Axiom Asia Private Capital
China fundraising: Zombie apocalypse?
A pullback by US investors is exacerbating difficult fundraising conditions in China. Most managers are either delaying their return to the market or pulling every lever to secure commitments
Fund finance: Filling Asia’s SVB void
Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse has prompted Asia-based GPs to review their relationships with lenders, for fund finance and general banking. Smaller managers may find the process challenging
Altos, Mirae Asset re-up Korea's Kream in $39m round
Altos Ventures and Mirae Asset Capital have each made their third investment in the past 18 months in Korean e-commerce player Kream, with the latest round amounting to KRW 50.6bn (USD 38.8m).
Data sovereignty: Compliance complex
Deglobalisation is broadening the concept of cyber risk management from simply preventing attacks to navigating a minefield of data regulations. The pressure on PE spans investment, operations, and exits
Hesai gains 11% on debut after $190m US offering
Hesai Technology, a China-based developer of sensors used in autonomous driving, traded up on debut after completing the largest US IPO by a Chinese company since Didi in 2021.
Deal focus: TR leads $150m multi-asset secondary for India's Samara
TR Capital first worked with Samara Capital on a single-asset continuation fund for Sapphire Foods India – and saw the local Yum Brands franchisor go public about three months after the deal was announced. It has now reunited with Samara for what amounts...
Axiom, Pavilion back Japan climate tech start-up Asuene
Axiom Asia and Temasek Holdings-controlled Pavilion Capital have joined a USD 20m Series B round for Asuene, a Japan-based climate technology start-up that helps companies track carbon emissions.
Korea's Viva Republica raises USD 225m
Viva Republica, operator of the Korean money transfer app Toss, has raised KRW 296bn (USD 225.5m) in series G funding from an investor group that includes Altos Ventures, Goodwater Capital, Greyhound Capital, and Kleiner Perkins.
China secondaries: Liquidity play
Under pressure to generate returns amid a challenging fundraising environment, Chinese GPs are beginning to revise pricing expectations to get traction with continuation funds
Virtual reporting: Lost in translation
GP-LP reporting in the age of remote portfolio assessments and stilted video catchups leaves much to be desired. Both sides are trying to bridge the divide, but no best-practice approach has emerged
Asia fundraising: Fortune favors the bold?
LPs cannot survive indefinitely on re-ups and new commitments to managers they know well. Questions are being asked internally as to what it would take to back an Asian GP sight unseen
Asian fund-of-funds: Local linchpins
The Asian fund-of-funds community has shrunk considerably over the last 10 years as a result of M&A, withdrawals and repositioning. How do the survivors, from Axiom Asia and Asia Alternatives down, deliver value to LPs?
Axiom closes latest Asia fund-of-funds at $1.8b
Axiom Asia has closed its sixth pan-regional fund-of-funds at the hard cap of $1.8 billion, claiming that the economic fallout from COVID-19 has created more investment opportunities.
Lightspeed, Bosch lead $173m round for China's Hesai
Chinese smart sensor maker Hesai Technology has raised a $173 million Series C round led by Germany’s Bosch Group and existing investor Lightspeed China Partners.
Axiom Asia completes $1.6b fundraise
Axiom Asia has closed its fifth regional fund-of-funds at $1.39 billion - beating the target of $1.01 billion - and also raised $210 million for its first dedicated co-investment vehicle.
LPs warn of impending downturn in Asia
Institutional investors are preparing for a downturn in Asia – and emphasizing the importance of disciplined deployment – as they see worrying “pro-cycle market behavior” in the private markets space globally.
Sector funds: Special forces
The proliferation of fund managers targeting relatively focused investment segments signals a new maturity in Asian private equity. The trend will evolve in step with regional markets
GP-LP: Dangerous liaisons
A diverging supply-demand dynamic in private equity fundraising is threatening the GP-LP alignment of interest. Concessions on both sides are needed in the interests of long-term stability
Secondary buyouts: Peer to peer
Maligned by some investors, sponsor-to-sponsor deals are gradually becoming more prevalent in Asia as the private equity industry matures. What is the early verdict?
Fund focus: LPs sign up for Axiom’s simple solution
Changes in the market and turnover in the team notwithstanding, Axiom Asia secured $1 billion for a fourth fund much like its previous three: a co-mingled fund-of-funds that offers exposure to hard-to-access GPs
Axiom raises $1b for fourth Asian fund-of-funds
Axiom Asia has closed its fourth pan-regional fund-of-funds at just over $1 billion, sticking to its tried and tested model of a single co-mingled vehicle with no separately managed accounts. The initial target was $750 million.
China video app developer Yixia raises $500m round
Chinese social media platform Weibo Corporation has led a $500 million Series E round of funding for Yixia Technology, a Beijing-based video app developer.
LP interview: Axiom Asia
Axiom Asia has followed a consistent approach in backing small to mid-market country funds in the Asia Pacific region. Chihtsung Lam, the firm’s co-founder and managing partner, explains the strategy