Technology
Vision Knight’s institutional upgrade
A mark of a successful first fund is increasing interest from institutional investors in its successor.
CBC, AsiaInfo back China travel solutions provider Baoku
China Broadband Capital (CBC) and telecom software developer AsiaInfo-Linkage have backed a Series A round of funding for Baoku.com, a Beijing-based travel solutions provider.
VC-backed China cosmetics retailer Jumei targets $400m IPO
Sequoia Capital investee Jumei International Holding, which claims to be China’s leading online retailer of beauty products, is seeking to raise up to $400 million through a NASDAQ IPO.
China’s AutoNavi agrees to be acquired by Alibaba
AutoNavi Holdings, a Chinese digital mapping and navigation firm, has agreed to be acquired by Alibaba Group in a deal valuing the NASDAQ-listed company at $1.5 billion.
DCM commits $9m to China's DerbySoft
DCM has committed $9 million in a Series D round of funding for DerbySoft, a Chinese hotel technology solutions provider.
Japan's B Dash Ventures backs photo curation site Iemo
Japanese VC firm B Dash Ventures has invested an undisclosed sum in Iemo, an interior design-focused photo site.
Meridian Capital backs China Wi-Fi solutions provider
Chao WiFi, a Chinese Wi-Fi services provider, has received RMB15 million ($2.4 million) in Series A funding from Meridian Capital.
Lightspeed leads Series B round for China P2P lender PPDai
Lightspeed China Partners has led a Series B round of funding for PPDai, which claims to be China’s first and largest peer-to-peer lending (P2P) platform. Other investors include Sequoia Capital and US-listed wealth management firm Noah Holdings.
Jack Ma joins $1b investment in VC-backed Wasu Media
Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma and several co-investors have agreed to buy a 20% stake in Wasu Media Holdings, a Hangzhou-based digital media operator backed by several VC firms, for RMB6.54 billion ($1.06 billion).
IDG, China Growth Capital invest in job site HunterOn
HunterOn.com, a Chinese online recruitment website, has secured a Series A round of funding from IDG Capital Partners and China Growth Capital.
PE-backed Digital Horizon to list via reverse merger
Beijing Digital Horizon Technology, a Chinese mobile social networking service (SNS) provider backed by Infinity Group and other VC investors, intends to list on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange through a reverse merger with Hangzhou New Century Information...
India's Ineda Systems raises $17m Series B round
Ineda Systems, a US and India-based developer of chip components targeting the wearable and internet of things (IoT) segment, has raised a $17 million round of Series B funding led by Walden-Riverwood Ventures.
Vertex leads round for Southeast Asia taxi-booking app
Vertex Ventures, a unit of Temasek Holdings, has led a round of funding for GrabTaxi, a taxi booking app set up in Malaysia that is looking to continue its expansion into other Southeast Asian markets.
China healthcare: Innovation issues
There is plenty of buzz about investment in Chinese healthcare but the pharmaceuticals segment has yet to fulfill its promise as an R&D hub. Should PE and VC investors be looking for different angles?
Japan Industrial Partners exits Yutaka Electric
Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) has exited electrical component manufacturer Yutaka Electric to GlassOne, a manufacturer of touch screen panels for tablets and smart phones.
India's Avendus, Zodius launch $500m tech fund
Indian financial services company Avendus Capital has partnered with PE firm Zodius Capital to launch a $500 million fund targeting technology companies.
VC-backed Chinese package tour platform files for US IPO
Tuniu, a Chinese online package tour provider backed by DCM, Temasek Holdings, Gobi Partners and Sequoia Capital, is seeking to raise up to $120 million through a US IPO.
BVCF raises $200m for third China life sciences fund
BVCF, a China life sciences-focused PE firm, has reached a final close of $200 million on its third fund.
Intel Capital plans $100m China smart device fund
Intel Capital, the venture capital unit of chipmaker Intel, has launched a $100 million China fund to help accelerate the growth of smart devices.
Kingsoft commits $90m to VC-backed file-sharing service Xunlei
Chinese software developer Kingsoft Corporation will invest $90 million in Xunlei, a file-sharing service backed by a string of VC firms including Morningside Technologies, IDG Ventures and Ceyuan Ventures.
China online liquor retailer raises $68m
Jiuxian.com, a Chinese e-commerce site that sells wines and spirits, has raised RMB425 million ($68 million) across two rounds of funding.
ChrysCapital in cross-border IT play
LiquidHub might be described as characteristic of all ChrysCapital’s investments in the IT segment, yet at the same time the US and India-based digital consultancy represents the complete reverse of any other deal the PE firm has done.
ClearVue keeps it fresh with Fruitday
“Surprisingly, the price of imported fruit is not necessary always more expensive than local fruit,” observes Harry Hui, managing partner of ClearVue Partners. “The reason is that in developed countries, the agricultural productivity is higher than...
Singapore VC: Silicon dreams
Buoyed by government support and increasing private sector interest, Singapore has created a legion of tech start-ups that now require further investment. Can it become Southeast Asia’s answer to Silicon Valley?