remaking communication patterns across the world; where people living abroad once relied on postal services and analog telephone lines, now their loved ones are just an instant message away.
Fund focus: Shunwei raises $1b, eyes growth deals
The line between venture and growth capital in China has always been blurred, and in recent years it has become more so as start-ups raise ever larger private rounds. Nevertheless, based on AVCJ Research’s records, with $1 billion at its disposal across...
Vivo Capital leads Series B for China’s cosmetic surgery app
Healthcare specialist Vivo Capital has led a Series B round of funding for Gengmei, a Chinese cosmetic surgery social networking app, with participation from Sequoia Capital.
Innovation Works backs China cycling tracking device
Innovation Works has led a RMB50 million ($8 million) Series A round of funding for Beast Bikes, a Chinese start-up that has developed a cycling tracking device.