corporate venture capital
Japan's Mixi launches $50m India VC fund
Japanese social media company Mixi has set up a USD 50m corporate venture capital fund targeting Indian start-ups.
Singapore commits $111.5m to fintech ecosystem
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has committed to invest up to SGD 150m (USD 111.5m) over three years in the local VC and financial technology start-up ecosystem.
Japanese power producer Jera launches $300m VC unit
Japanese power producer and utility Jera has launched a USD 300m venture capital programme aimed at sustainability-themed technology start-ups and related funds.
Japan's SMBC, Incubate set up USD 200m Asia VC fund
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has established a USD 200m growth and late-stage pan-Asian VC fund in partnership with Japan’s Incubate Fund, which will co-manage the vehicle.
India EV player BluSmart raises $42m
India’s BluSmart, an integrated electric vehicle (EV) ride-hailing and charging business, has raised USD 42m in a funding round featuring BP Ventures.
Japan's Marunouchi launches $1bn climate tech fund
Japan-based Marunouchi Innovation Partners (MIP), a private equity manager controlled by Mitsubishi Corporation, has hit a first close of USD 400m on a climate tech fund. The overall target is USD 1bn.
BP, Morgan Stanley back India EV charging station provider
BP Ventures and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure have made a USD 22m equity investment in Magenta Mobility, an Indian electric vehicle (EV) charging station provider.
LG backs US, China autonomous logistics start-up
LG Technology Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based VC arm of Korea’s LG Group, has led a USD 28.8m Series A round for US and China-based logistics automation player Venti Technologies.
Malaysia's Khazanah launches start-up programme
Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional has launched a VC collaboration and start-up investment programme with an initial MYR 180m (USD 40m).
Japan's Global Brain, Meiji Yasuda launch $39m VC fund
Japan’s Global Brain has further extended a string of corporate VC partnerships, teaming up with Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance to launch a JPY 5bn (USD 39m) fund.
Mitsubishi UFJ launches $100m Indonesia fund
MUFG Innovation Partners, a VC arm of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, has launched its third fund alongside Bank Danamon Indonesia with a corpus of USD 100m. The fund will focus on Indonesia.
Q&A: Bertelsmann India Investments' Pankaj Makkar
Pankaj Makkar has headed Bertelsmann India Investments since its inception in 2012. He reflects on a period of rapid market development with a new war chest that betrays confidence in more to come
Singapore's Singtel pumps $100m into VC arm
Singapore telecom giant SingTel has committed USD 100m to its VC arm Innov8. The investment unit, which operates on an evergreen fund model, has received USD 350m to date.
Japan's WiL raises USD 1bn
US-Japan cross-border investor World Innovation Lab (WiL) has raised USD 1bn across its third flagship fund and several other vehicles.
Fund focus: ASEAN finds new inroads to global tech
SeaX Ventures is ramping up its “corporate venture capital-as-a-service” with a significantly upsized second fund and sharpened strategy around deep tech demand in Southeast Asia
Singapore's Cake DeFi launches $100m corporate VC arm
Singapore-based decentralised finance platform Cake DeFi has earmarked USD 100m for a venture capital program that will target web3, gaming, and financial technology start-ups globally.
Global Brain, Mitsubishi launch $44m VC fund
Japan’s Global Brain and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation have established a corporate VC fund that aims to invest JPY 5bn (USD 43.7m) globally over the next 10 years. Global Brain will act as manager.
Kejora, Sunway launch $25m Malaysia VC fund
Indonesia-based Kejora Capital and Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group have established a $25 million VC fund focused on early-stage start-ups in Malaysia.
Japan's Olympus launches VC unit, $50m fund
Japan’s Olympus Corporation has launched a medical technology-focused venture capital unit, Olympus Innovation Ventures, with an initial commitment of $50 million for its debut fund.
Q&A: C Ventures' Ben Cheng
Ben Cheng, a managing partner of C Ventures, mixes lifestyle trends and corporate VC as he helps Adrian Cheng, scion of Hong Kong’s New World Development, usher the family empire into a digital future
Corporate VC: Appetite for disruption
Banks across Asia are leveraging their capital and domain expertise to stay ahead of the curve on financial technology. Each aspect of the corporate VC ecosystem engages with start-ups in different ways
India's Dream Sports launches $250m corporate VC fund
Dream Sports, operator of India’s largest fantasy sports platform, has established a $250 million venture capital unit that will invest in sports, gaming, and fitness-tech start-ups nationwide.
Airwallex founders launch VC fund
The founders of Hong Kong-headquartered financial technology provider Airwallex, which has received $500 million in VC funding, have launched their own venture capital fund.
Deal focus: Fujitsu Ventures updates ancient grains
Fujitsu is bringing blockchain to the rice industry with a ramped up corporate VC agenda. Digital transformation is the goal; food security and sustainable trade are the outcomes