Consumer
SAIF in $6m round for India's Chef's Basket
SAIF Partners has participated in a $6 million Series A round for Indian start-up Fizzy Foodlabs, which operates the Chef's Basket packaged food brand.
CDH-backed Dali Foods seeks $1.3b HK IPO
Chinese food and beverage manufacturer Dali Foods Group, which is backed by CDH Investments, has launched a Hong Kong IPO with a target of HK$10.4 billion ($1.3 billion).
Tiantu leads Series C round for China cosmetics retailer
China consumer-focused GP Tiantu Capital has led a Series C round of funding for Meilapp, a mobile portal devoted to cosmetics and skincare.
PE firms target China services sector liberalization - AVCJ Forum
The liberalization of China’s services sector represents a significant opportunity for private equity, although investors must think carefully about targeting appropriate areas and finding the right partners.
Sequoia, Matrix commit $7.6m to India's TinyOwl
TinyOwl, an India-based mobile food-ordering platform, has raised INR500 million ($7.6 million) from existing investors Sequoia Capital and Matrix Partners.
China cross-border e-commerce platform raises $30m
Bolome, a Shanghai-based cross-border e-commerce platform, has raised a $30 million Series B round of funding from Chinese and South Korean investors including search engine Baidu, LB Investment, Share Capital and Chengwei Capital.
Japan female-focused video ad network raises $6.6m
Jafco, TBS Innovation Partners and strategic investors iStyle and Excite Japan have invested JPY800 million ($6.6 million) in Open8, a Tokyo-based start-up that a video ad platform targeted at women.
Indonesia’s restaurant discovery app secures $8m
Qraved, an Indonesia-based online restaurant booking platform, has secured an $8 million Series B round of funding co-led by US-based Richmond Global Ventures and China-based Gobi Partners.
Q&A: CMC Capital Partners' Ruigang Li
Ruigang Li forged a career with Shanghai Media Group and then left to start media-focused private equity firm CMC Capital Partners. He explains why capital is entering the sector and where he sees it heading
Asia O2O services: The long tail
From taxi journeys to pedicures, online-to-offline services are changing consumption channels in Asia’s emerging markets. Some leaders have emerged, but much of the sector is still up for grabs
Q&A: GrabTaxi's Anthony Tan
GrabTaxi started out as an entry in business plan contest at Harvard Business School in 2011, where it placed second. Co-founder and CEO Anthony Tan explains how it has become Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing company
China travel sites Ctrip, Qunar agree merger
China-based travel services companies Ctrip and Baidu-controlled Qunar have agreed an all-share merger that will create a single dominant player in the domestic hotel and air ticket booking market.
PremjiInvest commits $33m to India's HRI
PremjiInvest, the private investment firm for Wipro Enterprises Chairman Azim Premji, has invested INR2.16 billion ($33 million) in cosmetics developer Hygienic Research Institute (HRI).
India's PE-backed SSIPL files for IPO
SSIPL Retail, a footwear manufacturer and retailer based in India, has filed for an IPO, providing an exit for PE investor Tano Capital.
PE-backed Coffee Day to raise $177m in India IPO
Indian coffee shop and restaurant chain Cafe Coffee Day has fixed a price for its upcoming IPO that will put the offering on course to meet its target of INR11.5 billion ($177 million).
Carlyle exits Hong Kong-listed Natural Beauty via buyback
The Carlyle Group has exited its position in Natural Beauty Bio-Technology though a management buyback, prompting a group led by the founder and chairwoman to submit a takeover bid for the Hong Kong-listed business.
GGV seeks $1.1b for VC investments in China, US
GGV Capital is planning to raise up to $1.1 billion across three vehicles – a core venture fund, a top-up vehicle and an early-stage fund – that will target start-up and growth-stage technology deals in China and the US.
Formation 8 backs Singapore grocery delivery service
US venture capital firm Formation 8 has led a $15 million Series A round for Singapore-based on-demand grocery delivery start-up Honestbee.
India delivery start-up Opinio gets $7m Series A round
Opinio, a hyperlocal delivery start-up based in India, has raised $7 million in a Series A round led by Indian logistics firm Delhivery. Sands Capital Ventures and existing investor Accel Partners also participated.
CITIC Capital buys Japan-based footwear brand
CITIC Capital Partners has acquired Japanese footwear company Akakura for an undisclosed sum.
Deal focus: KKR eyes O2O home services expansion
KKR joins Alibaba Group and Ping An Group in backing 58 Daojia, an online-to-offline local services platform that is tipped to match Didi Kuaidi and Dianping-Meituan for size
Matrix leads $5m Series A for Hong Kong's Klook
Matrix Partners has led a $5 million Series A round of funding for Klook, a Hong Kong-based online travel start-up.
Alibaba seeks full ownership of video platform Youku Tudou
Alibaba Group is looking to take full ownership of Chinese online video platform Youku Tudou in a deal that values the US-listed company at approximately $4.2 billion.
PE-backed Jiuxian approved to list on China’s New Third Board
Jiuxianwang E-commerce, a PE-backed Chinese e-commerce site that sells wines and spirits, has won regulatory approval to list on China’s over-the-counter (OTC) board.