automobiles
J-Star acquires Japan auto parts company
Japan’s J-Star has acquired a controlling stake in domestic auto parts remanufacturing company Honest for an undisclosed sum.
Hyundai backs Series B for India's Revv
Hyundai Motor has led a $14.2 million Series B funding round for Revv, an Indian car rental start-up backed by Edelweiss Private Equity.
Autonomous vehicles: Driving ambition
Asia’s driverless car space has become an increasingly popular investment destination in recent years, but a number of significant challenges must be resolved for the sector to gain widespread social acceptance
MSPEA abandons China auto parts privatization
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) has abandoned its $172 million bid, launched nearly a year ago, to acquire NASDAQ-listed power steering components supplier China Automotive Systems.
Rohatyn-backed Sansera files for India IPO
Indian automotive and aerospace parts manufacturer Sansera Engineering has filed for an IPO that will provide a partial exit for its private equity backer The Rohatyn Group (TRG).
Chinese electric car maker Nio files for US IPO
China’s Nio, an electric vehicle (EV) maker backed by a number of private equity firms, has filed for an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange that is expected to be the largest US listing for a Chinese car company to date.
Samsung to expand VC program in $22b innovation drive
Korea’s Samsung has committed KRW25 trillion ($22 billion) to a technology innovation drive that will focus strongly on domestic R&D and include an expansion of the company’s venture incubation program.
Chinese electric car maker Xpeng raises $587m
Primavera Capital Group and Morningside Ventures have led a RMB4 billion ($587 million) Series B-plus funding round for Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng Motors, working alongside the company’s chairman and CEO, Xiaopeng He.
Lightspeed, Blue Run back Chinese mapping player Wayz.ai
Lightspeed China Partners and Blue Run Ventures have participated in an $80 million Series A funding round for Wayz.ai, a Chinese smart mapping service provider.
Tata completes first exit from Opportunities Fund
Tata Capital has completed its first exit from the Tata Opportunities Fund, securing an IRR of over 50% and a 6x gross multiple through the IPO of auto components manufacturer Varroc Engineering.
Booking.com owner invests $500m in China’s Didi
Booking Holdings, which operates a number of online travel businesses including Booking.com, has invested $500 million in Didi Chuxing, a Chinese ride-hailing company with substantial PE and VC backing.
Chinese car transaction services platform targets $150m US IPO
Cango, a private equity-backed Chinese automotive transaction services platform that brings together car dealerships, buyers, and financial institutions, is seeking to raise up to $150 million through a US IPO.
China's Pony.ai adds $112m to Series A round
ClearVue Partners and Eight Roads Ventures have led a $112 million investment in China and US-based autonomous driving technology developer Pony.ai that brings the start-up’s total Series A funding to $214 million.
Jafco leads $11m round for Japan, US-based Trillium
Jafco has led an $11 million funding round for Trillium, a cybersecurity company focused on the autonomous vehicle industry based in Japan and the US.
Deal focus: Byton plans China luxury breakthrough
Legend Capital-backed Byton plans to pursue global expansion in the luxury electric car market with the help of a $500 million Series B round
China Growth Capital leads round for Cheduoduo
China Growth Capital has led a $17.7 million Series A round of funding for Cheduoduo, a newly launched Chinese used car trading platform, with participation from Source Code Capital.
PE-backed Craftsman files for India IPO
Indian automobile and heavy equipment component manufacturer Craftsman Automation has filed for an IPO. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Standard Chartered Private Equity will make partial exits in the offering.
Chinese smart vehicle start-up raises $500m
Byton, a China-based manufacturer of smart electric cars backed by Legend Capital, has secured a $500 million Series B funding round from a group of domestic strategic investors.
China's Chezhibao, Tiantian Paiche secure funding
Two Chinese online used car trading platforms – Chezhibao and Tiantian Paiche (TTP) – have received a combined $225 million in funding, continuing the flood of private capital into the space.
Deal focus: Hahn & Co finds its place in auto retail
Hahn & Co has completed carve-outs of a used-car retailer from SK Group and a car rental business from CJ Group with a view to pursuing consolidation in Korea's automobile retail and services space
US, China-based Protean gets $40m Series E
Chinese automotive industry supplier Weifu High Technology Group has led a $40 million Series E round for Protean Electric, a US and China-based auto equipment developer backed by a number of VC investors.
Digital Garage, Toyota lead $30m round for India's Droom
Digital Garage and Toyota Tsusho, a division of Japanese automotive giant Toyota Group, have co-led a $30 million Series D round for Indian used-car trading marketplace Droom.
Chinese autonomous driving start-up gets $128m Series A
Roadstar.ai, a Chinese start-up that specializes in autonomous driving technology, has received $128 million in Series A funding led by Shenzhen Capital Group and Wu Capital.
Singapore's Carro gets $60m Series B
Singapore-based automotive marketplace operator Carro has received a $60 million Series B funding round led by Softbank Ventures Korea, Insignia Ventures Partners and B Capital Group.