China
China EV battery maker raises $1.5b
Svolt Energy Technology, formerly the battery manufacturing unit of Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor, has raised RMB10.28 billion ($1.5 billion) in a Series B funding round led by Bank of China Investment.
Xiaomi to buy VC-backed autonomous driving start-up
Chinese smart phone maker Xiaomi has agreed to buy local autonomous driving technology developer Deepmotion, facilitating liquidity events for Source Code Capital and Redpoint China Ventures.
China cancer treatment specialist Ionova raises $100m
Tsing Song Capital, a Chinese healthcare-focused private equity firm, has led a $100 million round for Ionova Life Science, a local biotech player specializing in cancer treatments.
Advent sells Chinese mattress maker to Hillhouse
Advent International has sold its controlling stake in AI Dream – operator of the Serta and King Koil mattress brands in China – to Hillhouse Capital.
SoftBank leads $154m Series D for China's Ekuaibao
Ekuaibao, a Chinese software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider specializing in corporate reimbursements, has raised RMB1 billion ($155 million) in Series D funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
China comic platform Kuaikan raises $240m
Kuaikan, China’s largest publishing platform for comics, has raised $240 million from CCB International, Korean mobile app marketplace One Store, Tencent Holdings, Coatue Management, and Tiantu Capital.
China’s Dayone Capital closes debut fund at $630m
Dayone Capital, a Chinese consumer-focused PE firm established by Allen Chen, founder of eyewear brand Mujosh and co-founder of BA Capital, has closed its debut fund at $630 million.
Chinese investors join $400m round for Nigeria's Opay
Several Chinese investors have re-upped in a $400 million round – at a valuation of $2 billion – for Nigeria-based logistics and payments technology company Opay.
China's Deepexi raises $100m Series B
Deepexi, a Chinese start-up that provides digital transformation solutions to enterprise customers, has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round led by Guotai Junan Securities and an investment arm of China Industrial International Trust Asset...
China gas station platform Newlink raises $308m
Newlink Group, operator of a platform that helps drivers in China locate the best value gas stations and charging piles, has raised RMB2 billion ($308 million) led by China Merchants Capital.
China vaccine developer Abogen raises $700m
Suzhou Abogen Biosciences, a Chinese vaccine developer targeting COVID-19, has raised $700 million in Series C funding featuring Temasek Holdings, Loyal Valley Capital, and Lilly Asia Ventures.
China's PatPat gets $160m in Series D extension
PatPat, a Chinese-founded children’s wear brand, has raised $160 million from Softbank Vision Fund in a Series D round extension.
Start-up profiles: Infrastructure, insurance, data, payments
Singapore’s Fireblocks tokenizes traditional banks; India’s PolicyBazaar mulls the future of insurance; China’s Rong360 diversifies through data; Cambodia’s Clik targets a payments frontier
Start-up profiles: Transfers, risk, marketplaces
Singapore’s Thunes rethinks remittances for an enterprise clientele; China’s IceKredit brings data privacy to credit scoring; India’s OfBusiness gravitates towards a healthy loans segment
Asia fintech: Platform plays
Expansion is the dominant theme in financial technology as start-ups leverage existing assets to enter new verticals, typically in lending. Which ones will become Asia’s preeminent platforms?
Ascendent founder's SPAC to merge with Tim Hortons China
A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by Liang Meng, founding managing partner of China’s Ascendent Capital Partners, has agreed to merge with PE-backed Tim Hortons China at a valuation of $1.8 billion.
Inspiration Capital hits first close on debut China fund
Inspiration Capital Partners, a China-focused private equity firm established by investment professionals from Vivo Capital and Goldman Sachs, has reached a first close of approximately $65 million on its debut US dollar-denominated fund.
Chinese AI diagnosis player Shukun raises $108m
Shukun, a Chinese developer of artificial intelligence (AI) technology used in medical imaging diagnosis, has raised RMB700 million ($108 million) from Goldman Sachs, Primavera Capital Group, Sequoia Capital China, Marathon Venture Partners, and Sage...
Sofina, CDH wealth platform lead round for China's Petkit
Petkit, a Chinese manufacturer of smart devices for pets such as water and food dispensers, has raised $50 million in a Series D round of funding led by Sofina and CDH Investments' wealth management platform.
Guotai leads $66m Series B extension for China's Innovusion
Innovusion, a Chinese developer of LiDAR technology used in autonomous driving, has raised $66 million in an extended Series B round led by the private equity investment arm of Guotai Junan International.
Boyu, Janchor back China medical finance start-up
MediTrust Health, China-based healthcare payments and insurance platform, has raised RMB2 billion ($309 million) in Series C funding led by Boyu Capital and Janchor Partners.
Vision Fund pulls back from China amid regulatory uncertainty
SoftBank Vision Fund is taking a “wait and see” approach to China, holding back on new investments in the country until the full ramifications of regulatory action in the technology sector are known.
