China
Deal focus: China's XTransfer fills missing link in fintech
XTransfer has won backing from Alibaba and a string of venture capital investors to provide a bridge to payment services that so many small businesses in China are still forced to go without
Chinese VC in Africa: Cultural barriers
Chinese investors recognize the long-term potential in fostering technology-enabled business models in Africa, but reluctance to engage local stakeholders and develop local knowledge is holding them back
Hillhouse wins battle for China electronics player Gree
Hillhouse Capital has secured a 15% interest in Gree Electric Appliances, China's leading manufacturer of air conditioners, beating a consortium led by Hopu Investment.
Biotech player Ascentage gains on debut after $53m HK IPO
Ascentage Pharma saw its share price surge 57% during the first day of trading in Hong Kong before closing up 9.9%, following a heavily oversubscribed HK$416.6 million ($53 million) IPO.
India motorcycle taxi platform Rapido gets $55m Series B
Chinese early-stage investor Shunwei Capital Partners has participated in a Series B funding round for Indian motorcycle taxi operator Rapido, drawing comparisons with the growth trajectory of Indonesia’s Go-Jek.
Qiming leads $21m Series C for Chinese lingerie brand
Neiwai, a Chinese lingerie brand, has achieved a valuation of more than RMB1 billion ($142 million) following a RMB150 million Series C round led by Qiming Venture Partners.
Goldman leads $62m Series D for China's Fountain Medical
Fountain Medical Development, a China-based contract research organization (CRO) that serves a global client base of drug developers, has received $62 million in Series D funding led by Goldman Sachs.
China-US PE: Reverse princeling
When a US presidential candidate’s son with Chinese private equity connections stirs up accusations of impropriety, the questionable merits of princeling funds appear more muddled than ever
L’Oréal makes LP commitment to Cathay VC fund
L’Oréal will support the second fund being raised by Cathay Innovation, the VC affiliate of Cathay Capital Private Equity. The company wants to build ties to the beauty tech start-up ecosystem in China, its second-largest market.
Deal focus: Cornell picks Lorom for Asia debut
Cornell Capital, a US-based mid-market buyout firm, is starting to realize its Asian ambitions with an investment in Taiwan-based industrial supplier Lorom Holding. Bolt-on expansions appear likely
China AI chatbot developer raises $45m
Emotibot, a Chinese provider of computer vision and emotional recognition solutions to e-commerce platforms, financial institutions, and call center operators, has raised $45 million in an extended Series B round of funding.
Huaxing, Hillhouse lead $50m round for China's Hetao 101
Hetao 101, a Chinese online education platform dedicated to computer programming for children, has raised $50 million in Series B funding.
Chinese online-offline retailer KK Group achieves unicorn status
Chinese retailer KK Group - formerly known as KK Guan - has raised a $100 million Series D led by an Alibaba Group-backed fund. N5 Capital, Matrix Partners China and Black Algae Capital all re-upped.
Portfolio: China Everbright and Terminus
China Everbright has turned a sub-scale consumer-facing smart door lock manufacturer into an internet-of-things platform catering to enterprise customers. Terminus is now building out its product base
Chinese enterprise software player Ekuaibao receives $50m
Ekuaibao, a Chinese software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider specializing in corporate reimbursements, has raised $50 million in an extended Series C round.
Ex-Qiming managing partner raises $352m for debut China fund
Ince Capital Partners, a Chinese consumer internet-focused venture capital firm established by former Qiming Venture Partners executive J.P. Gan, has closed its debut fund at the hard cap of $351.9 million.
Alibaba-backed positioning service provider raises $141m Series A
Qianxun Spacial Intelligence or Qianxun SI, a high-precision positioning services provider, has raised RMB1 billion ($141 million) in a Series A funding round, taking its valuation past RMB13 billion.
Investors uncertain on Hong Kong's future as financial hub - M&A Forum
Recent unrest in Hong Kong has harmed the territory’s economy, but industry participants are unsure whether its status as a financial center is under threat, given the scale of the existing infrastructure.
Merck launches China seed fund
Germany-based life sciences and healthcare technology giant Merck has launched a RMB100 million ($14.1 million) seed fund targeting Chinese start-ups.
Chinese healthcare software provider raises $212m
Taimei Technology, a Chinese cloud-based software provider that serves pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organizations (CROs) has raised RMB1.5 billion ($212 million) through an extended Series E round of funding.
China's Qutoutiao raises $100m for e-book app
CMC Capital Partners has led a $100 million Series B round of funding round for Midu, an e-book platform operated by Chinese news aggregator Qutoutiao.
Deal focus: Navis pursues durian farm modernization
Nearly $100 million has been earmarked for the development of upstream farming and downstream processing so that Chinese buyers can have faith in Malaysia's durian suppliers
Cornell Capital completes first Asian investment
US-based mid-market buyout firm Cornell Capital has made its first investment in Asia with a commitment to Taiwan-headquartered cable manufacturer Lorom Holding.
Foreign divestments drive China deal flow - M&A Forum
Divestments by multinationals are expected to remain a key theme in China M&A as companies consider whether they still want direct exposure to a market in which growth is slowing and the competitive environment is increasingly complex.