covid-19
Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developer Clover files for IPO
Clover Biopharmaceuticals, a Chinese pre-revenue drug developer that has raised $315 million across several funding rounds since 2011, has filed for a Hong Kong IPO.
Invesco leads $155m round for China's Brii Biosciences
Invesco has led a $155 million Series C round for China-focused infectious diseases drug developer Brii Biosciences.
Asian GPs prioritize portfolio resilience - Bain & Co
Three out of five GPs in Asia Pacific would be willing to forego at least 5% of near-term profit if that sum could be invested in making their portfolio companies more resilient across a range of metrics.
CDC, FMO, SDC launch Nepal investment platform
European development finance institutions CDC Group and FMO and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) have jointly launched a market building platform in Nepal.
Jungle joins $46m Series D for India's Turtlemint
Indian online insurance broker Turtlemint has closed its Series D round at $46 million following a significant contribution from early-stage investor Jungle Ventures.
Fundraising talent: New calls of duty
The trend toward more stringent due diligence in recent years has maximized fundraising complexity at a time when the professionals involved must adapt to unfamiliar virtual forums
Aspex leads $200m Series E for Hong Kong's Klook
Aspex Management has led a $200 million Series E round for Klook as the Hong Kong travel app pivots to domestic holiday services during a freeze in international tourism.
COVID-19 changing conduct as much as tech usage
Experiences vary across geographies as Asian GPs adapt to pandemic working conditions. Technology use is up, but the most lasting changes may be more cultural in nature.
Buyouts in 2021: Winners and losers
Asia could prove to be a deal-rich market in 2021, but buyout investors are still figuring out the long-term implications of COVID-19 for companies that cater to changing consumer demands
Singapore's VC-backed GoBear to wind down
GoBear, a Singaporean financial technology start-up that received VC backing as recently as May, will cease operations and begin a phased closure of the business, citing pandemic-related disruption.
SIP brings PE value-add to COVID-19 hit HK social enterprises
Social Impact Partners (SIP), a Hong Kong-based venture philanthropy organization supported by several private equity firms, has been drawing on industry resources to support portfolio organizations that face financial and operational challenges because...
The crystal ball: Predictions for 2021
Industry professionals process the upheavals of 2020 to inform outlooks for a range of markets and investment themes. Realist bullishness abounds
2020 in review: Surprise guest
The coronavirus pandemic has played havoc with Asian private equity, contributing to a resurgence in IPOs, increased bifurcation in fundraising, a rush for healthcare, and a generally staggered revival
Q&A: Hamilton Lane's Collwyn Tan
Collwyn Tan, Hamilton Lane’s co-head of Asia investment and key point person for everything transactional in the region, unpacks the mixed signals of 2020
Investor relations: Talk isn't cheap
The enforced adoption of virtual communications points to longer-term changes in investor relations, from annual general meetings to informal catch-ups. GPs must find ways to stand out
Taiwan & tech tensions: Silicon island
Taiwan’s technology sector must play an awkward balancing game amid US-China tensions. This could be a surprisingly favorable position for opportunistic investment and global diversifications
Aggression pays off in times of crisis - AVCJ Forum
Going on the offensive is the best response to COVID-19 - taking advantage of market uncertainty to make new investments and help portfolio companies complete bolt-on acquisitions - the AVCJ Forum heard.
COVID-19 credit strategies must be flexible – AVCJ Forum
COVID-19 has emphasized the need for patience and mandate flexibility in private credit, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
Asia buyout managers see no shift in return targets - AVCJ Forum
Asia-focused buyout managers do not expect an economic downturn to impact the returns underwritten into investments at the portfolio level as long as leveraged financing remains competitively priced and new paths to liquidity continue to emerge.
Global LPs want more control in China – AVCJ Forum
North American and European LPs see promise in Asia, and China in particular, but remain wary due to a lack of control opportunities, especially in the context of COVID-19.
Virtual AGMs & IR: Close encounters
The technology is available to facilitate informal discussions at virtual AGMs, but do these solutions present an acceptable substitute for physical interaction, and do GPs and LPs want to use them?
COVID-19 amplifies focus on societal issues - AVCJ Forum
Concerns that impact investment would get pushed to the margins in the chaos of COVID-19 have been confounded by a renewed emphasis on social issues created by the pandemic, according to industry participants.
Virtual AGMs & IR: Up in the air
Private equity firms are still finding their feet with annual meetings that no longer take place on the ground. Like it or not, virtual engagement is set to become a larger part of investor relations from now on
Asia consumer & technology: Multifarious merchants
Technology is changing the way consumers interact with retailers both concrete and virtual. Ramping up the sociability factor has become a priority amid increasingly pervasive mechanization