Growth capital
Hony backs Italian fashion brand Mr & Mrs Italy
China-focused GP Hony Capital has agreed to acquire a 30% interest in Duemmei, owner of Italian fashion brand Mr & Mrs Italy.
Southeast Asia VC: Growth impediment?
Southeast Asia has an abundance of local players targeting early-stage deals while foreign investors fly in to participate in the later stage rounds. The industry is looking for ways to fill the hole in the middle
Hillhouse leads $46m round for China O2O fitness platform
Lefit, a China-based online-to-offline (O2O) fitness platform, has raised a RMB300 million ($46 million) Series C round of funding led by Hillhouse Capital.
True North, IDG in $77m round for India's Policybazaar
Indian online financial services portal Policybazaar has raised INR5 billion ($77 million) from a group of investors led by True North, IDG Venture Partners, and US-based Wellington Management.
Ex-Headland partner joins China growth investor CRE Alliance
William Shen, formerly head of Greater China at Headland Capital Partners, has become CEO of CRE Alliance, a private equity joint venture between China Resources Enterprise (CRE) and Great Wall Asset Management.
Ola confirms Tencent investment, targets $2b round
China's Tencent Holdings has led a $1.1 billion investment in Indian ride-hailing app developer Ola. The company is in talks with other investors to raise a further $1 billion as an extension of this funding round.
Goldman backs South Korean bakery ingredients maker
Goldman Sachs has invested KRW34 billion ($29.9 million) in Korean specialty food ingredients manufacturer Sun-in.
Hong Kong's Lalamove raises $100m Series C
Hong Kong-based delivery start-up Lalamove - also known as Huolala in mainland China - has completed a $100 million Series C round of funding led by Chinese VC firm Shunwei Capital.
All-Stars, Ctrip lead $300m round for China's Tujia
Existing investors All-Stars Investment and Ctrip have jointly led a $300 million Series E round of funding for China’s Tujia, valuing the online accommodation-booking platform at over $1.5 billion.
Abraaj invests in Pakistani cinema chain
The Abraaj Group has invested an undisclosed sum in Cinepax, with a view to helping the Pakistan-based cinema operator more than triple in size over the next four years.
Deal focus: Yao Capital bets big on sports training
A start-up aiming to improve Chinese children's access to sports training receives the backing of sport-focused GP Yao Capital
Cathay's mutual fund business to form local PE unit in Taiwan
Cathay Securities Investment Trust, Taiwan’s largest asset management business, is set to become the first local fund house to establish its own private equity unit.
China online radio platform raises $150m
Qingting FM, a Chinese online radio platform, has raised a RMB1 billion ($150 million) round of funding jointly led by We Capital – the VC arm of Chinese ticket booking site Beijing Weiying Times Technology – and Baidu.
CBC, Ocean Link lead $40m round for China's Yitiao
China Broadband Capital (CBC) and Ocean Link – a travel and tourism-focused PE firm – have jointly led a $40 million Series C round for Yitiao, a Chinese online platform that offers lifestyle video content and retail services.
Deal focus: Gogoro takes its scooters global
Taiwan-based Smartscooter wants to stimulate demand for its electric vehicles in Southeast Asia by rolling out a dedicated network of battery exchange stations. The company has raised $300 million in support of this plan
Hony backs $1b COFCO Capital mixed ownership reform deal
Hony Capital has committed RMB1.8 billion ($271 million) to COFCO Capital Investment, a subsidiary of Chinese state-backed COFCO Group. It is the largest participant in a RMB6.9 billion mixed ownership reform deal.
Yao Capital leads $75m round for China sports school
Yao Capital has led a RMB500 million ($75 million) round of funding for Doing Now, a privately-held Chinese sports school for children.
China flexible display developer gets $800m in equity, debt funding
Royole Corporation, a China-based flexible display technology developer, has completed its Series D funding round with $240 million in commitments from a group of local investors and also raised $560 million in debt financing.
Dymon invests $15m in Malaysia bottled water company
Singapore-based Dymon Asia Private Equity has agreed to acquire a 13% stake in Malaysia-based and Myanmar-listed bottled water producer Spritzer for about MYR63 million ($15 million).
Didi invests $200m in China's VC-backed Renrenche
Chinese ride-hailing app operator Didi Chuxing has invested $200 million in Renrenche, a local consumer-to-consumer used-car trading platform, which is backed by several VC investors.
Hostplus commits $50m in Artesian's China VC fund
Australian superannuation fund Hostplus has committed $50 million to a China-focused VC fund launched by Australian seed investor Artesian. The fund is targeting up to $200 million.
CMC, AlphaX lead $84m round for China Gaosi Education
CMC Capital Partners and AlphaX Partners – a VC firm co-founded by Chuan Thor, formerly a managing director at Highland Capital China – have jointly led a RMB550 million ($84 million) round for Gaosi Education Group, a Chinese education and training institution....
India cloud player HighRadius secures $50m
HighRadius, a US and India-based financial technology company focused on cloud computing services, has received $50 million from Susquehanna Growth Equity for a global expansion.
Tiger Global, Genesis lead $230m round for China's Miss Fresh
Tiger Global Management and Genesis Capital have led an extended Series C round worth $230 million for Miss Fresh, a Chinese online grocery retailer backed by Tencent Holdings. Jeneration Capital also participated.