Technology
India's InsuranceDekho raises $60m
Indian online insurance policy comparison and brokerage service InsuranceDekho has raised USD 60m in a Series B round featuring Goldman Sachs.
Japan's Beyond Next raises $67m for third VC fund
Japanese deep tech investor Beyond Next Ventures has achieved a first close of JPY 10bn (USD 67.1m) on its third flagship fund. The target is JPY 25bn.
IFC leads $24m Series B for India's Onsurity
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has led a USD 24m Series B round for Indian employee healthcare insurance start-up Onsurity.
State-linked investors back Series D for China's DataCanvas
DataCanvas, a China-based artificial intelligence-driven (AI) big data solutions provider, has raised CNY 300m (USD 41m) in a first tranche of Series D funding with strong support from investors with ties to national-level state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
Hong Kong blockchain fund raises $100m
Hong Kong blockchain specialist CMCC Global has reached a first close on its latest financial technology and web3 fund, raising the full targeted amount of USD 100m.
China's Leadrive raises $81m Series D
Legend Capital and Oriza FoFs have led a CNY 600m (USD 81m) Series D round for Leadrive, a Shanghai-headquartered manufacturer of semiconductor power modules and motor control units used in electric vehicles (EVs).
MTR Lab, Gobi back Hong Kong construction tech start-up
MTR Lab, a technology and innovation arm of Hong Kong transport operator MTR, has teamed up with Gobi Partners to invest HKD 46.8m (USD 5.9m) in local sustainable construction start-up isBIM.
China-US consumer brand accelerator raises $58m
SuperOrdinary, a global consumer brands accelerator that operates out of Shanghai, New York, and Los Angeles, has raised USD 58m in Series B funding at a valuation of more than USD 800m.
SparkLabs launches US-listed SPAC
SparkLabs Group, which operates a network of start-up accelerators and venture capital funds with a strong presence in Asia, has raised USD 100m through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) offering on NASDAQ.
Japan's WiL joins $27m round for health platform Micin
Japan-US cross-border investor World Innovation Lab (WiL) has joined a JPY 4bn (USD 27.3m) Series C round for Tokyo-based telemedicine and health platform Micin.
India's True North commits $75m to iLink Digital
True North has agreed to pay USD 75m for a minority stake in iLink Digital, a digital transformation service provider founded in the US by two Indian entrepreneurs.
Indonesia fintech platform Investree gets $231m Series D
Investree Group, operator of a series of lending platforms that target micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Southeast Asia, has raised EUR 220m (USD 231m) in Series D funding.
Deal focus: Bolttech benefits from running start
Bolttech has pieced together one of the world’s largest digital insurance broking platforms through targeted acquisitions. Now, increased emphasis is attached to expansion from broking into underwriting
Taiwan streaming platform set for Singapore SPAC merger
17Live, a VC-backed Taiwan-based streaming platform that previously tried and failed to list in the US, is set to become the first company to list in Singapore through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
Mars Growth Capital launches Asia tech fund
Singapore’s Mars Growth Capital, a tech investor set up in 2021 by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and Liquidity Group, has launched its maiden Asia equity fund with an initial USD 500m.
Deal focus: GPs change channel on content streaming
The Fundamentum Group sees mass-market promise in Indian digital audio platform Kuku FM. It’s targeting a 50% market share by focusing on uniquely local content in vernacular languages
China VC: Amicable divorces
Regulatory pressures are encouraging Chinese VC firms to end longstanding US affiliations, but the impact of impending legislation – even sight unseen – cuts deeper into investor sentiment on China
Singapore green hydrogen player gets $115m
Singapore-based InterContinental Energy, a company developing green hydrogen fuel projects in Australia and the Middle East, has raised USD 115m from GIC and specialist investor Hy24.
L Catterton backs beauty industry biotech supplier
L Catterton has led a CNY 200m (USD 27m) Series B round for Trautec, a China-based biotech start-up that develops synthetic proteins used in beauty and healthcare products.
China's Enflame secures $273m Series D
Shanghai International Group (SIG) – acting through an assortment of investment units – has led a CNY 2bn (USD 273m) Series D round for Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer Enflame Technology.
Bain pursues $147m acquisition of Japan's System Information
Bain Capital has agreed to acquire Tokyo-listed Systems Information (SI&C) via a tender offer that values the software and IT provider at about JPY 22bn (USD 147m).
Australia SaaS platform Neara upsizes Series B
Australia’s Neara, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that helps power companies simulate natural disaster scenarios, has closed a USD 24m Series B round featuring Prosus Ventures.
China healthcare AI start-up Huimei gets $41m Series D
Eastern Bell Capital has led a Series D round of more than CNY 300m (USD 41m) for Huimei Cloud Technology, a China-based provider of artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) software that helps doctors make clinical decisions.
Profile: Venturra’s John Riady
A millennial member of one of Indonesia’s most prominent family business groups, John Riady became a VC investor in 2011. He has witnessed a nascent digital economy begin to fulfil its promise