Australia
Blackbird hits $193m final close on Australia VC fund
Blackbird Ventures has closed its third Australian VC fund with A$261 million ($193 million) in commitments, split between a core investment vehicle and a top-up fund.
Australia's Blue Sky confirms talks with Oaktree
Blue Sky Alternative Investments has confirmed it is in talks with special situations investor Oaktree Capital Management over a possible investment, as the Australian PE firm seeks to mollify investor concerns regarding possible liquidity issues.
Future Fund backs $200m round for China's Tuya Smart
Australia’s Future Fund has joined a $200 million Series C round of funding for Tuya Smart, a Chinese internet-of-things (IoT) and voice artificial intelligence (AI) platform.
Fund focus: LPs get more choice with Denham
Denham Capital's new fund is intended to grow the GP's exposure to mining assets in Australia and other markets, while giving LPs more freedom to set their own sector allocations
Blackbird leads $40m round for Australia's Culture Amp
Blackbird Ventures has led a $40 million Series D round for Culture Amp, an Australia-based company focused on analytics technology that helps enterprise customers manage staff morale and performance.
Quadrant buys Australia, New Zealand candy brands from Nestle
Quadrant Private Equity has agreed to buy a portfolio of candy brands manufactured in New Zealand from Nestle for an undisclosed sum.
Trans Pacific Partnership: A rising tide
When the US withdrew from the Trans Pacific Partnership, the remaining participants decided to go it alone. Hopes are high that the deal will result in improved business environments across Southeast Asia
Denham closes global mining fund at $558m
Denham Capital, a resources and energy-focused GP, has closed its first global mining fund at $558 million. The vehicle is intended to grow the firm's portfolio in Australia, Canada, South America and Africa.
The Growth Fund buys 50% stake in Australia pilot school
The Growth Fund, an Australian middle market private equity investor spun out from Archer Capital, has paid an undisclosed sum for a 50% stake in domestic pilot training school Soar Aviation.
Telstra Ventures, HarbourVest partner for tech fund
Telstra Ventures, the corporate VC arm of Australian telecom giant Telstra, has teamed up with Hong Kong’s HarbourVest Partners to create a fund focused on technology companies across Asia Pacific and the US.
Tencent, Sequoia join $80m Series B for Australia's Airwallex
Australian financial technology company Airwallex has closed an $80 million Series B funding round with participation from existing investors Tencent Holdings and Sequoia Capital China.
Profile: OneVentures' Michelle Deaker
OneVentures co-founder Michelle Deaker leveraged a background of IT innovation to introduce a much-needed dose of entrepreneurialism into the early days of Australia’s venture capital industry
PE-backed Cushman & Wakefield prepares for US listing
A global commercial property services provider that TPG Capital and PAG Asia Capital created through the merger of Australia’s DTZ with US-based Cassidy Turley and Cushman & Wakefield, has filed for a US IPO.
Macquarie exits 80% stake in Australia wind farm
Macquarie Capital has exited an 80% holding in Australian wind farm project Lal Lal, with Canada-based Northleaf Capital Partners and UK-based Infrared Capital Partners each taking 40% stakes.
Deal focus: Australia’s Propeller reaches new heights
Australian big data start-up Propeller Aero raises $10 million round aimed at developing its aerial data analytics software
LP interview: Cbus' Kristian Fok
Recognizing that strong cash inflows were working against a solely outsourced manager strategy in the alternatives space, Australia’s Cbus picked its key asset classes and devised a direct solution
Oaktree-backed DDH1 makes Australian drilling bolt-on
DDH1, an Australian drilling company backed by Oaktree Capital Management, has acquired 100% of domestic counterpart Strike Drilling as part of a platform-based consolidation plan.
Australia-listed Sirtex accepts CDH's $1.4b buyout offer
Australian medical device manufacturer Sirtex Medical has accepted a A$1.9 billion ($1.4 billion) buyout offer from China’s CDH Investments, pulling the plug on an earlier agreement with US-listed Varian Medical Systems.
Blackbird leads $10m round for Australia's Propeller Aero
Blackbird Ventures has led a $10 million Series A round for Propeller Aero, a cloud-based analytics technology supplier focused on drone use in heavy civil and resources industries.
Fund focus: Anacacia eyes middle-market harvest
Anacacia Capital attracts a record amount from foreign LPs as its third Australia mid-market buyout fund closes at the hard cap of $225 million
Australia's Prospa delays trading after $112m IPO
Prospa, an Australian financial technology company backed by a number of local VCs, has raised A$146.5 million ($112 million) in a domestic IPO. Trading of the stock has been postponed, however, amid a regulatory review.
Key person clauses: Man overboard
The complexity of a private equity firm’s key person clauses – and the number of people they encompass – says much about its institutionalization. The transition is not always easy, for GPs or LPs
Bain makes Australia education bolt-on
Bain Capital Private Equity has acquired Australian child care services provider Little Learning School in a bolt-on to existing portfolio company Only About Children (OAC).
Warburg Pincus launches India BPM platform
Warburg Pincus has established an India-based platform for investment globally in business process management (BPM), an area of enterprise services focused on systems modelling and technical consulting.