Technology
Baring Asia adds leverage to Hexaware acquisition
HT Global IT Solutions Holdings, an affiliate of Baring Asia, has pledged its entire stake in Indian business processing outsourcing (BPO) firm Hexaware Technologies with Standard Chartered Bank to help pay for its acquisition.
Jafco Asia leads Series B round for US games developer
Japanese venture capital investor Jafco Asia has led a Series B round of funding for US games developer Playnery. The value of the transaction was not disclosed.
VCs to take Kingsoft across borders, platforms
Hong Kong-listed software developer Kingsoft is not in desperate need of capital. It posted a net profit of RMB466.4 million ($76.6 million) in 2012, up 39% year-on-year, and its cash reserves stood at RMB2.4 billion for the year. Furthermore, in July...
Asia Awards: VC Professional of the Year – Richard Liu
Richard Liu has spent 14 years investing in tech, media and telecom for Morningside Technologies. He has witnessed increasing competition, ups and downs in e-commerce, and the rise of the domestic super angel
Itochu, Mizuho back Japan restaurant finder app
Itochu Ventures and Mizuho Capital have led a JPY330 million ($3.2 million) Series B round of funding for Retty, the Japanese start-up behind the restaurant app of the same name.
PE firms bid for CVCI-owned BPO firm SourceHOV - report
Apax Partners, The Carlyle Group and Baring Private Equity Asia are said to be among bidders for SourceHOV, a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm jointly owned by Citigroup Venture Capital International (CVCI) and Mumbai-listed HOV Services.
MBK Partners sells Japan-based Invoice to Lone Star
MBK Partners has fully exited Invoice, Japan’s largest telecom bill aggregation service provider, to Lone Star Funds. The sale price was not disclosed but sources close to the deal said the North Asia-focused private equity firm had generated a 2.5x money...
Nazara Technologies launches gaming-focused seed fund
Indian mobile games developer and publisher Nazara Technologies has launched a seed stage fund to back game developers.
IvyCap leads $5m round for India's Aujas Networks
IvyCap Ventures has led a INR310 million ($5 million) round of funding for Aujas Networks, an information risk management (IRM) service provider. Existing investor IDG Ventures India, along with new entrant Rajasthan Venture Capital Fund (RVCF), also...
Orchid Asia-backed Autohome sets terms for $126m US IPO
Autohome, a Chinese online automobile marketplace in which Orchid Asia is an investor, plans to raise up to $125.9 million through an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. The private equity firm will not be exiting any shares through the offering.
China's CBC invests in travel website Breadtrip
China Broadband Capital (CBC) has provided a Series B round of funding for Breadtrip.com, an online travel platform. The company has now raised about $10 million across two rounds.
US retailer Target to launch India accelerator
Target plans to launch a corporate incubator in Bangalore in January 2014. The Target Accelerator Program will give Indian start-ups specializing in big data, content aggregation, mobility and search up to $30,000 in funding.
Northern Light backs Chinese analytics provider TalkingData
Northern Light Venture Capital has provided $10 million in Series A funding to TalkingData, a Chinese mobile data analytics provider. The company plans to use the new capital to enhance its product offerings in mobile gaming, advertising, e-commerce and...
India agritech: Green shoots
India’s agricultural sector is fast-growing but inefficient. Private equity is well positioned to capitalize on the need for better technology, information and distribution
Kingsoft receives $50m from Morningside, GGV, Shunwei
Kingsoft Office Software, an office suite that competes with Microsoft Office, has received $50 million in commitments from Morningside Technologies, GGV Capital and Shunwei China Internet Fund.
China's 500.com jumps 54% on NYSE debut
Shares in VC-backed 500.com gained 54% as the Chinese online sports lottery provider made its US trading debut on Friday. The stock peaked at $21.85 before closing at $20.01, valuing the company at $700 million.
Baring Asia backs $2.8b Giant Interactive take-private
Baring Private Equity Asia is supporting a management buyout of Chinese online game developer Giant Interactive Group that values the New York Stock Exchange-listed company at approximately $2.8 billion. If the deal goes through it would be the second-largest...
Sungy Mobile stock closes up 19% after $78.5m US IPO
Sungy Mobile, a Chinese app developer backed by IDG Capital Partners, JAFCO, WI Harper and China Broadband Capital (CBC), saw its stock jump 19% on its first day of trading on NASDAQ to close at $13.35.
Sequoia backs China CRM platform Xiaoshouyi
Sequoia Capital has provided a Series A round of funding for Xiaoshouyi, a Chinese customer relationship management (CRM) platform.
Nissay, Globis, SMBC invest $3m in Japan's Itandi
Japanese VC investors Nissay Capital, Globis Capital and SMBC Ventures have committed JPY300 million ($2.9 million) to Itandi, an IT solutions provider to the real estate industry.
Phillip PE leads Series B round for Singapore's Clozette
Phillip Private Equity has led a $3 million Series B round for Singapore-based fashion shopping network Clozette.co, with participation from existing backers Walden International and several angel investors.
India's VC-backed Qubecell acquired by mobile payments company Boku
Mobile billing aggregator Qubecell, which is backed by Kae Capital, Blume Ventures, Mumbai Angels and TA Ventures, has been acquired by San Francisco-based Boku.
Tencent an investor in Snapchat – report
Tencent reportedly made a minority investment in video messaging app Snapchat in June.
Indian T-shirt design crowd-sourcing platform gets VC funding
Mumbai-based online apparel retailer VoxPopClothing has raised $400,000 in funding from Blume Ventures and other unnamed investors.