Technology
Walden to launch $100m India semiconductor start-ups fund
Walden International will launch a fund to invest in Indian semiconductor-related start-ups. It already manages a similar vehicle focused on China.
Matrix makes a booking with Stayzilla
The travel e-commerce market in India is booming but the technology which has made it possible is also leaving many behind. This is particularly visible is the hotel booking segment, where transactions frequently break down because establishments don't...
Apax adds to global outsourcing exposure
"Including GlobalLogic, Apax funds would have invested about $1.5 billion of equity in the outsourcing space in a number of transactions around the world," says Shashank Singh, partner at Apax Partners and head of their India office. "Technology spend...
People's Daily to buy Sequoia-backed online literacy platform
People.cn, a Chinese online newspaper run by state-owned People’s Daily, intends to purchase a 69.25% stake in Kanshu.com, an online book reading platform backed by Sequoia Capital, for RMB249 million ($40.8 million).
OzForex shares jump on debut following $416m IPO
OzForex Group - an Australian online foreign exchange services provider backed by The Carlyle Group, Accel Partners and Macquarie Group - saw its shares jump nearly 30% on its first day of trading following a A$440 million ($416 million) IPO.
Matrix, Valara invest $150m in New Zealand's Xero
New Zealand-based online accounting software company Xero has raised a NZ$180 million ($150 million) round from existing backers Matrix Capital Management and Valara Ventures. The transaction was priced at $15.10 per share for 9.92 million shares - representing...
Sequoia commits $4m to India's Idea Device
Data center automation company Idea Device has raised $4 million in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital.
Alibaba will not pursue Hong Kong listing
Alibaba Group has decided not to pursue a Hong Kong IPO after efforts to persuade the exchange to accommodate a shareholding structure that allows management to retain control of the business met with a lukewarm response. It is unclear where the listing...
IDG, Inventus lead $2m Series A for India's Unbxd
IDG Venture India and Inventus Capital Partners have led a $2 million Series A round of investment in Unbxd, a product recommendation platform for e-commerce companies.
India's Flipkart raises additional $160m
Online retailer Flipkart has raised an additional $160 million in Series E funding from new investors Sofina, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Dragoneer Investment Group and Vulcan Capital, along with participation from existing investor Tiger Global.It...
Apax buys VC-backed IT developer GlobalLogic
Apax Partners is to acquire a majority stake in outsourced software product developer GlobalLogic (GL) in an all secondary deal. It has agreed to buyout existing investors WestBridge Capital, New Atlantic Ventures (NAV), New Enterprise Associates (NEA),...
China shopping search portal B5M raises $16m round
ClearVue Partners has led a $16 million Series B round of investment in Chinese shopping portal B5M.
Sierra Ventures leads Series C round for China's Social Touch
Chinese social marketing services provider Social Touch has raised $10 million in Series C funding from a group of investors led by Sierra Ventures. Legend Capital and GGV Capital, which backed the company in its previous two rounds, also participated....
VC-backed Eneres in $25m Japan IPO
Eneres, a venture capital-backed energy resources management firm, saw its stock more than double to JPY717 on its first day of trading in Tokyo yesterday following a JPY2.5 billion ($25 million) IPO.
Japan online fish seller raises $1.5m VC round
Hachimenroppi, a Japanese firm that operates an IT-enabled fresh fish distribution platform, has secured a JPY150 million ($1.5 million) round of investment from Pygmalion No 2, a venture fund managed by Tokyo-based firm Value Create. Two strategic investors...
Creador makes SE Asia e-payment breakthrough
Creador spent a couple of years looking for ways to enter Southeast Asia’s electronic payments space without much success. “We are a firm believer that there is a shift from cash to credit and debit solutions and e-commerce will push this to the next...
China retail: Asset-heavy to asset-light
Facing competition from e-commerce platforms, China’s traditional offline retailers are moving online – and the ideal combination is a combination of the two. PE investors are seeking opportunity in the disruption
Online tourism: Ticket to ride
Online tourism is on the rise in emerging Asia and numerous venture-backed businesses are looking to hitch a ride on the consumer growth trend. The key is finding the right niche
J-Star buys 'fourth hand' Primagest
Primagest, a firm whose primary business is using optical character recognition (OCR) to turn documents in data, appears every bit the tech-savvy up and comer. However, it has been doing the same thing – in one form or another – for 45 years.
Singapore payment platform Fastacash receives Series A round
Fastacash, a Singapore-based social payments platform, has raised a $3 million in Series A round from Jungle Ventures, Spring Seeds Capital and Hong Kong-based Funding the Future (FTF).
Jungle Ventures backs mobile monetization platform Pokkt
Singapore-based Jungle Ventures has invested an undisclosed amount in Pokkt, a mobile platform that helps digital content developers and publishers monetize their user base through an advertiser-funded model. Angel investor Samir Bangara also participated...
INCJ, VCs back Japan big data firm Smart Insight
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) is to invest up to JPY1 billion ($10.3 million) in Smart Insight Corp, a big data analysis software developer for the corporate sector. The business has also secured JPY400 million from Energy & Environment...
IDG, Temasek-backed mobile game operator eyes $123m HK IPO
Singapore-based mobile game developer I Got Games (IGG), which is backed by IDG Technology Venture Investment and Temasek Holdings, intends to raise as much as HK$950 million ($123 million) through an IPO in Hong Kong.
J-Star ups stake in Primagest
Japanese GP J-Star has completed its acquisition of a majority stake in image processing firm Primagest. The financial details of this second tranche of investment were not disclosed, but a source with direct knowledge of the matter said the mid-market...