Growth capital
Investcorp increases focus on China healthcare
Investcorp has acquired minority stakes in two Chinese healthcare companies – hospital operator Lu Daopei Medical Group and telemedicine platform WeDoctor – paying undisclosed sums.
Vision Fund leads $100m Series C for Singapore-founded Biofourmis
SoftBank Vision Fund has led a $100 million Series C round for Biofourmis, a Singapore founded and now US-based operator of a health analytics platform.
Deal focus: China's Xpeng moves into top gear
Investor appetite for Xpeng grew over the course of 2020 as China's electric vehicle industry showed signs of recovery after a difficult 2019. A $500 million Series C extension was soon followed by an IPO filing
China insurance tech platform Waterdrop receives $230m
Shuidi, a China-based insurance technology platform also known as Waterdrop, has raised $230 million in Series D funding jointly led by Tencent Holdings and Swiss Re Group. Existing investors IDG Capital and Wisdom Choice Global Fund re-upped.
India middle-market: Looking for positives
Private equity activity is gradually resuming as India’s economy emerges from lockdown, but investors are wary of paying too much for assets or putting their money behind unsustainable trends
India’s Toppr raises $50m from Foundation Holdings
Indian educational technology startup Toppr has raised $50 million (INR3.5 billion) in a Series D funding round led by United Arab Emirates-based investment firm Foundation Holdings.
Korean travel app secures $36m funding round
MyRealTrip, a South Korean travel super app that positions itself as a one-stop-shop for bookings, has raised KRW43.2 billion ($36 million) in funding from the likes of Altos Ventures, IMM Investment, and Axiom Asia.
Korean AI education start-up gets $41m pre-Series D
Korea Development Bank (KDB) and local private equity firms Nvestor, Intervest and IMM Investment have participated in a $41.8 million pre-Series D round for Riiid, a Korean online education platform.
Steadview backs India SaaS player Freshworks
Steadview Capital has invested $85 million in India and US-based cloud business software developer Freshworks through the purchase of shares from existing investors.
China semiconductor: The chips are up
Excluded from US supply chains, China is looking to satisfy its semiconductor appetite from within. Domestic start-ups can command huge valuations, but are they sustainable?
Singapore marketing SaaS player raises $32m
US-based technology investor Riverwood Capital has led a $32 million Series C round for Insider, a Singapore software start-up that helps companies develop better targeted marketing campaigns.
China's TuSimple wins backing from US truck maker
TuSimple, a China and US-based developer of autonomous driving technology for trucks, has received equity funding from US truck manufacturer Navistar International and entered into a partnership with the company.
Ravi Thakran plans new Asia venture
Ravi Thakran, who departed L Catterton earlier this year, plans to launch a new private equity firm targeting growth capital investments in Asia’s consumer sector.
China cancer test kit provider gets $30m Series E
New Horizon Health, a China-based manufacturer of cancer testing kits for use at home, has raised $30 million in a Series E round of funding led by Rock Springs Capital.
Qualcomm Ventures invests $97m in India’s Jio Platforms
Qualcomm Ventures has agreed to invest INR7.3 billion ($97 million) in India’s Jio Platforms, the holding company for various internet and telecom assets owned by Reliance Industries.
Deal focus: Cortina goes natural for debut Australia deal
Cross-border PE investor Cortina Capital has backed Australian nutritional supplements producer ATP Science with an eye to China expansion. But establishing brand recognition at home is the first step
Sequoia leads $100m Series C for China's Kuaidian
Kuaidian, a Chinese interactive content provider, has raised close to $100 million in Series C funding led by Sequoia Capital China. Existing investors GGV Capital and Morningside Venture Capital re-upped.
TA Associates invests in Indian stock exchange
TA Associates has invested an undisclosed sum in the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE).
Deal focus: Ascent envisions 10-year Myanmar play
In internet service provider Frontiir, Ascent Capital believes it has a portfolio company that can deliver profit and positive social impact in Myanmar
India's VC-backed Postman raises $150m Series C
Postman, a software development tool creator with operations in India and the US, has raised a $150 million Series C round led by Insight Partners.
SK Telecom leads Series C for China cloud services player
Bespin Global, a Seoul and Beijing-based cloud management services provider, has raised RMB530 million ($74.6 million) in a Series C round from SK Telecom and existing investor DY Holdings.
Chinese e-commerce services provider raises $100m
Jushuitan, a China-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider that targets small to medium-sized e-commerce operators, has received a $100 million Series C round led by Goldman Sachs, China International Capital Corporation (CICC), and Blue Lake Capital.
China EV: End of the road?
Challenged by the arrival of Tesla, the removal of subsidies, and the coronavirus outbreak, China’s independent electric vehicle makers are at a point of reckoning. Many will stumble
China's Didi raises $500m for autonomous driving unit
SoftBank Corporation’s second Vision Fund – which currently comprises balance sheet capital from its parent – has led a $500 million funding round for the autonomous driving technology business of Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing.