Technology
Brookfield backs Sequoia China's new economy infra fund
Sequoia Capital China has raised a new economy infrastructure fund – which will invest in the likes of logistics, data centres, and life science parks – with Brookfield serving as the largest LP.
Hong Kong's Animoca Brands raises $359m at $5b valuation
US-based Liberty City Ventures has led a USD 359m round for Hong Kong blockchain media company Animoca Brands at a pre-money valuation of USD 5bn, more than double its valuation in October.
India digital wealth manager secures $75m Series D
Indian personal finance app INDmoney has raised USD 75m in Series D funding from Steadview Capital, Tiger Global Management, and Dragoneer Investment Group.
China's Dishangtie Car Rental raises $200m
Dishangtie Car Rental, a Shenzhen-based electric vehicle (EV) rental service, has raised a USD 200m Series D round across two tranches featuring CICC Capital.
Impact investors commit $60m to India agtech platform
Quona Capital, Lightrock India, and Asia Impact SA have co-led a USD 60m Series C round for Indian agriculture technology platform Arya.
4Q analysis: Record quarter, record year
China rebounds as Asia private equity investment ends 2021 with a bang; bright spots in improving fundraising environment; sponsor-to-sponsor exits thrive while PE-backed IPOs stumble
Metaverse: Too concrete to ignore
As lives lived online find a virtual world to call home, investors, brands, governments, corporations, and accountants follow them in. Real estate, avatars, and new ideas are in demand. Goggles are not
Fund focus: Ince eyes global entrepreneurs
Blockchain, hardware, and entrepreneurs going global are on the agenda for Ince Capital Partners’ second fund, which closed above target despite LPs getting spooked by the tech sector crackdown
Global Brain, Mitsubishi launch $44m VC fund
Japan’s Global Brain and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation have established a corporate VC fund that aims to invest JPY 5bn (USD 43.7m) globally over the next 10 years. Global Brain will act as manager.
China GPs emphasize consumer sector opportunities
Policy volatility in China has prompted many investors to eschew consumer-facing business models in favour of B2B plays like deep-tech, but sector specialists still see opportunity, the Hong Kong Venture Capital & Private Equity Association’s (HKVCA)...
Novo Tellus targets $111m Singapore SPAC
Novo Tellus Capital Partners, a Southeast Asia-based private equity firm that focuses on middle-market industrial technology opportunities, has filed to list a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in Singapore.
MBK to buy control of Korea e-commerce solutions provider
MBK Partners has agreed to buy a controlling stake in KoreaCenter, a Korea-based e-commerce services provider, for KRW 491.7bn (USD 429.8m) across several equity and debt transactions.
China 5G chip designer Eigencomm raises $157m
SoftBank Vision Fund II has led a CNY 1bn (USD 157m) Series C for Shanghai-based chipmaker Eigencomm, with participation from new investors Cathay Capital, CoStone Capital, Chobe Capital, and GF Qianhe, a unit of GF Securities.
Apis invests $50m in Singapore loyalty program start-up
Apis Partners has invested USD 50m in Singapore-based loyalty program management and development services provider Giift.
Indonesia's Pluang doubles Series B to $110m
Indonesian micro-savings and micro-investment app Pluang has raised USD 55m in Series B funding led by Accel. It follows a USD 55m Series B investment led by Square Peg Capital last year.
PE consortium cuts 51job take-private offer by 28%
A private equity consortium pursuing a take-private of US-listed Chinese online recruitment platform 51job has cut its offer price by 28%, citing deteriorating market conditions, regulatory tightening in China, and the continuing impact of COVID-19.
China plant-based protein player Starfield raises $100m
Primavera Capital Group has led a USD 100m Series B for Starfield, a Chinese producer of plant-based meats.
India waste management software provider secures $22m
Recykal, a software provider for the waste management and recycling industries, has raised USD 22m in funding led by Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure.
MDI leads $108m round for Indonesia's KoinWorks
MDI Ventures, the VC arm of Telkom Indonesia, has led a USD 108m Series C round for Indonesia P2P lending platform KoinWorks.
Indonesia's eFishery raises $90m Series C
Temasek Holdings, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Sequoia Capital India have co-led a USD 90m Series C round for Indonesian aquaculture technology start-up eFishery.
Fund focus: Eastern Bell targets digitalisation
As a supply chain specialist, Eastern Bell Capital claims to have a differentiated take on China industrial digitalisation. It has USD 800m in dry powder to prove this thesis
Fund focus: Northstar navigates fundraising doldrums
Like many GPs, Northstar Group found fundraising difficult but deployment fruitful during the darkest days of pandemic uncertainty. Pausing the virtual roadshow for its latest vintage proved shrewd
Profile: Alkemi Growth Capital's Alka Goel
A trail of haphazard jobs helped flesh out Alka Goel’s adventurousness and people skills before she established Indian healthcare and wellness specialist Alkemi Growth Capital
Tiger Global leads Series B for India's Avataar
Tiger Global Management has led a USD 45m Series B round for India’s Avataar, a company that uses 3D augmented reality (AR) displays to help e-commerce customers browse large items online.