China
Banyan raises $725m across US dollar, renminbi funds
Banyan Capital has raised more than RMB5 billion ($725) million across two China-focused venture capital funds – one US dollar-denominated and the other in renminbi.
FountainVest, CMC complete exit from IMAX China
FountainVest Partners and CMC Capital Partners have completed their exit from movie theater operator IMAX China, selling their last holding for an estimated HK$836 million ($108 million).
China credit assessment platform Wecash gets $80m
Wecash, a Chinese financial technology company that provides credit evaluations online, has completed an $80 million Series C round jointly led by China Merchants Venture Capital, Forebright Capital and SIG Asia.
Q&A: CITIC Private Equity's Feng Zhai
CITIC Private Equity has sought to differentiate itself from other Chinese GPs with an operations-driven buyout strategy. Feng Zhai, managing director and head of the portfolio management team, explains the approach
China outbound M&A: The smarter money
Despite regulatory curbs on Chinese outbound investment, companies are still interested in M&A opportunities – and they are pursuing less high-profile assets with greater sophistication
Asia fundraising: Retail channels
Private equity firms keen to diversify their LP bases are looking to establish relations with Asia’s high net worth segment, and the private banks and wealth managers who facilitate access to this community
China distress investor DCL launches debut US dollar fund
DCL Investments, a China-focused distressed debt and special situations manager set up by former executives at CDH Investments and Shoreline Capital, is targeting around $300 million for its first US dollar-denominated fund.
VCs back China female-focused consumer finance start-up
Shanghai Mime Financial, a consumer finance platform targeting the young females in China, has raised a Series C round led by domestic investors Haier Capital, Xiyu Capital and Panda Capital.
Oceanwide, IDG Capital complete purchase of International Data Group
China Oceanwide Holdings has completed its acquisition of International Data Group (IDG) and now holds a 90% stake in the target’s operating business, with IDG Capital owning the remaining 10%.
China’s first One Belt One Road project secures $1.4b facility
Pakistan’s Karot hydroelectric power project has secured a $1.4 billion facility from a group of Chinese investors and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). It is considered the first infrastructure deal under China’s One Belt One Road initiative.
Redpoint, Sinovation lead round for China online TCM player
Redpoint Ventures and Sinovation Ventures have led a Series B round worth RMB100 million ($14 million) for Xiaolu Clinic, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) online services provider.
Park life: Chinese investors target theme parks
From Wanda Group to Walt Disney, China is filling up with theme parks. Investors see it as an opportunity to marry real estate development with the evolving consumption patterns
Morningside closes debut renminbi VC fund at $143m
Morningside Venture Capital, a China-focused early-stage VC firm that used to manage only US dollar-denominated funds, has closed its first renminbi vehicle at RMB1 billion ($143 million).
Apax commits $388m to Guotai Junan's Hong Kong IPO
Apax Partners has agreed to invest $388 million in Guotai Junan Securities as the largest cornerstone investor in the Chinese brokerage’s HK$16.5 billion ($2.1 billion) Hong Kong IPO.
ClearVue leads $30m round for Chinese convenience store chain
Consumer-focused GP ClearVue Partners has led a RMB200 million ($30 million) Series B round of funding for I Believe, a Chinese convenience store operator.
China personal lending platform Yongqianbao raises $68m
Yongqianbao, a Chinese mobile app that provides personal loan services, has raised a RMB466 million ($68 million) Series C round co-led by Golden Brick Capital and CICC Alpha.
LP interview: Adveq
Active in Asia for about two decades, fund-of-funds Adveq has a preference for China and India, and a relatively strong bias towards VC. Jun Qian, head of China investment, explains what he wants in a GP
China’s UCloud secures $140m Series D
Chinese cloud computing services provider UCloud has raised RMB960 million ($140 million) Series D round of funding from Oriza Holdings and CICC Alpha, a direct investment arm of China International Capital Corporation (CICC).
HighLight seeks $250m for second China healthcare fund
Chinese healthcare-focused GP HighLight Capital, which was set up by Steven Wang, formerly of CDH Investments, is targeting $250 million for its second US dollar-denominated fund.
CDB, Sino IC Capital commit $22b to Tsinghua Unigroup
Tsinghua Unigroup, which is controlled by an investment arm of Tsinghua University, has secured RMB150 billion ($22 billion) financing from two government-backed investors - China Development Bank (CDB) and Sino IC Capital.
China edtech: Tangible teachings
Educational hardware remains an emerging investment segment globally. In China, cultural shifts are piquing expectations for a local boom, but success will depend on various cross-market diversifications
China Growth Capital leads $14m round for Tiger Brokers
China Growth Capital has led an extended Series B round worth RMB100 million ($14 million) for Tiger Brokers, a Beijing-based online brokerage start-up, with participation from existing investor ZhenFund.
Boyu acquires 25% of China Vanke's property services unit
Boyu Capital has bought a 25% stake in Vanke Property Development, a wholly-owned property services unit of China Vanke, the second-largest real estate developer in the country, for RMB166 million ($24 million).
Blackstone sells SeaWorld stake to Chinese trade buyer
The Blackstone Group has agreed to exit theme park operator SeaWorld by selling a 21% stake to Zhonghong Zhuoye Group – a Chinese real estate developer with an interest in leisure and tourism – for about $449 million.