Technology
East, Vulcan lead $15m Series A for Singapore's Qapita
Qapita, a Singapore-based provider of software used by start-ups to manage cap tables and employee stock ownership plans (ESOP), has raised $15 million in Series A funding.
India cloud kitchen player Rebel Foods raises $175m
India-based cloud kitchen operator Rebel Foods has raised $175 million in Series F funding, led by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), at a valuation of $1.4 billion.
India's Coinswitch Kuber raises $260m
Indian crypto exchange Coinswitch Kuber is claiming to be the largest app of its kind locally following a $260 million Series C round featuring Andreessen Horowitz at a $1.9 billion valuation.
Indonesia fintech start-up Ajaib achieves unicorn status
Ajaib, an online stock-trading platform in Indonesia, has raised $153 million in a Series B funding round led by DST Global at a valuation of $1 billion.
India's Licious secures $52m Series G
Licious, an India-based online retailer specializing in fresh meat and seafood, claims to have become the country’s first direct-to-consumer (D2C) unicorn following a $52 million Series G round.
Ribbit Capital backs Indonesia's Bank Jago
Global financial technology investor Ribbit Capital has thrown its weight behind Bank Jago, an Indonesia-based digital lender established by local private equity firm Northstar Group.
Chinese EV maker WM Motor raises $300m
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer WM Motor has raised $300 million in the extended Series D round led by Hong Kong telecommunication company PCCW and shipping company Shun Tak Holdings.
Vietnam NFT start-up Axie Infinity raises $152m
Andreessen Horowitz has led a $152 million Series B round for Vietnam-based non-fungible token (NFT) gaming start-up Axie Infinity, also known as Sky Mavis.
Temasek leads $550m round for US cybersecurity player Orca
Singapore’s Temasek Holdings has led a $550 million Series C round for US cybersecurity provider Orca Security that will support an Asia expansion.
Deal focus: Vedantu highlights impact potential in Indian edtech
The latest round for livestreaming teaching app Vedantu reframes India’s swaggering, unicorn-populated edtech sector as the impact opportunity it always was
Deal focus: COVID-19 grows India's Medikabazaar
Pandemic-driven demand for masks, ventilators, and the like has propelled Indian medical equipment operator Medikabazaar to its next stage of development with a global mix of investors
Q&A: Poema Global's Homer Sun
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia’s former CIO explains why he likes special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and what drew him to electric scooter and mobility technology player Gogoro
China SaaS: Path to profitability
COVID-19 has driven enterprise uptake of software-as-a-service solutions in China, but paying customers are still relatively few. Other markets offer some pointers on monetization
Indonesian e-commerce marketplace Ula raises $87m
Ula, a leading B2B e-commerce marketplace in Indonesia, has raised $87 million in a Series B round co-led by Prosus Ventures, Tencent Holdings and B Capital Group.
PE-backed Oyo targets $1.1b India IPO
Oyo, an India-focused budget hotel platform backed by the likes of SoftBank Vision Fund, is looking to raise up to INR84.3 billion ($1.1 billion) through a domestic IPO.
Tiger Global leads $50m round for China's DataCloak
China-based cyber security start-up DataCloak has raised $50 million in an extended Series B round led by Tiger Global Management. Existing investors Matrix Partners China, Jeneration Capital, GL Ventures and GSR Ventures re-upped.
Ex-Quadrant executive launches consumer-tech PE firm
Justin Ryan, who previously led Quadrant Private Equity’s growth capital strategy, has established a private equity firm that will back e-commerce platforms and consumer brands in Australia and New Zealand.
China autonomous sanitation vehicle maker raises $250m
CowaRobot, a Chinese autonomous driving technology developer with an initial focus on sanitation vehicles, has raised $250 million in Series C funding.
TPG, Potentia pursue Australia's Smartgroup
TPG Capital and Potentia Capital have submitted a buyout offer for employee management services provider Smartgroup that values the Australia-listed business at a market capitalization of A$1.38 billon ($993 million).
Thailand's Ascend Money raises $150m
Bangkok-based Ascend Money has raised $150 million from a group of investors including Ant Group, at a valuation of $1.5 billion. It claims to be Thailand’s first financial technology unicorn.
Lightrock leads round for India BNPL player Capital Float
Capital Float, an Indian lending platform now positioning itself as a buy now, pay later (BNPL) specialist, has raised $50 million led by the local unit of UK-based private equity investor Lightrock.
China robotics player Mech-Mind raises $154m
Chinese industrial robotics supplier Mech-Mind has raised nearly RMB1 billion ($154 million) in a Series C funding round led by Meituan and IDG Capital.
EQT backs cybersecurity training business
EQT has invested in EC-Council, a cybersecurity training and certification business established by a Malaysian entrepreneur, through its Asia mid-market fund.