500 Startups
500 Startups, UN launch Indonesia accelerator
500 Startups has teamed up with a unit of the United Nations to launch an impact-focused start-up accelerator in Indonesia.
Korea start-ups: The graduates
Korea’s start-ups are internationalizing and becoming more technically advanced as the ecosystem matures. A rapidly multiplying flock of local VCs will have to do the same to keep up with them
Japanese space robot developer gets Series A round
Gitai, a Japanese start-up that is developing robots that can replace astronauts on low-orbit space missions, has raised $4.1 million in Series A funding.
Japan's Coral Capital names new partner
Coral Capital, formerly 500 Startups Japan, has named Google Japan’s head of start-ups and strategic relations Ken Nishimura (pictured) as a partner and chief editor.
Portfolio company boards: Gurus wanted
Filling board seats for portfolio companies is more art than science in both private equity and venture capital. Investors must approach the challenge with flexible playbooks
Japanese cooking robot developer raises Series A
Global Brain has led a JPY8.5 billion ($7.8 million) Series A round for Connected Robotics, a Japanese robotics developer that specializes in cooking.
500 Startups launches second Korea fund
500 Startups has launched its second Korea fund focused on early-stage technology companies in the country.
Asia's lower-tier cities: New horizons
PE and VC players are slowly discovering the investment and business expansion opportunities in the lower-tier cities of developing Asia. Risk-reward calculations are becoming more complex in the process
Japan VC: Positive energy
Japan’s quiet venture capital space is booming within its own borders. Signs of a stronger exit market and an exuberant influx of corporate involvement are encouraging themes, but they will play out slowly
500 Startups Japan rebrands, launches $45m fund
The Japan-based team of 500 Startups has spun out a separate firm called Coral Capital and announced a debut fund with about $45 million in commitments.
AirAsia sets up venture capital fund
Malaysia’s AirAsia has launched a venture capital fund in partnership with US-based 500 Startups that will focus on digital Southeast Asian businesses in travel, logistics and financial technology.
American Express buys Japan's Pocket Concierge
American Express has acquired Pocket Concierge, a Japanese digital services provider for the restaurant industry backed by several domestic venture capital firms.
Taiwan start-ups must think globally - AVCJ Forum
Taiwanese entrepreneurs should leverage local technology talent and use their home market as a testing ground for products and services that have global appeal, industry participants told the AVCJ Taiwan Forum.
500 Startups closes Vietnam fund at $14m
500 Startups has closed its Vietnam-focused early-stage VC fund at $14 million, beating a target of $10 million.
Mixed impact on exits as early-stage VC heats up – AVCJ Forum
VCs face new challenges and opportunities in exit markets across Asia as later-stage investors and strategic players participate more deeply in early-stage ecosystems.
Operational value-add: Active duty
VCs are under pressure to improve operational capacity as competition heats up in Asia’s start-up ecosystems. Methodologies filtering over from the US are finding both disciples and skeptics
Beijing blockchain gaming platform receives $40m
Cocos-BCX, a Beijing-based blockchain game development platform, has raised $40 million from a group of strategic and VC investors to support its expansion plans.
Square Peg leads $30m Series B for Indonesia's FinAccel
Square Peg Capital has led a $30 million Series B round for Indonesian financial technology start-up FinAccel to support its national and regional expansion.
Japan robotics: Friendly faces
Japan’s home robotics industry is still in its early stages, and considerable work is required to create devices that can both appeal to everyday consumers and meaningfully contribute to their lives
Rakuten, EDBI lead $85m round for classifieds player Carousell
Rakuten Ventures and EDBI have led an $85 million Series C funding round for Singapore’s Carousell, an online flea market shopping app operator.
Indonesia VC: Levels of comfort
For all the fervor about technology opportunities in Indonesia, independent local VC firms are thin on the ground. Traditional LPs want to see more evidence of performance before getting involved
VCs should favor originality in SE Asia start-ups - AVCJ Forum
International venture capital firms are misguided in their attempts to find established parallels for Southeast Asian businesses in other markets because they could end up missing out on true innovation, industry participants told the AVCJ Indonesia Forum.
Indonesia tech: Sleeping giant
Bullishness around Indonesia’s young online economy has been encouraged by a handful of VC-backed homeruns and promising demographics. Achieving scale in new business models remains a sticking point
Q&A: 500 Startups' Khailee Ng
Khailee Ng, a managing partner with 500 Startups in Southeast Asia, discusses the rising demand for start-up exposure in Indonesia, the prospects for the country’s four unicorns, and exit opportunities